Recent rookie of the year to lead Dolphins on offense

Mount St. Vincent basketball preview

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Brian Nigro has a long history with Mount St. Vincent basketball. A 2000 graduate of the college, he enjoyed a stellar four-year career with the Dolphins, finishing his career No. 2 on the school’s all-time assists list with 674 before becoming the program’s had coach at the start of the 2008 season.

But now Nigro would like to add another assist to his total — guiding the Dolphins to a Skyline Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, a goal the Mount fell just short of last season.

“We were close to winning last year,” Nigro said. “We lost in the [Skyline Conference] semifinals to St. Joe’s of Long Island but we finished the season with an 18-9 record and tied for second in conference. It was the program’s best overall record in the last 15 years.”

This season, though, Nigro and the Dolphins will have to launch their assault on the Skyline Conference without two of its leaders — James Zuccaro and Antonio Johnson — who graduated last spring. And Nigro will have to do it with a roster that leans toward the young side.

“With have 13 underclassmen and two upperclassmen, Nigro said. “We have no seniors, just two juniors. Everyone else is freshmen and sophomores.”

But that doesn’t mean the talent cupboard is bare. Far from it as the Dolphins return reigning Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year Ammad Alkhulaidi and three-point specialist Jamir Ferebee, a pair of sophomores Nigro will be looking at to replace Zuccaro’s 16.9 points a game and Johnson’s 12.8.

“Ammad was rookie of the year last year and led our team in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, rebounds and assists,” Nigro said. “He’s just one of those dynamic players who can play every position. He has great size and a great work ethic but most of all he’s got the respect of his teammates. He and Jamir will be the catalysts this year.”

College of Mount Saint Vincent, NCAA Men's Basketball, Ammad Alkhulaidi, Sean Brennan
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