Posted: Nov 06, 2019
BOSTON – Suffolk men's basketball is three days away from tipping off the season at the Babson Invitational, but prior to game one of the 2019-20 campaign, GoSuffolkRams.com has compiled the top five things you need to watch out for this year.
- ONE LAST GNAC GO
Suffolk joined the GNAC in 1999-00 and had its claim to fame among the conference counterparts in 2001-02 when it captured the league title en route to the automatic NCAA Division III berth. Z
The Rams have one final chance to capture GNAC glory as the blue-and-gold will depart the league ranks in 2020-21 as Suffolk Athletics takes its talents to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC).
Suffolk, who has made the league's postseason each of the last seven years and 15 times overall since 1999-20, looks to make its farewell known by its league foes by lifting the championship trophy for the second time in program history.
Overall, the Rams have assembled a 138-194 (41.6) league ledger in 20 campaigns. Under Jeff Juron's guidance, Suffolk has gone 30-33 (47.6) against conference competition.
- CLASS OF 2020
The four seniors – Thomas Duffy, Jonathan Eng, George Grillakis and Cameron Powers – are what's left of Jeff Juron's first official recruiting class. The five-year head coach brought these players in as a freshman and since then the quartet has helped reshape the men's basketball program.
Currently, the foursome boasts a 40-39 overall record as a class and have the chance to become one of the winningest four-year classes of men's basketball history. The current record for most wins by a senior class is held by the Class of 1978, who put together a 68-30 mark over four years
- DYNAMIC DUFFY
Thomas Duffy has gotten better with age, improving on his offensive and defensive numbers in each of his three seasons in blue-and-gold, and Ram Nation can only hope he saved the best for last.
The senior from Fairfield, Connecticut, became the 30th member of Suffolk's 1,000-point club in the GNAC Quarterfinal tilt against Saint Joseph (Conn.) Feb. 19, 2019, and was the first student-athlete to hit the feat as a junior since Brian Small did so in 2008.
He has the chance to climb the scoring charts, as well as the all-time lists in assists and steals. Duffy is currently eighth all-time in handouts with 237 set-ups to his credit and is on the verge of cracking the top 10 in takeaways with 84 steals.
- OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
Three of Suffolk's top five scorers are back in uniform from last season's team that posted the most victories (18) since it went 19-6 in 1975-76 and put up 79.3 points per outing.
The pair of Thomas Duffy (15.6 ppg) and Brendan Mulson (13.3 ppg) led the way a year ago and the NCAA Division III statistical champion in three-point percentage Alex Jacovides supplied 12.1 ppg, mostly from downtown.
- HOW TO FOLLOW SUFFOLK MEN'S BASKETBALL IN 2019-20
Family, fans and friends of Suffolk men's basketball can follow all of the action via the Athletic Department's website, GoSuffolkRams.com. Every game will be previewed and recapped with in-game live stats and video offered for every home event.
Members of Ram Nation are also encouraged to stay up-to-date on the Rams' official social media sites, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and use the official hashtag #RamNation for an insider's look at Suffolk's teams and student-athletes.
For a more in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpse at Suffolk men's basketball, fans can follow the Rams on Instagram and Twitter at @SuffolkMBB.