Byline: Pete Dougherty Staff writer
At the beginning of this season, when Siena College was basking in its basketball achievements of last season, coach Mike Deane talked of using a 'midget lineup' to capitalize on his team's perimeter strength.
Now, with last year's 25-5 record and NCAA Tournament trip a distant memory, Siena will be forced into a midget lineup.
As Siena takes the Alumni Recreation Center court tonight (7:30) to face Iona, the only Saints taller than 6-foot-7 will be wearing street clothes.
'We've always tried to work the ball inside first anyway,' said Iona coach Gary Brokaw, whose Gaels are 7-7 overall, 2-1 in the MAAC.
Steve Downey, Siena's 6-11 starting center, will be out until at least mid-February with a broken bone in his foot. Freshman Andy Shorkey, at 6-9 the only other player in the program taller than 6-7, has applied for a medical red-shirt as he recovers from knee problems.
'We'll be a little quicker getting up and down the court, but on the boards we'll be handicapped,' said Lee Matthews, a 6-7 freshman who will be jumping center tonight. 'Everybody will have to do a little extra on the boards, from me to Marc.'
Marc Brown, Siena's 5-11 point guard, tried to accelerate the pace in Tuesday night's 82-65 loss at Fordham, but fouls kept him pinned to the bench in key stretches.
'With the lack of size inside, we have to beat people up the court,' Brown said. 'One thing we can do with Lee and James Roberts and Bruce Schroeder is to beat big men up the court. Defensively, it's going to be a problem. What we're going to do to adjust, I don't know.'
Deane said the Saints (6-7, 3-2) will play more in their matchup zone, which already was the team's predominant defense before Downey went down.
Jeff Robinson, a 6-6 swingman who needs 13 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer, will be moved to forward, Deane said. Sophomore Mike Brown and red- shirt freshman Jim Ryder see more playing time at shooting guard. Brown will start there tonight.
'It's kind of late in the year to change how you play,' Deane said.
The key position, though, is power forward. Siena needs someone to help Matthews in rebounding.
Siena got a surprisingly solid 17 minutes Tuesday from Dave Foster, a rarely used 6-7 junior who had four points and four rebounds.
'We lost. It's hard to feel good about that,' Foster said. 'I thought I did OK.'
Deane said, 'Dave's never played poorly in a game, but his practice performance never seems to dictate much playing time.'
Foster's performance, though, could light a fire under James Roberts, a 6-5 junior-college transfer who has been a disappointment.
'James has more ability and will get the first chance,' Deane said, 'but James has got to do it on the basketball floor, not on the list of 'potential.' He's got to increase how hard he plays and his understanding of our system.'
Andy Grazulis, a 6-6 sophomore, could help, but he has been slowed by his surgerically repaired right knee. 'He still can't jump from a standstill,' Deane said.
What Siena wants is to avoid putting too much pressure on Matthews, who has shown promise but typical freshman inconsistency.
'He (Deane) said there's no reason for me to feel nervous in a game, because he's going to let me play through my mistakes,' Matthews said.
Meanwhile, Downey, who missed nine games last season with mononucleosis, said he will focus on his weight training until he can return.
'I think it will be a little easier to come back,' he said. 'It seemed like it was harder to come back from mono because I was tired all the time.'
Notes: Joe Middleton practiced Wednesday for the first time since spraining his ankle Dec.28. He could be available tonight.
