Atlantic 10 capsule previews: Several teams have a shot to move up the conference ladder
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Atlantic 10 officials have released the men's basketball prospectus for the 2009-10 season. The list of comings and goings makes one obvious point: It is going to be more difficult than ever to predict what will happen in the conference next season. Eleven of the 14 teams have at least three returning starters. The only squads with two returning starters are Fordham, Massachusetts and Temple. Still, the most striking lists are those that deal with newcomers. Several schools -- most notably Richmond, Massachusetts, Charlotte and St. Bonaventure -- had key players on campus last year who did not take part because of injuries, transfers or scholastic concerns. As is usually the case, the lists are tentative. URI, for example, has two new players listed, forward Ryan Brooks and guard Akeem Richmond. Both are on campus and attending summer school to get a head start on their classes. However, two others the Rams are hoping to have on their roster, point guard Lisandro Ruiz-Moreno, who is from Argentina and played at South Kent Prep with Brooks last year, and forward Levan Shengalia of Serbia, are not listed because they have not yet been admitted to school. The full list is below. Here are quick summations on each of the 14 schools: CHARLOTTE: The 49ers return three starters, but their hope for improvement is built on a six-man group of newcomers. That list is headed by Shamari Spears, the rugged forward who began his career at Boston College, and Shamarr Bowden, an outside gunner who was going to start last season before being sidelined by a leg injury. DAYTON: The Flyers are perhaps the most stable program in the league right now. They lose only two players, Charles Little who graduated and Stephen Thomas who transferred. They bring in two new forwards, Josh Benson and Matt Kavanaugh. But the team has so much depth those two are likely to wait their turn. The Flyers are a title contender and Top 25 candidate. DUQUESNE: The Dukes arrived as contenders last season and figure to stay that way. They lost Aaron Jackson, who had the vote here as the best player in the conference last winter. But everyone else returns, including Eric Evans, who got in a lot of work at Jackson's point guard spot last season. The team needed size and should get that with Morakinjo Williams, a transfer from Kentucky. FORDHAM: It's a mess in the Bronx. Players are bailing out of a ship that already was sinking. Jio Fontan, the point guard who was one of the best freshmen in the conference, left even though the school fought to refuse to grant him his release. The Bronx Rams will be weak. GEORGE WASHINGTON: The Colonials continue to be a puzzle. Talent is there, including returning starters Damian Hollis, Tony Taylor and Travis King. Karl Hobbs is bringing in a big class, six players he hopes will help get the team back on track. LA SALLE: If the Explorers are going to become a true contender, this will be the season. They return all five starters. All are seniors, led by Rodney Green, one of the conference's best. They also bring in the most highly touted freshman in the conference in center Aaric Murray. If they can protect the ball better, the Explorers can make a big jump toward the top. MASSACHUSETTS: The Minutemen will be a wild card. They suffer big losses (Chris Lowe, Tony Gaffney, Luke Bonner) from a mediocre team. Also, UConn transfer Doug Wiggins, expected to take over the point, has left school. But Derek Kellogg learned under John Calipari how to bring in players. He had two transfers sitting out last winter, center Hashim Bailey from Memphis and forward Sean Carter form Oregon State. Former Hope star Gary Correia, who had a great game against URI, looked into leaving, but as of now is staying. RHODE ISLAND: The Rams already have let it be known that they plan to go from fast to faster in pace of game next year, which makes sense with speedsters like Keith Cothran, Marquis Jones, Delroy James and Lamonte Ulmer returning. Ryan Brooks, a 6-9 forward who can work in and out, and Akeem Richmond, a high scoring guard form North Carolina, are ready to join the running and gunning. RICHMOND: The Spiders figure to be serious contenders. They have four starters back, led by Kevin Anderson, who is one of the league's best. They also regain Dan Geriot, their top scorer from two years ago who was injured all of last season. The team has depth. Looking for a team to join the contenders at the top? This one would be a good choice. ST. BONAVENTURE: North Attleboro's Mark Schmidt not only has straightened out a bad situation, he has the team poised to become a factor. The Bonnies have four starters returning, but also have six newcomers, including three guys who were in school but had to sit out last season, guard Lewis Leonard and swingmen Jake Houseknecht and Marquise Simmons. SAINT JOSEPH'S: The Hawks already have made a couple notable signing for 2010-11, but getting through this season will be the challenge. The perennial contenders do not look that way for this year after losing all-everything Ahmad Nivins. Todd O'Brien, a center who transferred in from Bucknell, should help as he leads a five-man class of new guys, but the Hawks will need much help. SAINT LOUIS: The Billikens suffered a setback when seven-foot center Brett Thompson, who a year ago at this time was being hailed as one of the A-10's best incoming players, left after only one year. Four-year regulars Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell also are gone. Coach Rick Majerus is bringing in seven new guys, among them forward Cody Ellis, who this week is excelling for his Australian team in the world under-19 games. XAVIER: The big change for the Muskies is that coach Sean Miller has headed to Arizona. His top assistant, Chris Mack, takes over a very good situation. Even with Derrick Brown leaving early for the NBA, Xavier is loaded once again. Three players who were with the team but sat out last season will move in, led by Jordan Crawford, a scoring guard who left the Indiana program.
CHARLOTTE 49ERS Players Returning: 8 DAYTON FLYERS DUQUESNE DUKES FORDHAM RAMS GEORGE WASHINGTON COLONIALS LA SALLE EXPLORERS MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN RHODE ISLAND RAMS RICHMOND SPIDERS ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES SAINT JOSEPH'S HAWKS SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS TEMPLE OWLS XAVIER MUSKETEERS 
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