Spartans Show Promise in Tough Season
A young roster combined with defensive and rebounding struggles hurt the Cayuga Community College Men's Basketball Team this season, but the team is already eyeing "unfinished business" as it looks ahead to next season.
Coach Tony Borges believes the Spartans gained valuable experience in an up-and-down 2019-2020 season, and that a solid offseason should push the team to a strong 2020-2021 campaign.
In fact, just days after the end of the 2019-2020 season, players were already back in the gym and thinking how next year will be different.
"I've had a few of them tell me that we have some unfinished business next year, and that's good to hear," said Borges. "We want to come in with a hard-working attitude, and be determined to improve this offseason so that when that first game starts next season, we're ready to go and show what we can do."
The Spartans finished the season with an 8-16 overall record and a 4-8 mark in the Mid-State Athletic Conference, and closed the season with a loss in the first round of the Region III playoffs to Jefferson Community College.
Borges said he felt the team was better than its record indicated, and identified turnovers, defense and rebounding as areas that hurt the Spartans during the season.
Even with those struggles, though, there were only a few games — against Region III champion Mohawk Valley and MSAC champ Onondaga Community College — that the team wasn't competitive in, said Borges.
"This season was really a learning experience for our freshmen. They'll come back hungrier. They're already looking to get after it," he said.
Cayuga will have to replace two sophomore guards, Stanley Beato and Joseph McCoy. Beato, the team's second leading scorer and rebounder on the season, averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game.
The Spartans have a strong group of freshmen set to return next season. Guard Deonte Holder led the team with 20 points per game, and led the conference in scoring and three-point shooting. He was named to the all-conference team for the season.
Freshmen point guard Jacob Ramirez, forward Isaiah Landres, swingman Scott Minnoe and forward Shaheed Alcide all return next year after averaging at least seven points per game. Alcide led Cayuga with eight rebounds per game.
The key will be everyone working to improve in the offseason, said Borges.
"We have to get better at our craft as players and as coaches. That means being dedicated in the offseason, and hopefully when next season starts, we'll have a good group of freshmen to join our returning players," said Borges. "If we do that, we'll be ready."