2022/23 Senior Tribute

ASDRUBAL CRUZ

In a class filled with likable players, Asdrubal might be the most fun of all. He's a genuine Texan, complete with jeans, boots, and hat, but he's from a posh Dallas suburb, not the high plains. He started his collegiate career at Savannah State, but left Georgia after receiving no playing time as a freshman. No wonder he transferred.

So, a player who couldn't get onto the court for a team that had never won more than 13 games in a season came to Lafayette, played over 2600 minutes in three years, and went to three NCAA tournaments. No wonder Asdrubal can't stop smiling.



We never asked Asdrubal to score; we had plenty of players to handle that task. We needed him to set up on the low block, grab rebounds, and guard the other team's best inside scorer. That's precisely what Asdrubal did, first as a reserve and, then, for two seasons as a starter.

Cruz developed into a truly elite force on the offensive glass. His 110 offensive rebounds this season are a team record, and rank #7 all-time in the Patriot League; his career total of 295 ranks sixth. And, remember, he did this in three seasons, not four.

Asdrubal came out of high school as a one-star recruit. I need to remember players like him when I find myself restricting my recruiting efforts to three- and four-star players. Sometimes a guy like Asdrubal, the #805 player in his class, is exactly what we need.

After graduation, Cruz will head back to Dallas, where he'll enroll in the graduate business school at Southern Methodist University. He's also planning to propose to his high school sweetheart.

Thanks for the memories, Asdrubal.

2022/23 Senior Tribute

BEN MIELE

As a high school senior in Florida, Ben was considered a raw player with considerable potential. He was one of the highest-ranked players we'd ever recruited, and after some careful polishing, he emerged as the floor general we always thought he'd be.


Ben averaged almost 22 points per game as a high school senior, and his shooting numbers--with the exception of this season, when he lost his touch--indicate a player who could have scored at this level had we needed him to.

Instead, the beach boy from Florida kept his teammates happy by passing them the ball. Ben led the league in assists per game as a junior and nearly did so again as a senior. His career total of 442 helpers is a Lafayette record, and it's the sixth-best in Patriot League history.

Ben is talking with an agent about the possibility of playing professionally in Europe or South America; he's fluent in Spanish. If those plans don't work out, he'll return to Florida and figure out what his next move should be.

Thanks for the memories, Ben.

2022/23 Senior Tribute

MATT ROBLES

I'll present the question right away: Is Matt Robles the best big man Graham Sims has ever coached?

Until this season, that title would unquestionably belong to James Sanders. Big Colonel was a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year and a second round pick in the pro draft. He started 125 games for us, scored nearly 1500 points, snagged nearly 900 rebounds, and was an indispensable member of the teams that established Lafayette as one of the nation's top mid major programs.

But, take a look the career Matt Robles has just completed:


When Matt arrived on campus, fresh from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he could barely make it up and down the court. Look at his Stamina rating, and you'll see how hard he worked to transform himself into a durable player.

Standing 6'8" and weighing barely 200 pounds, Matt battled much larger centers every night. (James Sanders is three inches taller, and played at over 300 pounds.) Nevertheless, he was named to the All-League First Team three times, a feat Big Colonel didn't achieve.

Both players came up big when their teams needed them most, scoring and rebounding productively and providing their teammates with emotional lifts in tough moments.

Robles' career totals for points and rebounds are higher than Sanders'. Matt ranks third all-time in rebounds among Patriot League players.

I think I'd find a way to keep both men on the floor if I had them both on the same team, wouldn't you?

Matt has an outside chance of being drafted. He'd consider playing overseas, but otherwise, he's still considering several different job opportunities. He'd like to work with his hands, so contracting is an option.

Thanks for the memories, Matt.

April 8, 2023

For the first time, two Lafayette players are selected in the professional draft. Thomas Lucy is picked at #32, very early in the second round. Then, Matt Robles hears his name called at #43.

By the time Lucy is drafted, two Patriot League players have already come off the board. Lehigh's Marlon Smith goes at #18, the highest any Patriot League player has ever been drafted. American center James Zimmer, like Smith a player we recruited heavily once upon a time, was the last man chosen in the first round (#30).

It's not a great year for the Patriot League in the recruiting wars.


Carter Todd is the conference's highest-ranked recruit (#208). He arrives on College Hill as a Red/Green player, but his classmates are even more ready for college ball. Charles Allenis the best of the bunch, debuting as a Yellow/Blue talent.

Before we get too excited about our haul, I must remember that two of our offers went unclaimed. We begin May with only 10 scholarship players.

The biggest news from the coaching carousel is the retirement of one of the most storied names in college basketball. James Berube of Mississippi State is hanging up his whistle.

Berube arrived in Starkville in 2014, and led the Bulldogs to six Final Fours and two national championships (2018 and 2020). He retires with a career record of 324-104.

Graham is flattered when the Mississippi State AD offers him the opportunity to succeed Coach Berube, but he turns it down, along with the other eleven offers that come his way. Seven more arrive in the next round, along with the news that the last remaining member of Graham's original coaching staff, assistant Thomas Liang, has accepted the head coaching position at Siena.



Coach Liang is highly regarded as a defensive guru, and he worked hand-in-hand with Coach Sims to build Lafayette into one of the hardest teams to score against in the nation. Good luck with your new challenge, Coach.

In another universe, I'd probably let Graham take the job he's offered at Stanford. I like coaching at universities with high academic standards. But, since Palo Alto is not in Pennsylvania, Graham will have to say "no, thank you."

To replace Coach Liang, we hire Nathan Bailey.

COACH DETAILS


I'm trying to figure out why Akron fired Coach Bailey after the Zips went 27-7 and made a deep run in the NIT. Since then, he's coached at SEC and ACC schools. Coach Bailey knows his stuff, and has skill working on both sides of the ball. He's not cheap, but when you see our new budget, you'll understand why we could hire him. :)

Welcome to Lafayette, Coach Bailey.

June 1, 2023

With three available scholarships, Coach Sims works the transfer portal hard. He comes away with one new player: a wide-body from Florida named Theodore Beckett.


Theodore cares about making good grades and playing good defense. I like the thought of a 241-pound man locking down opponents on the perimeter, so I decided to take a chance on Large T.

July 1, 2023

Here's the roster for your 2023/24 Lafayette College Leopards!

July 1, 2023

Carlton McFadden, a wing, is the sole scholarship senior on this year's roster. We begin the year with only 12 guys on scholarship and I cut a nondescript walk-on to free up another scholly, so Coach Sims can offer three players this recruiting season.

Our prestige has gone up another point, to 76. Holy Cross receives a boost after making it to the NIT, and now stands at 53. Our facilities remain at 51, but I receive an email telling me they'll be upgraded in time for next season.

The best news, however, is a big budget increase. We now have $521,625 to spend, and after our assistants' salaries are taken out, we can spend $22,622/month on recruiting.

November 1, 2023

Training camp will begin soon, and Graham Sims and his staff will have a little less on their plate. The first member of Lafayette's recruiting class is signed, sealed, and delivered.

Let's meet him now, shall we?


As you might guess, Duncan is the son of Graham and Mary Kate Sims. According to Graham, who walked on at Villanova, "he's definitely a better high school player than I was." The rankings back up Dad's claim; Duncan is a solid three-star player and one of the better point guards in the East.

Duncan is a typical coach's son, a smart player who does things the right way. He's a good ballhandler and passer with the potential to be very good, and he's got a textbook jumper with three-point range. Like many second-generation players, especially those who are guards, he is cold cash money from the free throw line.

There's no expectation that Duncan will waltz into a starting role. He's a Red/Green player, and Lafayette has two older, more polished point guards in Kamari Stone and Charles Allen.

So, my daughter's idea to have a FBCB "brother" to play for Dad is working so far! :) Welcome to the family, Duncan.

November 5, 2023

Training camp goes very well, and the Leopards look ready for the upcoming season.


Everyone in the program is talking about the strides Kurt Ritchie has made since last season. The 6'9" junior will inherit Matt Robles' spot at center, and while he might not reach Robles' level offensively, he appears ready to provide lockdown defense and a commanding presence on the boards.

Junior Jeffrey Hampton will be given the first shot at joining Ritchie in the post. Hammond has appeared in 59 games at Lafayette, but in limited roles. Coach Sims hopes he will step up; if he doesn't, look for freshman Carl McGriff to play more often.

Another third year player, Byron Shores, is already being discussed as a possible first round pick in next year's pro draft. The team's top returning scorer, Shores will be called upon to provide the same level of offensive production this season. He had a fantastic camp, adding even more polish to his already glistening offensive game.

Kenton Lashley will make his long-awaited Lafayette debut this fall. Lashley has the well-rounded game you would expect from a former Top 10 recruit. He's a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining.

The fifth starter will be sophomore Kamari Stone, a lightning-quick point guard who sees the court well and handles the ball securely. Micah Rodriguez will play starters' minutes, appearing anywhere on the perimeter and providing instant offense.

McGriff and guard Charles Allen will play quite a bit, and so will freshman big Carter Todd.

I like the looks of this year's team. Ritchie's development into a Green/Green player should enable him to anchor the interior for us. Shores (Blue/Blue) could be the most dynamic player Lafayette fans have ever seen...unless Lashley (Green/Blue) is even more electrifying. If Stone (Yellow/Green) can take care of the ball and keep the big dogs happy, and if Rodriguez (Green/Blue) is OK with not starting every game, we could be in for a lot of fun on College Hill this season.

The AD expects us to make the Sweet Sixteen. Let's keep him happy.

What an absolute steal in the transfer market. Looking forward to seeing how K-Lash's career turns out.

You aren't kidding. The transfers who express interest in playing for us are almost always walk-ons, like Theodore Beckett, or guys who don't make an immediate impact at a small school, like Asdrubal Cruz. Sometimes these guys can pan out--Cruz certainly did--but they seem to be depth chart filler for the most part.

K-Lash is cut from different cloth. He's not Superman; he has A potential in only one area (jump shooting), but he's a B at the rest of the key skills a scoring wing needs and a C in the others. He is quick, he can leap out of the gym, and his stamina is just fine.

Most Lafayette players, even the good ones, have a handful of Ds and Fs on their "attribute report cards." Micah Rodriguez can't rebound or play defense. Byron Shores is an elite shooter, but that's pretty much all he does. Matt Robles couldn't steal the ball, handle it, or shoot it from much farther away than the rim. And these are players who have been drafted, or whom the experts believe will be drafted. Kenton is a unicorn.

His former teammates got NCAA championship rings last April, so I hope Kenton isn't feeling too down about leaving. I'd love to see him have the chance to win a natty with Lafayette.

I've decided I prefer my "old" format for writing up the events of a season. It made me feel more connected to my game, so I'm returning to it.

November 12, 2023
Philadelphia Invitational, First Round
(4) Lafayette 77, (5) Hawai'i 69
When I saw we had a game against the Rainbow Warriors in November, I figured Graham and the boys were heading to the tropics. Instead, we bus it down to Philly and play Hawai'i there.

Kenton Lashley sinks 4 of 6 treys and scores 16 points in his Lafayette debut, but he also turns the ball over 5 times. Byron Shores leads all scorers (you might want to get used to that phrase) with 24, and Kurt Ritchie snags 9 rebounds and blocks 4 shots in a nice imitation of Samuel Davis.

Micah Rodriguez rolled his ankle, so he'll sit out the next game and let it heal properly.
Record: 1-0.


November 14, 2023
Philadelphia Invitational
(4) Lafayette 91, (1) #9 Kentucky 82
An arena filled with roaring Lafayette fans gets a treat, as the Leopards win a catfight against the blue-blooded Wildcats.


Welcome to Pennsylvania, Mr. Lashley.

We lead by 15 at the half, and Kentucky, who went to the Final Four last year, never gets back into the game.
Record: 2-0.


November 16, 2023
Philadelphia Invitational, Championship Game
(4) Lafayette 82, (2) #2 Texas 73
We beat a second Top Ten team to capture the Philadelphia Invitational trophy!

Micah Rodriguez is at 85% and he wants to play, so I suit him up. He powers through 28 minutes, made necessary when Kenton Lashley gets into foul trouble. Micah scores 21 points, supporting Byron Shores' 22.

Kurt Ritchie misses a double double by a point, ending up with 9 and 12 rebounds.
Record: 3-0.




November 18, 2023
@Lafayette 91, Siena 68
Former Lafayette assistant Thomas Liang receives a warm welcome back as he arrives with his Siena team, but that's the last pleasant thing Coach Liang experiences.

Micah Rodriguez nets a career-high 30 points, going 7-10 from deep, and Byron Shores adds 17. Kurt Ritchie controls the paint with 10 rebounds and 7 blocks, and Kamari Stone scores 10 with 5 boards and 4 assists. Foul trouble again plagues Kenton Lashley, who scores 10 more in 17 minutes.
Record: 4-0.


November 19, 2023
I'm doing away with the poll update posts, but this moment deserves to be captured...


It's our first #1 ranking in the Mid Major poll, which looks more realistic now that the Big Ten has regained its major conference status.

November 21, 2023
#22 Lafayette 83, @Creighton 75
Newly ranked in the top 25, we travel to Nebraska and beat the Blue Jays in a mid major showdown.

Tonight's star is Byron Shores, who makes 5 of his 11 threes and finishes with 25 points. Jeffrey Hampton contributes his first career double double (17p/12r), and Kurt Ritchie is productive, too (13p/10r). Ritchie also blocks 7 shots. Those Samuel Davis comparisons are becoming even more accurate.

It's a tough night at the office for Kenton Lashley (1-for-7 from three, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 fouls).
Record: 5-0.


November 24, 2023
@#22 Lafayette 61, Canisius 38
This isn't the game for you if you like offense, as neither team lights up the scoreboard.

Kenton Lashley regains his touch for a game-high 20 points. Byron Shores (14) and Micah Rodriguez (12) also reach double figures, and Jeffrey Hampton (10) does so in rebounds. Kurt Ritchie blocks 3 more shots and grabs 8 boards.
Record: 6-0.


November 26, 2023
#22 Lafayette 75, @#18 Vanderbilt 68
Going into tonight's game, Graham's teams were 0-7 against Vanderbilt. The only team to have beaten Lafayette more often is American, against whom Graham's gone 18-8.

Behind 22 points from Byron Shores, a scoresheet-filling POG performance from Kenton Lashley (14p/5r/4a/1s), and an authoritative 12 rebounds and 6 blocks from Kurt Ritchie, the Leopards secure their first-ever win against the Commodores.

It's also Lafayette's third victory against ranked opponents this year.
Record: 7-0.


November 29, 2023
@#17 Lafayette 62, Virginia 57
A winless Virginia team comes to the Kirby Center and leaves with another loss. We don't score much, but we keep them from scoring, too.

Byron Shores leads the way with 23 points (5-10 from three). Kenton Lashley (12) and Micah Rodriguez (10) break double digits, and while Kurt Ritchie doesn't score, he gets 11 rebounds. One more point and one more rebound would have earned Jeffrey Hampton a double double too.

A fan in the student section gets some TV time by holding up a sign that reads BYRON SCORES. I wonder why it took them so long to come up with that one. :)
Record: 8-0.

Hi again, everyone!

I took a hiatus from my basketball story for a few months, but the return of autumn and the approach of another "real" college hoops season has put me in the mood to return to campus with Coach Sims and the Leopards.

I've looked back at the last two pages or so of the story in order to regain my sense of what was happening, so it shouldn't be long before I'm back with a "real" update. I hope I enjoy bringing the story to you as much as I did before, and if you had fun rooting for Coach Sims and his team, I hope you'll return to the story, too.

December 1, 2023

The month begins with some good recruiting news. Bret Bryant becomes the second member of our Class of 2024.


We outbid four highly regarded programs to sign Bret, a big man with a diverse set of skills. I'm especially intrigued by Bret's ability to handle and pass the basketball; if our scouting report is accurate, he'd be as comfortable running our offense as Kamari Stone is right now. Bret might also be able to switch one through five, which is also an exciting possibility.

Even if Bret is never a high-volume scorer at the collegiate level, he should bring enough to the table to be a valuable part of the team.

We still have a scholarship to offer. We'll probably look for a wing player. I'd be surprised if both Byron Shores and Kenton Lashley return for the 2024/25 season (players can enter the draft after their "junior year," and I'm not sure if that option is available for a redshirt soph like K-Lash). I'd like to bolster our wing corps, just in case.

December 3, 2023
#14 Lafayette 72, Massachusetts 67
We welcome former assistant Donn McClinton back to the Kirby Center today. His team is winless, and after a 15-15 record last year, Donn's seat might be feeling a bit warm already.

The Minutemen try to take the air out of the basketball against us, but we respond well to the glacial pace of the game, hitting over half our shots and nearly that many from long range.

Byron Shores (15), Kamari Stone (15), and Kenton Lashley (13) divide 43 points nearly perfectly between themselves, and Kurt Ritchie snags 11 rebounds. It's another satisfying win for the #1 mid-major team in the nation. I hope it doesn't hurt Coach McClinton's job security too much.
Record: 9-0.


December 6, 2023
#13 Lafayette 56, @ William & Mary 46
Graham Sims rarely loses his temper, but his team see that side of their coach at halftime in Williamsburg. The Leopards trail a winless Tribe team 28-21 at the intermission, and Sims isn't happy with his team's intensity.

They get the message. A renewed defensive effort and far better shot selection enable Lafayette to win the second half, 35-18, and save themselves from an embarrassing defeat.

The Leopards make only a third of their shots today. Byron Shores leads all scorers with 20, and Micah Rodriguez pitches in 14 in 18 minutes off the bench. Jeffrey Hampton contributes 10 rebounds, and Kurt Ritchie blocks 5 shots.
Record: 10-0.


December 10, 2023
#13 Lafayette 85, Hofstra 77
Coach Sims' boys demonstrate they can win different kinds of basketball games, outgunning a Hofstra team that gives them all they could handle.

Kenton Lashley endures a miserable night (9 points, 3-10 shooting, 7 turnovers), but teammate Byron Shores has his back (27 points, 3-6 from three, 7 rebounds). And Kurt Ritchie is a colossus (17 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks). Throw in another 13 points in 14 minutes from Micah Rodriguez, and you get the Leopards' 11th straight W.
Record: 11-0.


December 14, 2023
#10 Lafayette 73, @ St. Francis (NY) 72
The 2019 Final Four team finished with an "official" ranking of #8, but I'm almost positive this is the first time the Leopards have ever cracked the Top Ten in a media poll. We also took every one of the 72 first place votes in the Mid Major poll.

And it takes a three-pointer by Byron Shores with 27 ticks on the clock and a big defensive stop to send off the tenacious Terriers, who enter the game with a 4-3 record.

Four Leopards in double figures are led by super sixth man Micah Rodriguez, who scores 21. Shores knocks in 16, Kenton Lashley 12, and Jeffrey Hampton 10; Hampton also takes in 11 rebounds. Kurt Ritchie grabs 12 boards and blocks 5 shots.

It's a nice team victory against a team that was clearly fired up to beat us.
Record: 12-0.


December 16, 2023
Villanova 86, #10 Lafayette 80
The Wildcats secure the Wells Fargo Center for this Saturday afternoon matchup, featuring the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's marquee basketball program and a team that has perhaps become the best of the rest. The Wildcats enter the game unranked, following a tough loss to Indiana and a shocking loss to Georgia State. The visitors are still the underdogs here, but the gap between the two programs has narrowed considerably.

The sellout crowd is treated to an excellent game that makes both teams look good. Villanova leads, 39-38, after 20 minutes. James Glazier puts on a clinic for those who appreciate the nuances of coaching basketball, and Duncan Sims tries to match him, move for move.

Sims has to reach well down his bench when his players encounter foul trouble. Micah Rodriguez (16) and first year Charles Allen (14) combine for 30 points in reserve, but Rodriguez fouls out and three other Leopards are forced to play long stretches with four fouls. That makes it easier for the Wildcats to do just enough to win.

Former five-star recruit Titus Pound scores 26 for the victors. Byron Shores (13) and Kenton Lashley (11) join Rodriguez and Allen in double digits for Lafayette, and Kurt Ritchie and Jeffrey Hampton finish with 11 rebounds apiece.

It's our first defeat of the season, but it's an honorable one.
Record: 12-1.


December 20, 2023
#15 Lafayette 71, Delaware State 40
Another of Graham's former assistants, Steven Manion, brings his team to the Kirby Center, where he's greeted warmly by Coach Sims and the Lafayette crowd. Then the Leopards combine a 26-point effort by Byron Shores with air-tight defense and close out an easy win.

The Leopards are attentive to details, turning the ball over only four times and making 14 of 15 foul shots. DSU's record is now 5-6, and since Coach Manion has never had a winning season, he might be back on the job market next spring unless the Hornets step up in MEAC play.
Record: 13-1.


December 24, 2023
#15 Lafayette 81, @ Rutgers 70
Once again, we find ourselves trailing at the half after shooting poorly and defending only decently; this time, Rutgers leads us 38-35. However, we have Byron Shores, and the Scarlet Knights do not.

Shores scores 37 points, tying Joe Lien's record for the Graham Sims era at Lafayette. Byron sinks 8 treys, joining Thomas Lucy and Matthew Ackerman atop that leader board.

Kenton Lashley (12), Jeffrey Hampton (12), and Micah Rodriguez (10) join him in double figures, but this is Byron Shores' party.
Record: 14-1.

December 30, 2023
#13 Lafayette 72, Fairfield 41
We hold the Stags to nine first-half points and cruise home from there. Fairfield shot 15-55 for the night. Kurt Ritchie grabs more than his share of all those missed shots, finishing with 12 defensive rebounds and a total of 16. He added 5 blocks and 4 assists for good measure.

Micahwave Rodriguez was again red-hot in a reserve role, leading all scorers with 18 points. Kenton Lashley and Byron Shores were right behind him, with 17 apiece.
Record: 15-1.

January 1, 2024


Holy Cross has established itself as the second-best program in the Patriot League, without any real opposition. The Crusaders have played in a postseason tournament in 11 of the last 12 years, only missing out in 2017/18.



Lafayette's successes in March have pulled the Patriot League to a Level 4 rating. We've made the NCAA tourney 10 times, and we've won at least one game in eight of those seasons.

January 6, 2024
#13 Lafayette 72, Lehigh 63
The Mountain Hawks love nothing more than to come to the Kirby Center and take us down a notch. They come fairly close to achieving this goal; we know we've been in a basketball game when the final buzzer sounds.

Byron Shores scores 30, going 5-8 from behind the arc, but he also commits 6 turnovers. We have 17 TOs as a team, which is one reason why Lehigh can keep the score close. Kenton Lashley adds 15 points and Micah Rodriguez 10, and Kurt Ritchie is his usual productive self with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Record: 16-1 (1-0).


January 10, 2024
#10 Lafayette 89, Holy Cross 81 (OT)
This matchup of Patriot League blue-bloods is as good as you'd want it to be.

The Crusaders' senior guard, Rico Peterson, is one of the best players the Patriot League has ever seen. The nation's leading scorer, Rico dropped 54 points on Texas A&M in a 100-99 victory last month, one shy of the all-time record.

Tonight Rico almost singlehandedly saves his team from defeat with his inspired play in the last 30 seconds of regulation time. He rebounds THREE Crusader misses from behind the arc--one of them, his own shot--before he finds Steve Cao for the three-ball that ties the score as time runs out.

Peterson finishes with 17 points, and his tenacity earns applause from a partisan crowd at the Kirby Center, who are feeling charitable after Byron Shores (27 points) and Kenton Lashley (26)enjoy big nights offensively for the home team. Jeffrey Hampton is the only other Leopard to score in double figures (12), but Kurt Ritchie collects 13 rebounds and turns back 5 shots.

Lashley adds 5 assists and is named Player of the Game.
Record: 17-1 (2-0).


January 13, 2024
#10 Lafayette 57, Navy 40
More than two-thirds of the shots taken tonight are missed, so unless you particularly enjoy rebounding, you wouldn't enjoy watching this one.

Byron Shores' 19 points leads all scorers. Kenton Lashley finishes with 11 points, but he shoots 3-for-16 (3-13 from three-point distance). Shores is named the PoG, but I'd have voted for Kurt Ritchie, on the strength of his 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

A win is, however, still a win.
Record: 18-1 (3-0).


January 14, 2024


We remain #1 in the Mid-Major poll, again sweeping the 72 first-place votes.


January 17, 2024
#7 Lafayette 71, @American 56
I remember recruiting the Eagles' senior star, David Poynter, as a high school senior. Now he's a college senior, one of the Patriot League's better players. David scores 17 points and grabs 11 rebounds, reminding me why I thought he'd be a good player one day.

Kenton Lashley and Micah Rodriguez are good players, too. Lashley scores 21 and Rodriguez nets 16 on a night when Byron Shores scores only 7, and Micah adds 3 steals.

Once again, we don't shoot especially well (40.4% from the floor), but it's good enough to win when we play good defense.
Record: 19-1 (4-0).


January 20, 2024
@ Colgate 96, Lafayette 75
Ouch.

An away date with the Red Raiders, 3-1 in Patriot League play, was destined to be a tough one, but we completely forget how to play defense, commit way too many turnovers, and end up getting hammered. Is this the worst defeat Graham Sims has endured? It might be.

Sophomore big man Elisha Brunelle has his way with the Leopards: 15 points, 14 rebounds. His classmate, Oscar Joseph, scores 23.

Kenton Lashley scores 17 for us, but he also turns the ball over 5 times. Byron Shores and Micah Rodriguez score 13 and 12 respectively, but they also commit 3 turnovers each. Kamari Stone is more careful with the ball (4 assists, 2 turnovers), but he doesn't score a single point.

We lose the top spot in the Patriot League, too. Let's move on.
Record: 19-2 (4-1).


January 24, 2024
#11 Lafayette 88, Bucknell 54
The boys return to the Kirby Center in a dangerous mood, and exorcise the bad vibes from their trip to Colgate with a thrashing of the visiting Bison.

Tonight we commit only 8 turnovers, shoot 32-for-58 from the field, and sink 13 of our 27 threes. We force Bucknell to jack up crappy shot after crappy shot; they finish 23-for-70. It's a completely different Leopards team.

Byron Shores leads the way with 23 points, while Kenton Lashley scores 18 with 5 assists. Micah Rodriguez plays 18 minutes and scores 20 points. But the star of stars is Kurt Ritchie, who scores 8 points, snags 12 rebounds, and rejects 6 shots.
Record: 20-2 (5-1).


January 27, 2024
#11 Lafayette 62, Army 46
This year's team can be wildly inconsistent offensively. They'll follow a dominant performance with a head-scratchingly uninspiring one...like today's
contest at the Kirby Center.

Kenton Lashley is the primary offender today. He takes 11 shots, 10 from distance, and makes one. Only Byron Shores, who scores 22 on 8-for-16 shooting, is immune from the team's case of brickitis.

However, when Coach Sims' teams don't shoot well, they often compensate by playing especially rugged defense. K-Lash epitomizes this trend, too; he steals the ball 3 times and blocks a shot.

Holy Cross beats Colgate, 77-53, so we regain the conference lead at the midway point of the schedule.
Record: 21-2 (6-1).

February 1, 2024

I haven't written about a recruiting "miss" in a while, but this one is interesting enough to add to the story.

Jamal Jeter is a 6'8" forward from Rochester, New York. He's considered the #2 player in the Class of 2024. But because Jamal struggled to qualify academically, no college was willing to offer him a scholarship.

Jamal scored high enough on the SAT to become eligible on January 1. Usually, Coach Sims doesn't recruit players with that kind of academic profile, but I decide to take a chance on Jamal. I recruit him as heavily as I can, but because he hasn't previously paid much attention to Lafayette, I couldn't invite him to campus. He ends up signing with Notre Dame. I'll keep an eye on Jamal. I hope he can keep his head above water academically and enjoy a productive career.

I decide to play it fairly safe this month, offering our remaining scholarship to David Farrell, a medium-sized big man from Virginia who has made it clear we are his number one choice.

February 3, 2024
#11 Lafayette 74, @Lehigh 62
We win the latest installment of this rivalry at the free throw line. The Mountain Hawks make 24 field goals to our 22, and sink only one fewer three-ball (8 to 7). We do a lot of damage at the line, however; five Leopards make at least four foul shots.

Jeffrey Hampton plays a very good game, with 14 points and 8 boards. Byron Shores (17) and Kenton Lashley (17) are our high scorers, with Micah Rodriguez (10) joining them in double digits. Kurt Ritchie dominates the paint again, with 15 rebounds and three more blocks.

Freshman forward Carl McGriff plays well, scoring 7 points (5-6 from the line) and grabbing three rebounds in 13 minutes.

It's not a beautiful win, but there's no such thing as a bad victory over Lehigh.
Record: 22-2 (7-1).


February 7, 2024
#11 Lafayette 68, @Navy 44
The Middies keep it close for 20 minutes; we lead 28-26 at the half. Then, we roar out of the gates after intermission, scoring two points per minute the rest of the way while thoroughly shutting the Navy down.

Byron Shores finishes with 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Kamari Stone (10) joins him in double figures with an even 10 and adds 6 rebounds and 3 assists of his own. I'm reminded of the fact we don't really have one dedicated playmaker. Stone (2.7 APG), Kenton Lashley (2.5 APG), Shores (2.2 APG) and even Kurt Ritchie (1.7 APG) divide the distribution duties fairly evenly.
Record: 23-2 (8-1).


February 10, 2024
@Holy Cross 77, #11 Lafayette 72
Pro scouts don't think highly of Rico Peterson. He's not listed among the top 50 prospects in college ball. However, Rico is one hell of a college player, and he proves it again tonight.

Peterson scores 41 points, the highest total an opponent has ever accumulated against one of Graham Sims' teams. He did so while taking "only" 28 shots, and he sinks 7-10 from three-point distance. Harold Williams supports him with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Byron Shores nets 24 in a losing effort, Kenton Lashley 15, and Jeffrey Hammond 10. Kurt Ritchie, the Patriot League's leading rebounder (10.7 RPG), grabs 13 tonight.

We don't play badly, but Rico Peterson put his team on his back tonight and would not let them lose.

Bucknell upsets Colgate, 82-63, so we retain the top spot in the league standings. The Red Raiders visit the Kirby Center next; it should be a good one.
Record: 23-3 (8-2).


February 14, 2024
#15 Lafayette 80, Colgate 63
We spoil Valentine's Day for our visitors, overcoming 19 turnovers by drawing lots of fouls and making our free throws. Colgate coach DeAngelo Wille complains loudly--during and after the game--because we attempt 34 foul shots to the Red Raiders' 6.

Byron Shores, an 80% free throw shooter this year, makes 9 of 11 tonight and finishes with 26 points. Kenton Lashley (76%) hits all 8 of his foul shots en route to a 17-point night. Kamari Stone only attempts two, making both, surprising nobody; his season percentage is .860.

The Leopards are now two full games ahead in the Patriot League race, and we can clinch Coach Sims' 11th conference championship on Senior Night against American.
Record: 24-3 (9-2).


February 17, 2024
#15 Lafayette 80, American 59
Graham Sims inserts the team's two seniors, Carlton McFadden and Woody Carrasquillo, into the starting lineup for their final home game. Neither player has ever started a collegiate game, and they both end up playing a lot in a very satisfying victory that clinches the Patriot League title. It's the fourth of the seniors' careers.

McFadden scores 7 points and hands out 7 assists in 35 minutes. Carrasquillo, a walk-on, scores 9 with 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 34 minutes.

Jeffrey Hampton posts a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Byron Shores leads all scorers with 33, but Carlton and Woody are the men of the hour. When Coach Sims substitutes for them in the game's final minute, they are sent off with warm ovations.
Record: 25-3 (10-2).


February 20, 2024
#11 Lafayette 85, @Bucknell 44
We win easily against a struggling Bucknell team, forcing them to shoot 18-64 from the field. No Bison scores as many as 10 points, while three Leopards do so (Byron Shores 24, Jeffrey Hampton 13, Micah Rodriguez 12) and another comes close (Charles Allen 9).

Kurt Ritchie pulls in 13 rebounds, as per usual.
Record: 26-3 (11-2).


February 24, 2024
#11 Lafayette 65, @Army 57
We close out our regular season on the banks of the Hudson, where we do just enough to beat a feisty Army team who didn't want to send their seniors off with a defeat.

Again, we don't shoot particularly well. We're not terrible from behind the arc (8-21), but we usually hit about 40 percent of our threes. Byron Shores drops in 25 points in what is likely the last regular season game of his Lafayette career. And Kurt Ritchie blocks 3 shots and grabs another 13 rebounds.
Record: 27-3 (12-2).


February 28, 2024

We return to the Top Ten on the eve of the Patriot League tournament. With a decent run, Colgate could easily secure a spot in a national tourney. Holy Cross is also a popular pick for a lesser tournament each year, and they could be tapped again this season, too. The other Patriot League teams will only keep dancing if they win out.

February 28, 2024
Patriot League Tournament, First Round
(1) #8 Lafayette 80, (8) Lehigh 55
Behind 21 points from Kenton Lashley and 15 from Byron Shores, the Leopards eliminate rival Lehigh with relative ease. The Leopards commit a worrisome 19 turnovers, but accurate shooting makes up for their carelessness.

Jeffrey Hampton (10) and Kurt Ritchie (13) rebound in double figures. Reserve guard Charles Allen hits all three of his three-point attempts.

Next up: Four-seed Bucknell, fresh off a victory over American.
Record: 28-3.


March 1, 2024
David Farrell now holds five offers, and while we remain his top choice, he appears to be considering an offer from Duquesne. Columbia is also in the picture...might he want to choose the Ivy League program, where he might walk into a starting role?


March 3, 2024
Patriot League Tournament Semifinal
(1) #8 Lafayette 67, (4) Bucknell 50
We're not an explosive team this year, but we've been hard to score against. Today, we limit Bucknell to 25% shooting and earn a spot in the championship game.

The Player of the Game is Kenton Lashley, who fills out the scoresheet nicely: 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals. Micah Rodriguez scores 12 and Byron Shores 11; Jeffrey Hampton grabs 11 rebounds. Aside from blocking shots, Kurt Ritchie is barely a factor at all: in 32 minutes, he accumulates 3 blocks, 2 points, and 4 rebounds.
Record: 29-3.


March 8, 2024
Patriot League Tournament Championship
(1) #9 Lafayette 74, (2) Colgate 61
In a tournament in which no team pulls off an upset, it's the #1 seed Leopards who lift the trophy at the end. It's the sixth tourney championship of Graham Sims' career.

Byron Shores and Kenton Lashley score 18 and 17 points, respectively, but the Player of the Game nod goes to Kurt Ritchie. The league's best rebounder and shot blocker concentrates on his specialties, finishing with 14 rebounds and 7 blocks to go with his 8 points.

Colgate battles bravely, hitting a three at the buzzer to send the game to halftime tied 36-36.

The win is the Leopards' 30th of the season, a milestone five of Coach Sims' teams have achieved.
Record: 30-3.

March 10, 2024
We're seeded #3 in the Midwest Region this year. Our first round opponent will be Pepperdine, who earned an at-large berth with their 20-10 record.

Holy Cross and Colgate will both play in the NIT. The Crusaders are the the #6 seed in the West Region, and they'll face #3 seed Wake Forest. The Red Raiders earned the #4 seed in the East, and will face #5 Nevada.

Interestingly, Duke is also a #4 seed in the NIT.

March 15, 2024
NCAA Midwest Region, First Round
(3) #6 Lafayette 93, (14) Pepperdine 86


The outcome might be what the seeding committee expected, but the path to that outcome could not have been scripted.

• Here are a few of the quirky, cool, and noteworthy things that happen:
• We trail 47-35 at halftime, come back, and tie the score with 2:08 remaining.
• Byron Shores scores with nine seconds left to put us ahead 72-70...and Thomas Clemmons answers with a basket to send the game to overtime.
• We never trail during the five-minute extra period.
• Two Pepperdine players, Frederick Lawyer and Thomas Clemmons, post the highest-scoring games of their career in the same game...in a losing effort.
• Byron Shores and Kenton Lashley score only 24 points between them...and we win anyway.
• Kurt Ritchie scores 6 points, just over his per-game average...with 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 7 blocks.
• Jeffrey Hampton is the Player of the Game, with a career-high 20 points of his own.

I think this game deserves a post of its very own. Don't you?
Record: 31-3.

March 17, 2024
NCAA Midwest Region, Second Round
(3) #6 Lafayette 75, (6) Cincinnati 50
Graham Sims was challenged by his AD to make it to the Sweet Sixteen this season, and a delightful victory over the Bearcats enables Coach Sims to reach his goal.

It's a trademark 2023/24 Leopards win, featuring solid defense, accurate three -point shooting (10-19), and lots of perimeter scoring from Byron Shores (24 points) and Micah Rodriguez (19), and the robust interior presence of Kurt Ritchie (13 rebounds, 2 blocks).

Meanwhile, Holy Cross is out of the NIT, while Colgate advances to the Round of Eight with victories over Nevada and Albany.
Record: 32-3.


March 22, 2024
NCAA Midwest Region Semifinal...the Sweet Sixteen
(7) #11 Oklahoma 64, (3) #6 Lafayette 61
Byron Shores sits on the floor, his head in his hands. Kenton Lashley walks over to rest a consoling hand on his shoulder. Kurt Ritchie shakes hands with seven-foot Sooner center Milton Garcia, a former five-star recruit who will be a lottery pick in the next pro draft. Garcia was able to shoot over the smaller Ritchie, outscoring him 16-2, but Kurt won the rebounding battle, 11-6.

Carlton McFadden and Woody Carrasquillo embrace Graham Sims, whose eyes glisten with tears as he thanks the two seniors who just completed their careers. Graham's wife, Mary Kate, watches from the stands, along with their son, Duncan, who will probably be in uniform the next time Lafayette takes the court.

Oklahoma coach Tracy Norton spends more time than usual with Graham during the postgame handshake session. Norton is 42 years old, two years younger than Graham. The two of them have won 707 games between them, and they are on everyone's short list of "best young NCAA coaches."

The Leopards trail by as many as nine points in the first half, but when Shores knocks down a three from the left corner at the 14:32 mark of the second half, they take a 42-37 lead. Now it's the Sooners' turn to battle back. A Lashley three with 3:17 remaining brings the Leopards back to within a point, 58-57, but that's as close as they can get.

Shores finishes with a game-high 19 points. He'd rather forget his 2-for-12 performance from three-point distance, but Max Cosper doesn't let Byron have the open looks he often gets against less athletic opponents. Will this be Byron's last game in Lafayette colors?

The Sooners roster is simply better, top to bottom, than Lafayette's, and in the end, their superior talent wins out. Graham still can't recruit the kind of studs Tracy Norton can attract to his Power Five program. We've never signed a four-star player out of high school, although K-Lash was a five-star recruit who joined us via the transfer portal.

Graham has turned Lafayette into the "best of the mid-majors." Where is the ceiling for a program like this one? Has he reached it yet?
Record: 32-4.

April 1, 2024

Let's meet David Farrell, who completes our recruiting class when he accepts our offer today.


David is the definition of a "sleeper." There are supposedly almost 300 centers better than he is in his recruiting class, and we're admittedly recruiting him as a depth player. He's undersized, not very athletic, and he needs lots of conditioning. His high school stats are underwhelming.

Still, I look at his ratings and sense there's a player in there somewhere.

Kurt Ritchie is a rising senior, and we have two young bigs with Green potential in Carter Todd and Carl McGriff. If they live up to their potential, we won't need Farrell to be anything more than a rotation player. I think he's capable of being at least that good.

Welcome to the program, David!

April 1, 2024

Kansas defeats Vanderbilt, 63-55, in the national championship game. It's the Commodores' second consecutive loss in the final, and their fourth overall. There are some who are starting to wonder if Steven Ruvalcaba will ever bring Vanderbilt across the line first.

Colgate made it all the way to the NIT championship game, and lost to the same Wake Forest team that beat Holy Cross in the first round. The Demon Deacons must fancy themselves as the bane of the Patriot League. I'll see if I can schedule a non-conference matchup with them next season.

As expected, Byron Shores announces his intention to enter the pro draft. All of a sudden, we have a scholarship we can offer immediately. There's one intriguing player left on our call list: a French Canadian guard named Gabriel Deffrenne. He's a three-star prospect with Very High interest in playing for us. We have the money to send Coaches Sims and Woods up to Québec to visit him, so why not take a chance? We decide to make Gabriel an offer.

And it's time for the Patriot League awards:

Colgate's trip to the NIT Final must have impressed the voters, who chose Elisha Brunelle over Rico Peterson as the Conference Player of the Year. I'm just fine with DeAngelo Wille beating Graham out for COY.

I'm also just fine with the voters' decisions regarding Kurt, Byron, and K-Lash. And I like seeing George Bush playing college basketball in Washington, D.C.

April 1, 2024


On February 12, 2022, we lost to Colgate, 72-62, at the Kirby Center. We haven't lost a home game since.

We were exceptionally good free throw shooters, and one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation. Only two teams made more threes than we did (359), and their shooting percentages were much lower.

Our offensive efficiency (108.3) was 16th best in the nation, and our defensive efficiency (89.9) was 12th.




There are a few all-time record performances sprinkled through these stats. Kurt Ritchie set a new single-season record for rebounds, and his blocked shots total is the best ever by a player not named Samuel Davis. I'll , which I'll point out the rest in my Farewell to a departing three-year star.

2023/24 Farewell

BYRON SHORES

There was never a dull moment with Byron, our Mr. Basketball from Maine. Animated and effervescent, the slender wing from the far North found countless ways to influence a game of basketball during his three seasons with us.


We got exactly what we hoped for with Byron Scores. He improved his shooting every season, while pulling the trigger more often than anyone we've seen here. He made himself into an excellent free throw shooter. His 742 points in 2023/24 is a program record.

He was also capable of maddening moments of inconsistency; his 114 turnovers in 2023/24 is also a program record.

But, at the end of the day, we've never had a player who could score the basketball the way Byron could, and he'll take that talent to the league as a first-round draft pick.

Thanks for the memories, Byron.

2023/24 Senior Tribute

WOODY CARRASQUILLO

Woody was a three-sport athletic hero at Germantown Friends. He could have played basketball or football at the Division III level, but he chose instead to walk on at Lafayette. Perhaps Graham Sims, a walk-on himself, saw a bit of himself in this hard-working, popular player who became a fan favorite.


Like many walk-ons, Woody tended to fire three-pointers when he made it onto the floor, and he made over half of them. And, unlike his coach, he had enough hops to throw down showstopping dunks that delighted the crowds at Maroon Madness.

Woody was an excellent student and a talented writer, who would love to pursue a career as an author.


Thanks for the memories, Woody.

2023/24 Senior Tribute

CARLTON McFADDEN

I really wanted things to work out better for Carlton. He was an Eastern PA kid who was a big scorer in high school, and I thought he might develop into the same kind of player for us.

But he wouldn't take a redshirt, and he couldn't break into a rotation filled with talented wings as a freshman. He complained about his playing time, and perhaps he didn't work as hard as he should have to develop his skills.


As a senior, Carlton saw action in nearly every game, but usually for only a few minutes at a time. He'll return to Ardmore, where he's studying for his Realtor's license.

Thanks for the memories, Carlton.

April 8, 2024

Byron Shores is the first Lafayette player--and the first Patriot League player--to earn the status of "lottery pick" in the pro draft. Byron was chosen with the #11 overall pick. He'll earn a little more than $13 million by the time he's completed the three years of his rookie contract.

Milton Garcia, against whom Kurt Ritchie battled in the NCAA tournament game against Oklahoma, was the #2 pick, as expected. And I think someone got a steal when they chose Rico Peterson of Holy Cross with the final pick of the draft.

Gabriel Deffrenne chose Indiana's offer over ours, so we'll see if there's a player in the transfer portal who interests us. Otherwise, our recruiting class is complete. Here are the Patriot League recruiting rankings:


With two players ranked in the top 150, Duncan Sims (#118) and Bret Bryant (#137), we land the top-rated recruiting class in the Patriot League. I'd expect that to happen. We're the most prestigious program in the conference, by far, and we have the best facilities.

Andre Bretz (#112) is the highest-ranked recruit entering the league, but Duncan turns out to have Blue potential, rather than the Green we saw when Dad scouted him. :) Bretz's potential is Yellow, which makes me wonder.

May 1, 2024

Recruiting assistant Gregg Woods would like us to raise his salary to $140,000/year. We can afford him, and he's good. Coach Woods will return for his sixth season on Graham's staff.

And Coach Sims levels up again! He's now at Level 11.

I distributed Graham's bonus points equally again, adding five to each score.

May 1, 2024

It looks like Gregg Woods won't be joining Graham for another season. Albany has just hired him to be their new head coach, where he'll replace the retiring Pierre Herb. The Great Danes were pretty good last year, finishing with a 21-12 record and making the NIT.

Graham won't be going anywhere. James Glazier's job at Villanova is safe for now. The board of trustees is satisfied with Coach Glazier's performance, even though he's being tasked with taking the Wildcats to the Final Four and he's never managed to make a season last that long. Lafayette is now the third most prestigious program in Pennsylvania, behind Pitt and Villanova. Blaine Boyd, another of the talented forty-somethings in the coaching world, has the job at Pitt. So unless Graham wants to take on a rebuilding project, College Hill will likely remain home for a while.

There's an opening for a Recruiting Coordinator on Graham's staff. I wonder if Steven Manion would be interested in returning to Lafayette? I offer him the salary we were going to pay Gregg Woods--$140,000/year--which is considerably more than the $100K Coach Manion is hoping to earn.

I suppose it's a matter of pride, but Coach Manion's not interested in returning to his old job. We end up hiring Zane Lockhart, who signs a 2-year deal worth $150,000/year.


I'm guessing Coach Lockhart, who has no coaching history at age 40, is probably a high school coach who is making the step up to the college ranks. Wherever he came from, Coach Lockhart is very, very good at his job. He and Coach Sims (93 rating) will be an extremely persuasive team.

Welcome to the staff, Coach Lockhart!

May 1, 2024

Byron Shores' departure for the pro game leaves us with a scholarship to offer during the transfer period, but we don't make a connection with anyone.

Our prestige has risen to 80. Only Pitt (94) and Villanova (93) are higher among Pennsylvania schools. Our facilities score of 58 is considerably higher than any other Patriot League school, but doesn't approach those of our in-state "rivals," who both score in the high 90s.

November 1, 2024

We begin recruiting season with three available scholarships. Since our two seniors are big men--Kurt Ritchie and Jeffrey Hampton--we'll necessarily be looking closely at centers and power forwards. The third player should probably be a perimeter player, ideally one who could fill more than one role.

The best high school player in the country is in Pennsylvania, a dynamic wing named William Correia. Perhaps it's a mark of our rising reputation that William demonstrates Average interest in playing for us, and we briefly recruit him before yielding the floor to the blue bloods. William commits to Kentucky.

We pursue another in-state player, four-star center Scot McCarty, more seriously, and offer him a scholarship. We give it our best shot, but Scot picks Pitt instead.

However, we succeed with our other two offers.


Point guard Paul Clough liked us from the start. A solid three-star player ranked just outside the top 200 nationally, our staff thinks Paul is close to being ready to play college ball (Orange) with the potential to be a star (Blue). Paul does a little bit of everything, with a special emphasis on shut-down defense.


Another Jersey boy, Porter Prado, gives us one of the post players we need in this year's class. Like Clough, he's a top 20 player at his position regionally, but he's not quite as highly ranked nationally. Still, he's been a very productive high school player with the underlying skills to make the transition to the next level.

Now we face a tough decision. Center Rob Workman has been very interested in our program all along. A three-star talent, Rob holds offers from Princeton and St. Francis, but keeps us on his list. I have a feeling Coaches Sims and Lockhart could talk him into becoming the third New Jersey player in our recruiting class.

New York wing Huey Moore also holds two offers, from Seton Hall and Providence. It would be tougher, but not impossible, to persuade Huey to choose Lafayette; we're more prestigious than either Big East school, and our facilities are just as attractive. (By the way, it sure feels good to be able to say that!) Huey is a four-star player, Mr. Basketball in the state of New York. He'd be the most highly regarded high schooler to sign with us.

I decide to go big. I offer the scholarship to Moore and send Coaches Sims and Lockhart up to visit him. We might lose Workman, but let's take a chance.

November 10, 2024

Here are your 2024/25 Lafayette College Leopards!


Let's see how pre-season training went, shall we?


Leading the way will be two players who earned postseason honors from the Patriot League last season, center Kurt Ritchie and wing Kenton Lashley. Ritchie, a senior, will reprise his role as a deluxe rebounder and shot blocker, and he looks like he might pose more of an offensive threat this season, too. Redshirt junior Lashley pounded the rock throughout camp, emerging as a more dangerous jump shooter and a more tenacious defender. He's the team's leading returning scorer.

Point guard Kamari Stone and power forward Jeffrey Hampton also return to the starting lineup. Stone is a junior, and like Lashley, he takes pride in his defense and worked hard at it in camp. He is more of a distributor than a scorer. Hampton is the one Leopard starter who is indifferent to his defensive responsibilities, but he contributes as a rebounder and he polished his inside game in camp.

The fifth starter will be sophomore Carl McGriff, who has developed into a monstrous post defender. Strong, quick, and athletic, he also shoots well enough to force teams to guard him honestly.

Micah Rodriguez and Charles Allen will probably play as much as Hampton and McGriff do. Rodriguez, a junior, will possibly score 1000 points in his career without starting more than a dozen games. He's thrived in the sixth man role, which suits him well because he is far from the Lafayette standard as a defender. Sophomore Allen is developing into a well-rounded small wing player who can score and defend.

The first big man off the bench will be 6'10" sophomore Carter Todd, whose inside game shows signs of development. Freshman Bret Bryant, also 6'10", made lots of progress in camp and will see action at both forward spots.

The Leopards' backcourt depth means there's no need to rush Duncan Sims. Like his classmates Bryant and David Farrell, Sims worked hard in camp and emerged much more ready for the demands of college basketball. The staff couldn't say enough about Farrell's dedication to conditioning. Freshman walk-on Carlos Arreola also earned praise for his hard work.

On paper, this year's team is the most talented Graham Sims has coached. Six players (all the starters except McGriff, plus Rodriguez and Allen) are Green. The ten players who are projected to make up Lafayette's rotation have Green or Blue potential. The five guards--Lashley, Stone, Rodriguez, Allen, and Sims--all have Blue. It's hard not to feel optimistic about Lafayette, this year and for the immediate future.

November 14, 2024
Preseason NIT, First Round
(5) Lafayette 77, (12) Akron 66

We earn the #5 seed in the prestigious Preseason NIT this year. This tournament always features some of the best programs in the country, and this year's bracket includes Kansas, Villanova, and Duke.

In our opening game, we employ a balanced offensive attack that sees four players score between 10 and 15 points. The unexpected high scorer is Carl McGriff, who makes the Zips pay for focusing too much on our dynamic guards. Kenton Lashley and Kamari Stone finish with 13 each, and sixth man Micah Rodriguez adds 10.

Stone twists his knee, however, and he'll be out of action for about a week. We'll miss his steady hand on the controls; he had 4 assists and 0 turnovers today.
Record: 1-0.


November 16, 2024
Preseason NIT, Quarter Final
(4) Duke 78, (5) Lafayette 70
We take a one-point lead into the locker room at halftime, but we fade down the stretch and lose a fairly close one to the Blue Devils.

We miss the influence of Kamari Stone; his replacement, Micah Rodriguez, commits 4 turnovers and never seems quite comfortable running the offense. Charles Allen leads us with 17 points, but he needed 17 shots to get them. Another reserve, Bret Bryant, scores 10.

We're uncharacteristically poor from the foul line, too: 16-27, which is 59 percent. It's early days yet, but we have work to do.
Record: 1-1.


November 27, 2024
Lafayette 88, Albany 86
Former Lafayette assistant Gregg Woods brings his Albany team to the Kirby Center and very nearly leaves with a victory. A right wing jumper by Gerald Lenhart that would have tied the game for the Great Danes bounced off the rim twice before falling harmlessly away.

Lenhart finishes with 29 points, and teammate Richard Foster adds 20. Micah Rodriguez leads us with 19 points. He's joined in double figures by Kenton Lashley (17), Carl McGriff (12) and Jeffrey Hampton (10 points, 10 rebounds). Kamari Stone dishes out 5 assist with 1 turnover; his ratio is a remarkable 10:1 so far this season.

We also have 11 steals, led by Rodriguez with 3.

It was close, but it's still a W.
Record: 2-1.

December 1, 2024
So far, our recruiting gamble has not worked out well.

Huey Moore hasn't made his decision yet. He's still considering Seton Hall, Providence, and Lafayette. But while he still lists us third, he's raised his interest level in playing for us to Average.

Meanwhile, Rob Workman committed to Princeton. He'll be a beast in the Ivy League.

If we didn't already have two recruits on board, including a big man, I'd pull the offer from Moore and hunt for another player. I'm going to keep recruiting Huey for one more month and see what happens; if he doesn't give us more love, I'll look elsewhere.

December 4, 2024
@Lafayette 71, Creighton 65
Creighton's program is one of the standard bearers for mid-major basketball. The Blue Jays have fallen on harder times lately, since talented coach Leonard Norfleet left them for Kansas State. However, they're still a tough opponent, and this is a nice win for Coach Sims and the boys.

The Leopards frontcourt carries the scoring load tonight. Once again, it's Carl McGriff leading the way with 18 points. Jeffrey Hampton pitches in 14, and Kurt Ritchie contributes 10.

Meanwhile, Kenton Lashley manages only 3 points before fouling out, and Micah Rodriguez scores 4 in 20 minutes.

I have to wonder how good this team will be when K-Lash hits his stride.
Record: 3-1.


December 6, 2024
@Lafayette 82, Siena 64
Kenton Lashley must have been listening.

Today, he breaks loose with a career-high 31 points. He sinks all 5 of his three-point attempts and all 10 of his free throws. He adds 4 assists and 2 steals. Today, Kenton played like the consensus five-star talent he is.

Micah Rodriguez returns to form, too: 16 points in 20 minutes. Kurt Ritchie doesn't score, but he pulls down 13 rebounds and blocks 5 shots. And Carter Todd plays 19 minutes and claims 7 rebounds of his own.

It's the most complete game of basketball we've played all year. Unfortunately, it comes at the expense of Siena coach Thomas Liang, who has several championship rings in his collection from his days as an assistant on College Hill.
Record: 4-1.


December 6, 2024
@Lafayette 99, Hartford 71
Kenton Lashley imposes his will on another basketball game today, scoring 28 points as we rout the Hawks at the Kirby Center.

Four other Leopards reach double figures: Micah Rodriguez and Jeffrey Hampton (16 each), Charles Allen (13), and Carl McGriff (10). Kamari Stone keeps the scorers happy with 7 assists, and commits only 2 turnovers.

We'd have broken 100 points easily if we'd been better from the line, where we shot 20-for-33.
Record: 5-1.


December 7, 2024
Lafayette 69, @Virginia 60
Sometimes weird things happen when I schedule only some of our non-conference games...such as games on back-to-back nights in the middle of a week. We survive our trip to Charlottesville just fine, although the Cavaliers battle us hard.

Determined to make sure Kenton Lashley doesn't beat them, the Hoos defend him well and hold him to 6 points. Lashley gets in foul trouble, so he plays only 20 minutes, but he still gets 7 rebounds.

Sixth man Micah Rodriguez delivers a vintage performance, scoring 21 points in 26 minutes. Carl McGriff (12) and Jeffrey Hampton (11) also reach double digits, and Kurt Ritchie does so in rebounds (13).

And Duncan Sims packs a lot of highlights into 3 minutes of action. He drains two long threes and attempts a dunk, only to be fouled emphatically by Virginia's Richard Peek, who has four inches and 35 pounds on him. Duncan then coolly makes both free throws, giving him 8 points.

And a good time was had by all.
Record: 6-1.


December 15, 2024
@Lafayette 68, Villanova 61
The Leopards win their 34th consecutive home game tonight, setting a new record. We won 33 in a row between 2018 and 2021. Again, it's Kenton Lashley who takes center stage, scoring 24 points, hitting 6 of his 7 three-point tries, and handing out 6 assists.

He's the only Leopard in double figures, although Micah Rodriguez comes close with 9, and reserve center Carter Todd contributes 7 rebounds.

Until today, Graham Sims had never won a game against his alma mater. Villanova's loss drops their record to 3-3. Is James Glazier's seat getting warm?
Record: 7-1.


December 17, 2024
#18 Lafayette 63, @St. Peter's 53
Our win over Villanova propels us into the polls for the first time this season, and lifts us to #1 in the Mid Major rankings. We struggle a bit against a St. Peter's team that's won only one time this season before we put them away.

Someone once said that "defense doesn't slump." They might have been talking about baseball, but it might apply just as well in basketball. On a night when we don't generate good scoring opportunities, we make sure the Peacocks don't find good shots, either. We hold them to 33% shooting, and 9-for-26 from distance.

Two Leopards achieve career bests today! Kurt Ritchie grabs 17 rebounds. If we can extend our season with long tournament runs, Kurt has a chance to finish his career with 1000 career rebounds, passing our all-time leader, Matt Robles (964), along the way. Charles Allen scores a career-high 17 points to lead us in scoring. Micah Rodriguez adds 11 more, and Jeffrey Hampton completes a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Record: 8-1.


December 19, 2024
@#18 Lafayette 80, La Salle 63
It's Micah Rodriguez' turn to light the scoreboard up at the Kirby Center. In 26 minutes of reserve duty, the electric junior scores 27 points.

Kenton Lashley (18 points), Jeffrey Hampton (15 points, 9 rebounds) and Kamari Stone (5 points, 7 assists) also play particularly well.
Record: 9-1.


December 21, 2024
#18 Lafayette 89, @Temple 49
In one of the more dominant performances of the Graham Sims era, the Leopards trounce Temple on their home court.

Kurt Ritchie sets the tone, with 8 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 blocked shots. Kenton Lashley's 16 points lead a balanced attack, followed by Charles Allen (15), Jeffrey Hampton (14), and Micah Rodriguez (13). Kamari Stone deals out 5 assists.

We make 32 of our 58 shots. Temple makes 22 of their 68. Well done, Leopards.
Record: 10-1.


December 23, 2024
@ #12 Lafayette 90, Kent State 66
The hero tonight is Charles Allen, who seizes the opportunity that's given to him when Micah Rodriguez fouls out and Kenton Lashley simply has an off night. The sophomore guard plays 23 minutes, scores 22 points, grabs 4 rebounds, and dishes out 3 assists.

Jeffrey Hampton contributes a double-double, with 15 points and 10 boards. Rodriguez and Kamari Stone score 12, Carl McGriff 10. Duncan Sims makes the most of 6 minutes of time, sinking two free throws and handing out two assists.
Record: 11-1.


December 31, 2024
@ #3 Vanderbilt 66, #12 Lafayette 60
After a welcome holiday break, the Leopards travel to Nashville for a nationally televised clash between two ranked teams. The game is as competitive as the network hoped it would be.

We have problems with Jefferson Beaumont, whose name says "Texas" to me. In fact, that's where JB is from. His 18/11 double-double sparks the Commodores to victory.

Kenton Lashley (17 points), Micah Rodriguez (13), and Carl McGriff (10) lead the Leopards. Kurt Ritchie finishes with 11 rebounds, and Kamari Stone has 4 assists.

We commit too many fouls and turn the ball over too much, and you can't do that against a team as good as Vanderbilt and hope to win.
Record: 11-2.

January 1, 2024
Huey Moore commits to Seton Hall today. Perhaps I need to stop trying to sway players who hold offers from comparable programs whom the player prefers. I don't think we've managed to win one of those battles.

We offer a scholarship to Antonio Mayes, a not-so-small forward from Virginia. He's 6'5", 238 pounds, and a lower-tier three-star recruit (#500 nationally.) Antonio is a solid player with a wide range of skills, and he's a very good student.

January 4, 2025
@ #12 Lafayette 70, #22 Rutgers 63
We begin the New Year with another matchup against a ranked team. This time, we're at home, and for the 37th consecutive time, we defend the Kirby Center court.

Micah Rodriguez leads all scorers with 21 points, playing 16 minutes off the bench. Kamari Stone (13), Kenton Lashley (11) and Carl McGriff (10) also score in double figures, and Kurt Ritchie barely misses another double double (9pts/9reb).

Micah has scored 980 points in his Lafayette career, and he's done so in only 1680 minutes of playing time. He'll almost certainly score his 1000th career point in the next week or so...while starting only 3 games.
Record: 12-2.


January 7, 2025

Holy Cross has really struggled this year. I wondered if their record was the result of an unusually demanding non-conference schedule. It's not.

Lehigh, on the other hand, has only one soft loss, and Colgate has two. Both teams could challenge us for the conference championship.


January 9, 2025
#15 Lafayette 84, @Duquesne 80
We have one more non-conference game before we begin Patriot League play, and we win a close one on the road at Duquesne.

The Leopards take full advantage of the Dukes' outrageous tendency to foul. We shoot badly from the field (24-70) and even worse from behind the arc (7-24), but we attempt 39 foul shots and make 27 of them. We outscore Duquesne 27-10 from the line; without that advantage, we go home with the L.

Micah Rodriguez leads us with 17 points, and Kenton Lashley adds 16. Jeffrey Hampton and reserve Carter Todd finish with 11, Carl McGriff with 10.
Record: 13-2.


January 11, 2025
@ #15 Lafayette 84, Navy 46
The buzzer sounds with 15:56 to play in the first half , and Coach Sims presents Micah Rodriguez with the game ball to commemorate his 1000th career point. Micah goes on to score 20, and Kenton Lashley nets 21 as we open our Patriot League season with a big win over Navy.

Senior Jeffrey Hampton's 500th career point is one of the 16 he scores today. His classmate Kurt Ritchie pulls down 12 rebounds, giving him 813 for his career. Matt Robles is our all-time leader in that category with 964.

Duncan Sims appears late in the second half and swishes a three-pointer. He's now 5-for-9 from deep for his young career.
Record: 14-2 (1-0).


January 15, 2025
#11 Lafayette 77, @Holy Cross 59
The classic Lafayette recipe for victory delivers once again, this time against Holy Cross on a cold night in Worcester.

Micah Rodriguez (20) and Kenton Lashley (18) score. Kurt Ritchie rebounds (11) and blocks shots (7!). A young big man steps up (Carter Todd; 6 points and 7 rebounds). And everyone plays D (Holy Cross shoots 19-56, 5-17 from three point range).

Add a dash of the future (Duncan Sims; 9 minutes, 5 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound) mix well, and serve.
Record: 15-2 (2-0).


January 18, 2025
#11 Lafayette 99, @American 50
Once upon a time, a trip to American meant an almost certain loss for Graham Sims' teams. The Eagles have beaten us more times (8) than any other conference opponent. However, times have changed, and today we nearly outscore American two to one.

One bright point for the otherwise hapless Eagles: freshman center George Bush outplays his opponent...Kurt Ritchie, the reigning All-Patriot League big man.
Record: 16-2 (3-0).


January 22, 2025
@ #9 Lafayette 81, Army 76
Army is really bad this year. They lost to St. Peter's, barely beat Quinnipac (#341 on the RPI list) and were blown out at Colgate. Then, they come to the Kirby Center and play like a powerhouse.

The game is tied, 45-45, at halftime. Army center Irinei Fedorov, who is a good player, is beating Kurt Ritchie like a bass drum. Army leads as late as the 4:04 mark in the second half before we do just enough to extend our Kirby Center winning streak to 40 games.

Kamari Stone maintains his composure like the veteran point guard he is, scoring 6 of his 20 points and handing out two of his 5 assists in the last four minutes of the game. Micah Rodriguez, again, leads us in scoring with 22. Kenton Lashley (11) and Carl McGriff (10) finish in double digits, too.

Too close for comfort, boys.
Record: 17-2 (4-0).


January 25, 2025
@ #9 Lafayette 87, Colgate 72
Colgate has struggled a bit more in conference play than I thought they would. The final score flatters the Red Raiders, who fall behind 58-23 at halftime and only get things going once the outcome is decided.

Kenton Lashley plays a smooth, efficient game, scoring 17 points on only 9 shots (4-5 from long range). Micah Rodriguez adds 13, and Carter Todd is productive off the bench (10 pts/5reb in 17 minutes).

A pair of freshman guards trade baskets in the game's waning minutes. Lafayette's Duncan Sims knocks down two more three-balls in 5 minutes. Colgate's Ed Brophy plays 4 minutes, squeezes off two threes and two more baskets, and adds a free throw for good measure. That's 11 points for the Red Raiders' young king.

Here's how their season shooting totals compare:

Brophy is the more careful ballhandler right now; he has 5 assists and 2 turnovers, while Sims has 7 and 11. And Ed's a walk-on, while Duncan is the Patriot League's highest-ranked recruit in his class.
Record: 18-2 (5-0).

Instant Classic

January 29, 2025
#8 Lafayette 60, @Lehigh 59
I thought Lehigh was pretty good a week ago. They prove me right this evening, coming very close to knocking us off...and to be fair, the Mountain Hawks outplay us for 38 minutes. Unfortunately for them, a college basketball game is 40 minutes long.

The first half is the worst half of basketball we've played all season. Lehigh leads 31-18 at intermission. Sometimes, Coach Sims can get the guys going during halftime, and they come out hitting on all cylinders at the beginning of the second half. That doesn't happen this time, although the Leopards do manage to come back and tie the score at 57 on a Micah Rodriguez midrange jumper with 2:08 remaining.

Brendan Meehan, whom we recruited heavily, puts the Mountain Hawks back ahead with a two-handed slam dunk. Then, with 43 seconds remaining, Kenton Lashley drives and dishes back out to a wide-open Micah Rodriguez, who lets fly from just behind the arc. It's good. Lafayette 60, Lehigh 59.

Coach Sims is on his feet, exhorting his players to get a stop. Lehigh can't penetrate the Lafayette defense, and the shot clock expires.

The Mountain Hawks foul twice, and with four seconds left, Kurt Ritchie steps to the line to shoot one-and-one. Kurt is a 57 percent free throw shooter for his career. He's doing a bit better this season, making 60 percent. This is exactly what the Mountain Hawks want. The other four Leopards on the court--Lashley, Rodriguez, Kamari Stone, and Duncan Sims*--have combined to shoot 79 percent this year.

Kurt misses the first free throw, giving Lehigh one last chance. Zane Goodall, a 6'10" junior who is a good outside shooter, lets fly from just inside half court and barely misses.


* I coached this game. I had Sims on the floor in this situation for one reason only: his free throw shooting prowess. Duncan has not missed a foul shot as a collegian. I figured that even if we couldn't rebound a missed free throw, Lehigh would have only four seconds to get a good shot. Fortunately, that's how it turned out.
Record: 19-2 (6-0).

February 1, 2025
Antonio Mayes decides to commit to Virginia.

There is one more player left in the pool that I'm willing to recruit, and he's going to be a long shot. Justice Daniels, a 6'11" power forward from Virginia, is weighing offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Maryland. We're next on Justice's list, and I know what I said earlier about luring away players with offers in hand from schools they say they prefer: don't do it.

Here's how the four programs compare. They're listed in the order Justice lists them on his "Top Schools" list. The number in (parentheses) is the program's rank in its conference.



I'm going to shoot my shot. Our facilities don't compare well to those at the ACC schools, but we have a better recruiting team. Darren Bryant and Bernie Levesque are irresistible, but the Sims/Lockhart duo are nearly as good. They can remind Justice that the Leopards have played in 10 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Virginia, remarkably, has never been invited to the Big Dance.

Let's see how it goes.

February 1, 2025
#8 Lafayette 88, @Bucknell 70
A happy journey up to Lewisburg for the Leopards, who score five men in double figures: Micah Rodriguez (24 points), Kenton Lashley (16), Jeffrey Hampton (15) Kamari Stone (11), and Carl McGriff (10). Hampton and Kurt Ritchie grab 8 rebounds apiece, and Ritchey blocks 4 shots.

This year's edition of the Leopards averages 78.9 points per game. If they hold that pace until the end of the season, they'll tie the 2020/21 team as the highest-scoring team Graham Sims has ever coached.
Record: 20-2 (7-0).


February 5, 2025
#10 Lafayette 58, @Navy 40
Some wins aren't pretty, like this one.

Neither team makes 30 percent of its shots. At least Navy can claim that 8 of their shots are blocked, 6 by Kurt Ritchie. Kurt also rebounds 13 of the misses, while making a single free throw; he misses all three of his field goal attempts.

Kenton Lashley (18 points) and Micah Rodriguez (16) are the only double figure scorers on either team.
Record: 21-2 (8-0).


February 12, 2025
@#10 Lafayette 73, Holy Cross 64
The Crusaders get 28 points from senior guard Steve Cao, but the Leopards lock down everyone else fairly well. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Hampton nets a season-high 18 and Kamari Stone 15, on a night when Micah Rodriguez and Kenton Lashley combine for only 16.
Carter Todd also steps up with 10 rebounds in a reserve role.

Our victory extends our home winning streak to 42 games.
Record: 22-2 (9-0).


February 15, 2025
@#10 Lafayette 76, American 63
We burst out to a 51-34 halftime lead and cruise home from there.

Again, we manage to win without big games from our usual stars. Kamari Stone's scoring touch is still intact, as he leads us with 15 points. Carl McGriff (11) and Charles Allen (10) join him in double figures.

We're three games ahead of Colgate in the Patriot League race now, and we can clinch another conference championship with a win at their place next week.
Record: 23-2 (10-0).


February 19, 2025
#7 Lafayette 84, @Colgate 73
Graham Sims and Lafayette win their 12th consecutive Patriot League championship tonight. Both totals are the most in our universe's history.

Kenton Lashley is the star, with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Kurt Ritchie leaves his mark on the game, too; he scores 10 points, grabs 7 rebounds, and blocks 8 shots. Kamari Stone hands out 5 assists, and Curt McGriff scores 10 points.

In two minutes, Duncan Sims takes two three-pointers and two free throws, making all four shots and scoring 8 points. His FG/3FG/FT percentage line is now 53/59/100.
Record: 24-2 (11-0).


February 22, 2025
@Army 59, #7 Lafayette 58
Army's Otis Godwin hits a three-pointer to win the game for Army...with 2:27 remaining in the game.

We have ample opportunities to respond over the next 147 seconds, and mess them up. Kenton Lashley misses two three-pointers. Kurt Ritchie misses the front end of a one-and-one. We have the ball last, with eight ticks on the clock, and can't get off a shot.

Lashley scores 15; Micah Rodriguez has 11, and Carl McGriff 10. We shoot a lousy 20-for-60 for the night. We don't deserve to win.

The Army storms the court after the final buzzer. I wonder if the cadets will receive demerits for their action. I hope not; they've been forced to endure an 8-19 season.
Record: 24-3 (11-1).


February 25, 2025
@ #7 Lafayette 69, Lehigh 55
We do the "good first half, meh second half" thing again, but it's enough to win against our traditional rival. Coach Sims' record against Lehigh is now 32-2.

Kenton Lashley leads the team with 15 points, and Charles Allen adds 11.
Record: 25-3 (12-1).

March 1, 2025
Well, we tried. Justice Daniels signs with William & Mary.

I managed to find another player who's worth a scholarship offer. He's Colton Laliberte, a two-star forward from New York. Colton hasn't received an offer yet, and if he doesn't accept ours, I'll save it for the transfer portal.


March 1, 2025
@ #7 Lafayette 74, Bucknell 71
It's Senior Night at the Kirby Center, and the Leopards send Kurt Ritchie and Jeffrey Hampton out with a victory, albeit a close one.

Both seniors grab 9 rebounds. Hampton scores 8 points, and Ritchie blocks 3 shots.

Kenton Lashley sinks 7 of 11 treys, and scores 26 points. Kamari Stone hands out a career high 8 assists, and Micah Rodriguez nets 14 points.

We complete our third straight undefeated season at home, and we'll carry a 43-game Kirby Center winning streak into the 2025/26 season.
Record: 26-3 (13-1).

March 5, 2025
Patriot League Tournament, First Round
(1) #8 Lafayette 95, (8) Army 58
The Leopards punish Army for spoiling their undefeated Patriot League regular season.

Micah Rodriguez scores 23 points, and Jeffrey Hampton picks a fine time for a career high with 21. Carl McGriff plays well, too: 15 points, 8 rebounds. So does Carter Todd, who is showing more and more signs of being ready to start next year; he scores 11 points in 19 minutes.
Record: 27-3.


March 9, 2025
Patriot League Tournament Semifinal
(1) #8 Lafayette 64, (4) Navy 38
We eliminate another service academy with a suffocating defensive performance. The Midshipmen make only 14 of their 52 shots, and hit only 3 of 28 threes. It's the eighth time a Graham Sims team has held an opponent to under 40 points.

Kenton Lashley's 14 points are good for game high honors. Micah Rodriguez (13), Charles Allen (12), and Jeffrey Hampton (10). Hampton adds 8 rebounds, and Kurt Ritchie turns back 6 shots.
Record: 28-3.


March 14, 2025
Patriot League Tournament Final
(1) #8 Lafayette 75, Colgate 61
For the seventh time since Graham Sims arrived in 2010, the Leopards lift the Patriot League tournament trophy.

Kenton Lashley is the only double figure scorer, with 24 points. Next on the scoring list is Duncan Sims, who scored 9 points in 7 minutes with a trio of three-pointers. The freshman guard has 16 threes this year, fifth most on the team, in only 27 attempts.

Colgate's Elisha Brunelle finishes with 20 points.
Record: 29-3.

March 20, 2025
NCAA Midwest Region, First Round
(3) #8 Lafayette 71, (14) Loyola-Chicago 56
Drawn once again to the Midwest Region, the Leopards win their opening game in the NCAA tournament with a gritty, bare-knuckle style performance.

Kurt Ritchie and Jeffrey Hampton decide they'd like to play more college basketball. Ritchie scores a single point, but he grabs 10 rebounds and blocks 4 shots. His fellow Blue Collar Man dominates with 11 points and 15 boards.

Kenton Lashley scores 14 points, but he makes only 3 of his 20 field goal attempts.

The victory clinches our third straight 30-victory season. Meanwhile, Colgate advances to the NIT's Sweet Sixteen with a 59-58 victory over Texas-San Antonio.
Record: 30-3.


March 22, 2025
NCAA Midwest Region, Second Round
(3) #8 Lafayette 92, (6) #24 Nevada-Las Vegas 83
Five Leopards score in double figures as Lafayette advances to the Sweet Sixteen for the fifth time.

Carl McGriff leads the way with 18, but it's Kamari Stone (17 points, 7 assists, 2 steals, 0 turnovers) who earns PoG honors. Jeffrey Hampton would have been a fine choice too, with a 16p/11r double-double. Micah Rodriguez scores 13; Kenton Lashley adds 11 with 5 assists.
Record: 31-3.


March 27, 2025
NCAA Midwest Region Semifinal...the Sweet Sixteen
(3) #8 Lafayette 71, (7) #17 North Carolina 60
Much of the buzz surrounding the Midwest Region centers on the presence of three of our universe's four winningest coaches: Douglas Gillum of Kansas, Mervin Heron of North Carolina, and Graham Sims of Lafayette.

Gillum's Jayhawks match up with Heron's Tar Heels in the second round, and 7-seed UNC upsets 2-seed Kansas. That sets up a matchup between Heron and Sims, and it's the Lafayette coach who comes out on top this time.

It's no fluke: the Leopards make 51 percent of their shots and hold the Heels to 41 percent. Kenton Lashley draws more than his share of attention from his former team, who limit him to 9 points. Carl McGriff picks up the slack, finishing with 21, and Micah Rodriguez has 11.

Jeffrey Hampton (9 pts/9 reb) and Kurt Ritchie (6 pts/10 reb) both outplay UNC's dynamic freshman big, William Anglin (9 pts/3 reb).

Meanwhile, Purdue ends Colgate's season, beating them 91-86 in the NIT's Elite Eight.
Record: 32-3.


March 29, 2025
NCAA Midwest Region Final...the Elite Eight
(3) #8 Lafayette 83, (1) #4 Stanford 79 (OT)

With 30 seconds remaining in the second half, Stanford leads Lafayette, 70-64. The top-seeded Cardinal seem to be in control of the game, but Micah Rodriguez has other plans.

The junior sixth man hits a pair of threes, the second coming with five seconds left, to send the game to overtime.

Kenton Lashley's three-pointer ties the score at 79 with 1:59 remaining in OT. The Leopards dig deep and force a shot clock violation and, on the ensuing possession, Kurt Ritchie is left open for a mid-range jumper.

It's good, and it turns out to be the game-winning basket. The points are Kurt's 14th and 15th of the game. He finishes with 15 rebounds, 2 blocked shots, and a steal.

We're back in the Final Four!


Record: 33-3.

March 31, 2025
We lose another recruit, as Colton Laliberte signs with Stony Brook. I'm saving the scholarship nobody wants for a possible transfer, or possibly rolling it over to next year. We already have four scholarship players leaving in the Class of 2026.

The Final Four matchups are set. West champion USC will play South winner Vanderbilt. Lafayette, out of the Midwest, will play Tennessee, the East champion.

The Trojans and Commodores successfully defended their 1 seeds. We're a 3 seed, and the Vols are a 2. Tennessee spoiled a Cinderella story for the ages. Middle Tennessee, the 16 seed, first eliminated 1 seed Miami. They edged Utah by a single point and blew out 4 seed Illinois by 19. Finally, the music stopped playing for Cinderella, as the Volunteers dispatched their near neighbors, 83-59.


April 5, 2025
NCAA Semifinal...the Final Four
(3) #8 Lafayette 73, (2) #7 Tennessee 72
One second shows on the clock as Carl McGriff releases the ball from the right wing. As the buzzer goes off, the crowd is silent, and then a large number of them explode into raucous noise as the ball drops through the hoop. As it does, the Lafayette Leopards advance to the national championship game.

At the beginning of the season, I wondered if McGriff would hold onto his starting spot. But the sophomore grabbed the opportunity with both hands, playing well in non-conference play, and he's started all 37 games for us this season.

Tennessee coach Benton Brimmer, no dummy, has to make sure the Leopards' main threats, Kenton Lashley and Micah Rodriguez, are well-covered. Lashley has already made five three-pointers, and Rodriguez has splashed two of his four attempts from long range. As Kamari Stone crosses midcourt, he spots McGriff with a bit of space on the right and whips the ball to him. Carl is guarded fairly well by Greg McClanahan, a very good on-ball defender. The shot Carl takes is therefore not easy, but it's far from a desperate fling.

Both teams play well enough to convince the national TV audience that they're worthy of spots in the Final Four. The Leopards do their usual fine job of denying their opponents open looks from three-point range, and the Vols shoot only 26 percent from that distance. Meanwhile, the Vols swarm Rodriguez every time he touches the ball; excellent defenders like McClanahan and Matthew Rowley are in his face all night and hold him to only 8 points in 26 minutes.

Lashley finds ways to score, however, and leads us with 19 points. McGriff's dagger gives him 10, and Stone adds 10 more with 4 assists. Kurt Ritchie and Jeffrey Hampton battle hard all night; Hampton finishes with 8 points and 9 rebounds, while Ritchie adds 5 and 10, with 2 steals.


One more game awaits. Can Graham and the Leopards do it?
Record: 34-3.

Cliffhanger, much?

That was insane. Tennessee was up by as many as nine points in the first half, and again with 8:04 to play. The Vols still led by five with 1:20 left.

Lafayette led, 11-9, and not again until McGriff hit the game winner.

March 7, 2025
The NCAA Championship Game
San Antonio, Texas: The Alamodome

Let's join Lafayette radio broadcasters Chris Willingham and DeWitt Leiva, Lafayette '11, as they bring us the highlights from tonight's championship game.

CHRIS: This is Vanderbilt's third consecutive trip to the national final. [Head coach] Steven Rubalcaba has plenty of experience on this stage. And, don't forget, these two teams have met in the Final Four once before...and the Commodores beat the Leopards on the way to the 2019 national championship.

DeWITT: I talked with Coach Sims before the game, and he says the team is ready. I noticed that, too...there's a quiet confidence about them. They're used to winning. I think Kenton Lashley's presence is an intangible factor that will help this team. Kenton has a ring [2024, North Carolina]. They've seen it. Kenton knows what it takes to finish the job.



CHRIS: That's right, DeWitt. Let's see if they can do it. The ball's in the air...Kenton Howell wins the tip for the Commodores, and the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball championship game is underway...

CHRIS: Under 30 seconds to go now, first half, as Kamari [Stone] brings it into the frontcourt for the Leopards. The lead's changed hands several times in this first half, and Vandy's on top now, 32-28.

DeWITT: They'll be playing for one shot now, I think. They really don't want Vanderbilt to get the ball with a chance to score again.

CHRIS: Stone has it, right side. He finds Ritchie down low...Howell closes on him and Kurt kicks it back out. Eight seconds left now. Stone swings it to Lashley in the left corner...K-Lash lets it go...It's GOOD!

DeWITT: What a great first half. This is what this game should be like. It's the NCAA final.

CHRIS: Vandy has one second. [Jamison] To is just going to chuck it from the backcourt...not even close. At halftime, your score is Vanderbilt 32, Lafayette 31. This is the Lafayette Athletics radio network...

CHRIS: Just over fourteen minutes to play now. Lafayette's up six. [Tony] Wyss has it on the left side. Lashley's playing him tight. To [Garrett] Murray in the corner. He's trapped there...

DeWITT: He stepped on the baseline...

CHRIS: He's out of bounds. That's some outstanding defense from Lashley and Stone there.

CHRIS: Stone brings it up for the Leopards. To McGriff, left corner. Back to Stone. Kamari, for three...count it! It's 47-38; the biggest lead of the game for Lafayette!

DeWITT: Look at their body language, Chris. They're believing in themselves now. The neutral fans want them to win this thing...

CHRIS: Twelve minutes left now. [Charles] Allen has it...Vandy pressing full court. To Lashley, left wing...

DeWITT: Pull it!...

CHRIS: It's good! Lafayette up TWELVE now, 53-41!

DeWITT: Lashley's playing with some swagger. He was wagging his finger in that dude's face. He's gotta be careful...

CHRIS: We're at the Alamodome in San Antonio. There are six and a half minutes to play in the national championship game. Lafayette up eleven, 60-49. [Isaac] Dumont dribbles out to the left wing. Back to To, top of the key. Into the corner to [Jefferson] Beaumont. He'll drive and score and there's a whistle...

DeWITT: [Bret] Bryant got him. That's a strong move by Beaumont to score through contact.

CHRIS: Beaumont at the line. He's a 67 percent free throw shooter. It's good. Vanderbilt's cut the lead back to single digits now...

CHRIS: The clock is Lafayette's friend right now; they're maintaining that eight-point lead. It's 62-54, three-and-a-half minutes left to play. [Robert] Mackenzie has it. To Howell in the high post. Back out to Mackenzie, and there's a whistle.

DeWITT: That's a tough call. I thought Charles was playing good defense there.

CHRIS: Charles thinks so, too. He's arguing the call vehemently...

DeWITT: Kurt has hold of him, trying to lead him away before he gets T'ed up.

CHRIS: Too late. Allen is hit with a technical foul, and that's his fifth personal. Charles Allen has fouled out, and perhaps even more importantly, Vanderbilt's about to shoot four free throws...

CHRIS: Tony Wyss makes both shots. 62-56 Lafayette now, and Mackenzie will shoot now; he's the player Allen fouled. The first one bounces in and out. Second shot; it's good. The Leopards' lead is down to five, with just over three minutes to play!

DeWITT: This one's far from over, Chris. This Vanderbilt team has been here before...

CHRIS: We have a finish befitting a championship game. Vanderbilt trailed by 11 points five minutes ago. Now, with 1:50 left, it's all tied up at 62.

DeWITT: Vanderbilt's on a 13-2 run. Come on, guys. We need a big stop here!...

CHRIS: Under a minute left, still tied at 62. Micah to Lashley in the right corner. He'll dribble back out. Jamison To guarding him. He'll swing it to [Jeffrey] Hampton, left side. Back out to Rodriguez. Shot clock running down...

DeWITT: We gotta hurry...

CHRIS: To Hampton; he takes it up and scores! Lafayette 64, Vanderbilt 62, 52 seconds left!...

CHRIS: Beaumont has it. To Howell, on the baseline...he scores and there's a whistle! Kurt Ritchie got a piece of him going up, but Howell powered through the contact and scored.

DeWITT: That's a tough break for Kurt and a good play by Howell. Howell hasn't touched the ball a lot today...

CHRIS: That's only Howell's second basket of the night, but it's a HUGE one. The score is tied at 64, and there are 19 seconds on the clock. Howell will shoot the "and one."

DeWITT: Oh, no. Stone's limping. He has to come out of there.

CHRIS: Duncan Sims is checking in. He's a shooter and I'm sure Coach Rubalcaba knows it. Here's the free throw...it's no good! The rebound comes out to Sims...

DeWITT: Here we go...this is it!

CHRIS: Sims into the front court. Hands it to Rodriguez. Micah to McGriff, back to Micah...he drives the baseline...shot goes up...it's no good, but there's a whistle...

DeWITT: Oh my...

CHRIS: The shot didn't go in, but they've called a foul! I think it's on Tony Wyss. There are 1.3 seconds on the clock, and Micah Rodriguez will shoot two free throws! It's 64-64.

DeWITT: They've done such a good job on Micah tonight. He's found good shots hard to come by.

CHRIS: Kenton Lashley spoke to Micah while they're lining up. So did Kurt Ritchie. Micah steps to the line. He's a 77 percent free throw shooter for the year. First one's up. It's good! The second...IT IS GOOD!

DeWITT: *exhales audibly* He did it! That's HUGE... *laughs loudly*

CHRIS: Vanderbilt will have to catch-and-shoot here. Howell's going to throw the long ball. Lashley tips it away...and there's the horn!

*silence and crowd noise*

CHRIS: Your final score: Lafayette 66, Vanderbilt 64...your Lafayette Leopards are the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!