Hall of Fame
The 2008-09 men’s basketball team becomes the ninth team to be recognized by the DeSales University Hall of Fame Committee.
The Bulldogs finished the 2008-09 season with a 25-6 overall record and a 12-4 mark in the MAC Freedom. The 25 wins continues to be a school-record as DSU won their first-ever MAC Freedom Championship that season and advanced to the Elite Eight, the furthest a team has ever advanced in the NCAA Tournament, with three tournament wins that year.
DeSales opened the year with nine straight wins and finished the regular season 20-5 and as the #1 seed in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament. DSU defeated Wilkes University, 74-62, in the semifinals and Manhattanville College, 72-58, in the championship behind a double-double from both Ed Lapinski and Tournament Most Valuable Player, Darnell Braswell.
DSU earned the right to host a first-round NCAA Tournament game in just its second appearance in the “Big Dance” and the first since the 1996-97 season. The Bulldogs opened up a 15-point halftime lead over St. Joseph’s College of Long Island and never really looked back in the second half as once again Lapinski and Braswell each had double-doubles in the win.
DeSales traveled to Ithaca College two days later for a second-round game as a heavy underdog with Ithaca having lost just three times all season. DSU trailed by 10 early but fought back to take a one point lead late in the half before trailing by two points at the break. The second half was all Bulldogs as a 24-7 run to start the second half gave DSU a 15 point lead before posting a 77-71 win. Braswell netted a career-high 27 points and added a career-high 13 rebounds in the win holding Ithaca’s All-American point guard to 6-of-18 shooting and seven turnovers. Lapinski (18), Jim Malatesta (14), and Brian Hunter (13) were also in double digits.
The “Sweet 16” awaited DeSales as they traveled to Franklin & Marshall College the following weekend to take on UMASS-Dartmouth. DSU trailed by one at the half and by as many as 10 early in the second half but finished the game on a 20-3 run to win 67-59 and advance to the “Elite Eight”. Braswell had another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Lapinski (14) and Hunter (11) also had double figures.
The run came to an end the following night as the Bulldogs fell to host Franklin & Marshall College, 70-60.
That season Braswell and Lapinski were each named to the All-MAC Freedom First-Team and Braswell was named the MAC Freedom Player of the Year. Both Braswell and Lapinski were named D3hoops.com All-Region as well as NABC All-Region. Braswell was also named an NABC First-Team All-American and head coach Scott Coval was named the MAC Freedom and NABC Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Members of the team included: Jamey Bercier, Darnell Braswell, Mike Geary, Brian Hunter, Ed Lapinski, Matt Lepri, Jim Malatesta, Tom Marshall, Matt McManus, Charles Princiotto, Nicholas Rossignoli, Rob Schubach, Bob Zanneo, and Matt Zwetolitz. Coaching staff included: Scott Coval and assistants Matt Hunter, Jeff Silk, and Gary Jurosky as well as team manager Danny Villanti.
