Seniors led the way for rebound by Brandeis
Coach's first class had repeat 20-win seasons
Stop if you've heard this recruiting pitch before: You have the chance to be a part of history.
Only, Brian Meehan actually meant it as he hit the road looking for talent after taking the reins of Brandeis University's men's basketball team in September 2003. The Judges had struggled through their 12th straight losing season and had a tiny fan base that sometimes included just friends and family.
The futility was in stark contrast to the consistent s uccess that Meehan had fostered in his previous stop, at Salem State College. In his 10 years with the program - the final seven as head coach, from 1996 to 2003 - the Vikings won seven straight Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference titles, made a Final Four appearance in the NCAA's Division 3 tourney in 2000, and produced four All-Americans.
Meehan took that winning tradition to the Waltham school, where he attracted a head-turning freshman class the next year that included Steve DeLuca, Joe Coppens, Florian Rexhepi, John Saucier, and Stephen Hill.
Four years later, that class has left some deep footprints.
Since finishing 7-18 in Meehan's first year, the Judges have rattled off four straight winning seasons, and posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time in the program's history. The team plays with an exciting, wide-open style that has drawn a rowdy fan base, averaging 1,500 diehards per home game who tout themselves "The Jury."
On March 14, keyed by sophomore guard Andre Roberson's 18 second-half points, the Judges ended Plattsburgh State's 20-game winning streak with a 74-63 upset in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAAs, earning the program's first berth in the Division 3 Elite Eight. The Judges then lost to powerhouse Amherst College, 65-55, the eventual national runner-up.
"This group kind of ruins it. As a coach, I've been spoiled as to what to expect of all my guys. That's not always going to happen," said Meehan, who is 78-53 in his five years at the Brandeis helm. "That's four years of never complaining. I've never had a single complaint from any one of these guys."
Meehan's fortunes at Brandeis quickly changed for the better upon landing prized recruit DeLuca. After a much-celebrated career at Merrimack (N.H.) High School, the 6-foot-6-inch forward was offered scholarships by several local Division 2 schools. His signing meant Meehan had the attention of players who were on the fence about the Brandeis program.
"As a coaching staff, we knew we had a cornerstone for our program," Meehan said. "Now you've got one guy you're looking at, and you ask him 'Do you want to be a teammate?' It certainly gave us instant credibility in trying to secure the rest of these guys."
DeLuca stood up to the hype, earning All-America honors for his play last winter while leading the team in scoring and rebounds, but the Judges took a hit when he went down with a season-ending knee injury in the second game this year. DeLuca, who is scheduled for surgery next week, took a medical exemption to retain his senior year of eligibility.
"We were going to have to find a whole new style and identity," Coppens said of life after DeLuca's injury.
Coppens was clearly up for the challenge. With Meehan deploying full court man-to-man pressure, he became a defensive spark plug.
And following the Judges' December home win over defending national champ Amherst, in which Coppens led the way with 17 points, the 6-3 senior from Rockland often became the top scoring option. The only Judge to start every game, he led the team in scoring (15.9 points per game) and ranked second in rebounds (5.2) and steals (39 total). He earned All-New England first-team honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
"Right from the get-go, we realized we could be a dangerous team," Coppens said.
His backcourt mate, point guard Kwame Graves-Fulgham, emerged as a quiet leader and averaged 4.5 assists. In the Judges' NCAA first-round win over Lasell, he registered 14.
In that same game, Rexhepi, a native of Macedonia, put up a game-high 19 points in just 18 minutes off the bench. Splitting time at the off-guard spot with junior Kevin Olson (10.8 points), Rexhepi proved just as explosive in Meehan's running offense.
The Judges have a tall task in repeating this season's feat. But the return of DeLuca, along with Olson and sophomore Terrel Hollins (13.6 points per game), and strong crowd support - an estimated 2,000 attended the team's NCAA first- and second-round home games - one wonders if this is just the start.
