Diplomats Rank Fifth in Week Four NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Men's Basketball Poll

by Sports Information
2/4/03

LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College men’s basketball team is ranked fifth in the February 4 NCAA Men's Basketball Mid-Atlantic Poll.

Ranked #23 in the February 4 D3Hoops.com national poll, Franklin & Marshall is one of three Centennial Conference teams in the NCAA poll as Ursinus (3rd) and Johns Hopkins (Honorable Mention) are also among the top 10 teams in the region.

The ranking marks a three spot drop for F&M, which was ranked second last week, third on January 21, and opened polling in the second position on January 15. This week, Catholic University remained in first place, while Mary Washington climbed to second and Ursinus jumped to third.

One of the most successful intercollegiate basketball programs in Division III history, Franklin & Marshall routed Hopkins (84-57), but lost to Washington (96-86) last week.

Leading the Diplomats has been the duo of junior center Steve Juskin (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) and senior forward/guard Asaf Ganot (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly).

A member of the February 3 Centennial Conference Honor Roll, Juskin averaged 22.5 points, eight rebounds and three blocks last week.

Against Hopkins, he dropped in 17 points and 11 rebounds, including 10 defensive boards, as the #15 ranked Diplomats routed the #18 nationally ranked Blue Jays. On Saturday, he added 28 points, five boards and three blocked shots as the Diplomats slipped to second place in the Centennial Conference West with a 5-2 Conference record following the loss to Washington.

In addition, he raised his season block total to 63 to reset his own F&M season record of 59 established in 2002.

For his career, Juskin now has 880 points, 461 rebounds, 171 blocked shots and 123 assists in 73 games.

On the season, he ranks among the Centennial Conference leaders in scoring (16.1, sixth), rebounding (7.4, seventh), blocked shots (3.32, first), assists (2.47, 15th), offensive rebounds (2.11, 10th) and defensive rebounds (5.32, fifth).

A defensive presence, Ganot is among the CC leaders in rebounding (8.0, sixth), field goal percentage (.500, 13th), assists (4.16, third), steals (1.63, fifth), blocked shots (1.79, third), assist/turnover ratio (2.93, first), offensive rebounds (2.68, sixth) and defensive rebounds (5.32, fifth).

For his career, Ganot now has 105 blocked shots, to second behind Juskin (167) in F&M history. On the year, Ganot has been a one-man statistical machine racking up 152 rebounds, 79 assists, 34 blocks, 31 steals, 171 points, a .500 shooting percentage (61-122) and a .405 average from three-point range (17-42).

Off the bench, guard Brandon Smith (Fr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) and forward Bob Lynch (So., Richboro, PA/Council Rock) have been offensive sparks for the Diplomats as the pair are averaging 8.8 and 9.7 points per game, respectively.

As a team the Diplomats rank among the CC's best in scoring offense (87.0, first), scoring defense (66.1, first), scoring margin (+20.9, first), free throw percentage (.706, third), field goal percentage (.496, first), field goal percentage defense (.401, first), three-point field goal percentage (.402, first), three-point field goals made (6.89, third), three-point field goal percentage defense (.310, third), rebounding offense (42.5, first), rebounding defense (33.6, second), rebounding margin (+8.9, first), blocked shots (7.32, first), assists (17.63, first), steals (9.84, first), turnover margin (+3.63, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.18, first), offensive rebounds (14.21, third) and defensive rebounds (28.32, second).

F&M (16-3, 5-2 CC) will continue the season on February 5 at home versus McDaniel College in a 7:30 p.m. game.

The NCAA Regional poll is selected each week by John Dzik (Cabrini), Mark Coleman (Drew), Alfred Johnson (St. Mary's), Dave Martin (College Misericordia), Brad McAlester (Lebanon Valley) and Kevin Small (Ursinus) from January until the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The next poll is scheduled for February 11.

NCAA Men's Basketball Mid-Atlantic Region Poll (2/4/03 Poll)
Rk. School Region Record Overall Record
1. Catholic 13-1 17-2
2. Mary Washington 10-1 16-2
3. Ursinus 10-1 12-6
4. DeSales 14-2 15-3
5. Franklin & Marshall 14-2 16-3
6. Pittsburgh-Bradford 8-1 16-2

Honorable Mention: Johns Hopkins (7-3, 13-5); Lycoming (10-2, 12-7); Neumann (9-3, 11-7), Scranton (10-4, 15-4)