‘Three Amigos’ Hit the Met Awards Dinner

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. –The three gentlemen in this picture are all working with new coaches.

Is that why they’re smiling?

From left to right, Kevin Lorincz of Rutgers, Mark Fratto of St. John’s and Matt Sweeney of Seton Hall are three of the best sports information guys in the business.

This photo was snapped Wednesday night at the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott.

The metropolitan area has witnessed a massive game of coaching musical chairs in recent weeks and virtually every new Division 1 coach in New York and New Jersey was on hand for this annual event put together by Chuck Stogel.

Among the luminaries on hand were Rutgers interim head coach Darren Savino, Fordham coach Tom Pecora, Iona coach Tim Cluess, Hofstra coach Timmy Welsh, Rider coach Tommy Dempsey and Wagner coach Dan Hurley.

St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin and Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard were both out on the road recruiting. The Johnnies were represented by new assistant Rico Hines, while Dan McHale and Steve Sauers repped the Pirates. St. Peter’s assistant John Morton was on hand for the Peacocks.

I confess I’m not familiar with many of the D-2 and D-3 coaches in the area, but I did spot William Paterson coach Jose Rebimbas, the D-3 Co-Coach of the Year.

Charles Jenkins, a 6-3 junior guard from Hofstra, won the Haggerty Award as the best player in the metropolitan area for the second time in two years.

Here is a complete list of the men’s award winners.

DIVISION 1

FIRST TEAM: Charles Jenkins, Hofstra, 6-3, jr, G, Queens, N.Y.; Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, 6-5, jr, G, Harlem, N.Y.; D.J. Kennedy, St. John’s, 6-5, jr, G-F, Pittsburgh; Ryan Thompson, Rider, 6-6, sr, G, Mt. Laurel, N.J.; Jaytornah Wisseh, LIU, 6-1, sr, G, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Muhammad El-Amin, Stony Brook, 6-5, sr, G, Lansing, Mich.

SECOND TEAM: Hamady Ndiaye, Rutgers, 7-0, sr, C, Dakar, Senegal; Mike Rosario, Rutgers, 6-3, so, G, Jersey City, N.J.; Anthony Johnson, Fairfield, 6-8, sr, F, Lake Wales, Fla.; Herb Pope, Seton Hall, 6-8, so, F, Aliquippa, Pa.; Scott Machado, Iona, 6-1, so, G, Queens, N.Y.; Chris Gaston, Fordham, 6-7, fr, F, Palisades Park, N.J.

THIRD TEAM: Rico Pickett, Manhattan, 6-4, jr, G, Decatur, Ala.; Derek Needham, Fairfield, 5-11, fr, G, Dolton, Ill.; Sean Baptiste, FDU, 6-3, sr, G, No. Brunswick, N.J.; Noruwa Agho, Columbia, 6-3, so, G, New City, N.Y.; Wesley Jenkins, St. Peter’s, 6-2, jr, G, Newark, N.J.; Travis Taylor, Monmouth, 6-8, so, F, Union, N.J.

Haggerty Award player of the year: Charles Jenkins, Hofstra.

Rookie of the year: Chris Gaston, Fordham.

Coach of the year: Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook.

DIVISION 3

FIRST TEAM: Marcel Esonwune, York, 6-6, jr, C, Lagos Nigeria; Richard Jean-Baptiste, Brooklyn, 6-4, sr, F, Queens; Marvin Billups, Purchase, 6-5, jr, F, Chester, N.Y.; Abdoulaye Ouedraogo, Wm. Paterson, 6-8, sr, F, Newark, N.J.; George Kunkel, Baruch, 6-3, sr, F, Glendale, N.Y.; Lionel Hilaire, Baruch, 5-11, jr, G, Far Rockaway, N.Y.

SECOND TEAM: Joseph Ellis, Wm. Paterson, 6-1, sr, G, Newark, N.J.; Ryan Kearney, Centenary, 6-5, sr, F, No. Arlington, N.J.; DaQuan Brooks, Western Connecticut St., 5-9, so, G, Bristol, Conn.; Martin Leibovich, Yeshiva, 6-5, sr, G, Buenos Aires; Deshawn Singleton, Rutgers-Newark, 6-4, sr, F, Passaic, N.J.; Jonathan Jones, Kean, 6-5, jr, F, Linden, N.J.; Rocco Rubino, Hunter, 6-3, jr, G, Brooklyn.

THIRD TEAM: James Johnson, Rutgers-Newark, 5-11, sr, G, Summit, N.J.; Justin White, Bard, 5-9, sr, G, New York; Keith Jensen, NYU, 6-4, sr, F, San Diego; Andre Cooper, New York Maritime, 6-2, sr, G, Baltimore; Ryan Samuel, USMMA, 5-9, sr, G, Cedar Hill, Texas; LaQuan Peterkin, Ramapo, 6-6, so, F-C, Paterson, N.J.

Player of the year: Marcel Esonwune, York.

Co-coaches of the year: Jeff Charney, Purchase; Jose Rebimbas, Wm. Paterson

(Photos courtesy myself and Hofstra Athletics)

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