How legendary is Reitz?  Well they have already named the basketball arena after him.  The cozy little Reitz arena probably helped this team win all 7 of the games they ended up winning as these Greyhounds were no Road Warriors losing all 14 games they played.   The Greyhounds got off to a bad start and never really got up to speed.  Coach Reitz used every motivational tool he had (and more players than any team in the country) but you just don’t have the horses you cannot compete especially in a conference as tough as the Metro Atlantic.  Reitz tried many variations of a lineup that he could but when you rely on fastbreak and three point shooting you better at least slow the other team down sometimes.  The greyhounds did not have that kind of defense.  More importantly they did not have the kind of presence inside that slowed other teams down and to grab boards to start the team moving up the court.  For a fastbreak to occur you must get a turnover or a rebound and this team just did not get enough either one.  Still, when the Greyhounds did get to moving they were fun to watch. 

The one ‘dog’ who was always there and always got the job done was the aforementioned  Lacy.  Mr. Reliable once again led the team in scoring and continued not only his stellar play but his total commitment to the team.  Lacy is the leader of the Greyhounds and does whatever it takes to set a great example.  He can also play a little hoop as he averaged over 18 points a game, 7 points higher than the next best Greyhound.  He is a vastly undersized forward (6’2) but this barrel-chested stud gets by on guile and great quickness.  Lacy might not be as athletic as some of his younger teammates but he is ‘the man.’  He is a legend at Loyola and as they like to say he is ’the greatest athlete ever at this University and it’s finest gentlemen.’  Lacy was the first player in College basketball history to score 2000 points (and wants to be the first to score 3000 this year) but playing for a program that rarely wins does not give him the kind of notoriety he deserves. 

Reitz has a plethora of thoroughbreds on the wing to choose from.  Seniors Andy O’Donnell, Joel Hittelman, Michael Zedalis, Juniors Ed Butler, Bob Connor, Morris Cannon, Gene Gwiazdowski and Sophomores Michael Morrison, David Gately and Maurice Hicks are all in the mix to play next to Lacy.  All of these guys bring something to the table but none are complete players.  Yet.  O’Donnell started more games then any of the others and has some range though not quite as consistent as Coach Reitz would have liked beyond the arc.  Cannon and Butler are terrific athletes who can get up and down the court and Butler is the best passer on the team.  As good as those two are, Morrison may be the best athlete on the team and really came on the last 15 games.  He started the year as an athletic ‘project’ who needed fine tuning but progressed impressively as the year went on.  He fits the up-tempo style of the Greyhounds as well as anyone and most definitely could be the ‘logo’ for this program.  He would much rather finish on the break than fire away from long range and is not afraid to go inside.  More of a mid-range scorer and finisher than anything else he is probably the best defender the team has.  The Greyhounds were not known for their defense but this kid at six four can guard just about any wing in the MAAC and to be honest could probably match up well in the ACC or other bigger conferences.  This cannot be said for many other Greyhound players.  Morrison has the potential to be the ‘man’ in B’more with Lacy graduating as he by far has the highest upside of any of these gifted wings which is saying something.  Hittelman is similar but these guys all play the same position as Lacy (though Gentleman Jim was officially the four in the starting lineup) and there are just not enough basketballs in the gym for all of these guys.  Zedalis did get rotated into playing some point but he is best at the two.  He is not a great shooter from behind the arc but he will fire away. Gately was another option here and did well and was very consistent all season long.   This was on the JV though and JV is not D-1 basketball.  He actually can post up some (even though he only goes 6’3) and uses his smarts and desire to get the job done.  He is a bit undersized but this kid knows how to play.  If he shot a little better from behind the arc he would have a real shot at starting AFTER Lacy leaves.  Connor got surpassed on the totem pole and barely played last year.  He is in jeopardy of making the team as Reitz has even more wings coming to Baltimore.  Gwiadzdowski is another wing who got passed up in the rotation and is in trouble of losing all of his minutes. 

Reitz will try to find players from anywhere to get some talent on the court for the Greyhounds.  Some of these guys worked out and some did not.   After all Butler came from of all places the Maryland Penal System.  He was convicted of murder after being involved in a holdup where things went terribly wrong and a gun went off.  Butler is over thirty years old but Reitz saw him play in some prison games versus some good competition and when he got out a few years later was ready with a scholarship.  Butler was a little rusty but came through with exceptional defense and rebounding off the bench once he became eligible.  He is also one of the best passers on the team.  He is one that was very thankful for his second chance.  He played more at the four then anywhere else but did not mind even though he is only 6’3.  I guarantee you he doesn’t care where he plays as long as he is playing.   

Reitz also used several guys at the point trying to find the right quarterback.  Senior James Blaney, juniors Kevin Robinson and John Vogt and Sophomores Tom Gormley and Maurice Hicks all got some minutes running the team.  None were great but all had some things they did well.  Blaney went down early and this opened the door for everyone else to step up.  He might not be back after a pretty serious knee injury.  Vogt was solid and is multi-faceted and has a good shot.  Gormley may have the most ability to lead this team but he must learn to stay on the court like a few other Greyhounds that lost time due to off the court nonsense.  Robinson is a clutch player who is a leader and should start next year though he may not have as much talent as some of the others on the roster.  The wild card is Hicks who only goes 5’11 but is more of a scorer then passer.  He was the leading scorer on the JV but did not get to three assists a game.  Still, he is the modern style point guard and he will get his shot this year.  This group might not be great but they do produce and whoever Reitz decides on will run a high octane offense.   

The post was the problem.  These dogs did not like the middle of the track.  Reitz tried all kinds of options with no one showing any real upside.  Junior Mike Krawczyk was at least consistent and by far the most effective of the guys playing in the key.  Krawczyk is a solid six foot eight and can board but is limited offensively.  This kid came to play every night though and even if he was giving up height and weight to some of the monsters of the MAAC he did not back down and at least gave the Greyhounds some presence underneath.  Lacy may be the man in B’more but this team would not have won a game without Krawczyk on the court.  Juniors James Smith and Mark Rohde got some minutes and of course Lacy volunteered to play some though he is not even close to big enough to be banging down low.  Senior Charles McCullough may have been the best choice down low but he only got into a few games.   Reitz gives everybody chances and second chances and you can see so who knows who will be in next year’s recruiting class but one thing is for sure he better bring in some post players. 

The Loyola of Maryland Men’s basketball team was truly one of the worst in the country.  They had some good wing play but had limited post game and their point guards could not stay on the court.  Coach Lefty Reitz’s Greyhounds were struggling through a last place finish in their conference and he was willing to bring in anybody to try and change the tide.  It never worked.  The sad thing is that the best player on this team is moving on to greener pastures probably of the NBA if he wants to.  With Jim Lacy he could be moving on to becoming a senator.  Who knows?  As far as the Greyhounds there is muddy water ahead but this program is used to being the last dog in the race.  Sooner or later you have to get tired of looking at the same scenery and see what the clean air feels like.