The Lafayette Leopards had another solid season in the Patriot League but not quite good enough to compete with the elite of this league.  New Coach Fran O’Hanlon’s crew did have a good enough team who really could play with anyone on any given night but they did not have enough athleticism or size up front to compete with the Big Dogs. That is unless the Spotted Ones were at home and then the ‘Zoo Crew’ carried them to a huge advantage. Lafayette only lost 5 games all year in the friendly confines of the Kirby Sports Center in Easton Pennsylvania in large part due to a rabid group of fans.  Though the arena only seats 3500 it is one of the hardest places to play on the East Coast.  The boys from Easton did not perform as well on the road as their shooting was never as good though probably better lit then the dark arena.  Still the Leopards have a solid nucleus to build on with most of their nucleus returning and if everybody can stay healthy this team could surprise next season. O’Hanlon has some big shoes to fill as a few other coaches have came and went in Easton on their way up the food chain.  Tom Davis (now the good doctor in Iowa) and Butch van Breda Kolff (yes, the recent Lakers coach) set the tone for success in this program though neither got them to the promised-land of winning a big dance game.  O’Hanlon hopes to change that but has promised he will be around for the long haul in Easton.

Leading the away all year was Junior Tracy Tripucka.  The sweet shooting wing led the team in scoring, minutes and jumpers.  Tripucka never met a shot he did not like and loves to run and gun.  His family is fast becoming college royalty though the Tripucka clan are spread out between Pennsylvania and Indiana.  Dad Frank quarterbacked the Fighting Irish back in the day and played for many years in the NFL primarily with the Denver Broncos. The ultra-tough New Jersian (he was born in Bloomfield) has passed on the competitive genes to his progeny but these kids would rather shoot than pass. Tracy was not recruited to Notre Dame but has become a legend in Lafayette with younger brother Todd following him to Easton. Another brother Kelly followed and was a bit more hyped out of Bloomfield High than his two older siblings and thus followed Dad’s footsteps to the Golden Dome.  This high wire act ‘the Flying Tripuckas’ might not be the most athletic but they can all flat shoot.  Tracy may be the best of the bunch and though he is much slimmer then Kelly he is every bit as tough.  Now if he can take his game out about two more feet he would really be something.  Tripucka actually shot over 50 percent with most of his shots coming from mid range.  If he shot 22 footers instead of 19 footers he might lead the league in scoring?  Still, he easily led the Leopards in scoring and will be the primary option gain this year.  

The other Tripucka, Todd, became the third gun off the bench in his second season in Easton.  Todd is a little smaller (6’20 then his brothers and has to work a little harder to get his shot.  He can also light it up and fits the role of a hired shooter off the bench well.  This junior had a very productive second season almost averaging double figures and sometimes blowing up for some huge games.  He is inconsistent with his shot but that is okay when you are coming off the pine.  Seniors Stu Murray and George Davidson used to be big time scorers here but got caught in the shuffle with Todd getting more minutes..  Davidson actually has decided to become an assistant coach after last season as that is what he always wanted to and he saw the leaves turning with Todd around and Murray going to be starting at the two once again.  Too bad as Davidson was a stud but he knows basketball and O’Hanlon is happy to have him running his JV program,   

Speaking of running a team, Sophomore Tony Duckett took over the point guard position early on and did not let it go.  Duckett is a pass first player who only scores when needed.  He can score getting to the hoop but likes to get attention and then dish off for easy hoops.  Duckett is also solid defensively and is a terrific complement to the scoring abilities of the wings on the Leopards.  Wow!  That sounds like a flying cat?  Junior Jay Mottola pushed Duckett hard all year after coming in to the season as the starter.  He is not as good of an athlete as Duckett but he is tough and clutch.  His free throw in overtime gave the Leopards their biggest win of the season over powerhouse Navy. Well, except for the win over Lehigh as any win over the Mountain Hawks in this historic rivalry is always the biggest win for the people of Easton.  Fellow junior Bob Falconiero (No not Falconetti RMPM fans) also got some minutes at point but is not quick enough to guard mighty mites of the Patriot League at point (see Bob CousY). He is lucky though!  Duckett will be quarterbacking the team next year and he should only improve and maybe get off some shots of his own but his main responsibility will continue to be getting those gifted shooters on the wing the ball.  The back court is in good shape for O’Hanlon and the Leopards but front court was not quite up to snuff!  Or was it? 

Now comes the obvious weakness of the Leopards.  The team from the steel bat capital of the world did not have enough punch up front.  Senior Jim Radcliff came into the year as the primary low post option but this muscle-bound stud got hurt ten games into the year and never came back.  This 6’6 215 pounder should be ready to this year but he now has some stiff competition for his job at the four.  Sophomore Otis Ellis played the four spot most of the year and did a terrific job especially for a guy who goes six five.  Ellis had some huge games at the end of the year as this kid can really bang inside.  He took over the paint and played much bigger than he is.  He can also rebound extremely well for a guy his size.  Ellis was recruited out of Germantown Academy in Fort Washington and has a polished all-around game.  He can score down low or take it out 15 feet and really understands how to positon down low. He is also a solid passer for a post player and could probably play the three if the Leopards needed him there but that is where there best player resides.  O’Hanlon needed him up front and this kid obliged and had some games that he was by far the best player on the court.  He is the power forward for Leopards and has earned his spots.  Coach O’Hanlon had a large group of carryover seniors who were not quite talented or big enough to really play at this level but with the injury to Radcliff this group got more playing time than expected and gave the fans some thrills.  Seniors Bob Mantz, Preston Denby and Chip Lundy were the mainstays underneath for three years but had to settle for backup roles.  This trio finished good careers fighting in the key with much bigger players in much more limited minutes then they expected but they still fought for every board as if it was their last.  Mantz has some size (6’7 220) and had some big games down low for the Leopards.  He started most of the year at the five but was pushed as O’Hanlon was looking to the future.  Denby (no not the guy from the Blacklist) and Lundy are solid players but at 6’4 and 6;5 are nowhere near big enough to hang with a Heinsohn or Robinson.  Fellow seniors Marty Zippel and Dave Brown can also play in the paint but after big years early have faded to the bench behind Tripucka.  Neither is big enough for the post anymore at 6’2 and 6’3 respectively but they bring experience and loads of skill to this team.  Just not size.  Speaking of size, Junior Phillip Ness maintained his role as the solid first guy off the bench up front and did get some starts with Radcliff gone.  He is a smart player who does not take a bad shot and works hard in the paint.  He is only six seven though and is better coming off the bench though he is arguably the most consistent big man the team has.  Ness does not work for the FBI but he does seem to always get his man and was invaluable to this team.  Another junior Earl Brown from Puerto Rico does have some size at six ten and can board and defend but is limited offensively and only played due to the injuries.  He will be in the mix for more time next year but needs to find some offense to get on the court though this summer he did play on the Puerta Rican National team this summer, kind of in the same role he had in Easton.  Fellow juniors Henry Horne and Walt Kocubinski (say that last name fast five times) accepted much smaller roles then Ness as the season progressed but still had some fine moments.  Both are 6’5 and can score and board but lack size like most of their teammates down low.  Kocubinski got some valuable minutes in the past and apparently was hampered by a tricky knee most of the year that even O’Hanlon did not know about.  He is a gamer and can do it all on the court so don’t be surprised if he comes back and challenges for time this year but he has two strong players in front of him now at the power forward spot.  Too bad he is not 6’10 as this team needs a big man in the paint who can guard the rim and grab some boards.  The aforementioned Brown is 6’10 but way too skinny but fellow junior Charles Naddaf puts about 250 pounds on the same sized frame.  This Brooklyn kid is as tough as he sounds but never got off the bench last year due to some ponzi scheme thing he had in the dorms but O’Hanlon has invited him back to the team after watching him dominate a street ball game this summer.  He does not have much skill but as far as an enforcer goes you cannot get much better then Naddaf.  Just don’t trust him with your money! 

The Lafayette Leopards from Easton Pennsylvania looked like they were ready to pounce on the Patriot League as new Coach Fran O’Hanlon pushed this program into the new jingoistic conference.  The Leopards have always been able to run.  And shoot.  Too bad the senior star went down with an ACL and his backup had a gimpy knee that he told no one about. Who knew that this league full of old school programs (and we are talking old like turn of the century teams and we mean the 20th Century) would be dominated by a seven footer on of all programs the Midshipmen of Navy.  O’Hanlon knows his team needs to get bigger to compete but the big man who stepped up last year is all of 6’5.  This has to change in the home of the Big bombers, Easton Pa.  The Leopards still had a solid season especially at home with their Zoo Crew in full force.  But shooting only carries you so far even in today’s game so changes are coming to this program. Hopefully those changes include a seven-footer or two to compete with the Admiral.  But the biggest thing that could happen in Easton would be a trip east by Notre Dame in this town just north of Philly.  I am sure the Zoo Crew would bring some brotherly love to the Fighting Irish and the third son of the Tripucka clan.