Curtis Small, Jason Lewis and Keith Bogad.
Colonials Star All-Time Greats
Dazzling Duo Rejoins 1000-Point Scorer
The last time the trio played on the same court was in the 1999-2000 season when the Colonials made the playoffs for the first time in three years. That season, Southampton finished with a 12-10 record in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference. Talent graced the court, especially in the hands of Jason Lewis, Curtis Small and Keith Bogad.
But last year, unexpectedly, two of the three didn't come back. The steady Lewis was the trio's lone returnee and reached the 1000-point plateau, but the undermanned Colonials fell to 8-14 in the conference, missing the playoffs.
Now they're back. Their unfinished business from two seasons ago gnaws at them. As seniors, they are ready for their last playoff run together. Lewis, Small and Bogad were named captains on a team that's suddenly filled with upstart talent ? and they are ready to lead the charge.
The 1999-2000 season left the Colonials on the verge of doing something great. Two years later, that dream may finally be realized.
Small, who as a sophomore was NYCAC scoring champ, was unable to play last season due to family and scholastic obligations. But this past summer, Small went to Australia where he worked with the Warrnambool Seahawks, the elite club team fellow Colonial Jye Watson played for before coming to Southampton. According to his coaches at Southampton, Small returned this year in the best shape of career. The team's best ball-handler, Small learned the point guard position and now will be counted on to pass as much as score.
Two years ago with Small as the team?s most dangerous offensive weapon, Lewis ended up 13th in the nation in rebounding with 10.4 a game. Last year, with Small gone, he was forced to focus more on scoring, leading his team with 19.8 points and 8.9 boards per game. The effort led to him being named to the Division II All Metro Team by the NIT/Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association in April. He is a possible All American selection this year. On January 31, 2001, in a home game against rival C.W. Post, Lewis scored his 1000th point, despite often being triple teamed.
Now Lewis may be the first Southampton Graduate Campus graduate since Marvin Lewis (?69), who was drafted by the New York Knicks, to get 1000 points and 1000 boards in his Southampton Graduate Campus career.
Bogad also missed playing last season. Now that he and Small are back, the Colonials have another advantage: speed. Peck adds, "He can do it all and never quits. He puts the pedal to the metal 100 percent of the time."
During the 1999-2000 season, Bogad led his team in scoring against New York Tech and Dowling College with 22 and 27 points respectively.
Small, Lewis and Bogad have the experience and talent to lead their team to victory. They won't have to do it alone, though, because there are 10 promising newcomers on the Colonials, as well as five returnees.
Starting center Eric Bradley spent the summer working out with NBA stars Chris Mullen and Allan Houston at Ross School. Sophomores Watson and Billy Mandell are ready to prove themselves again after both having successful first seasons last year. Watson was a league Rookie of the Year contender with top-five offensive stats in the conference. Mandell, who was supposed to apprentice with Bogad last year, proved he could handle the pressure alone.
Also returning are Rafael Diaz and Richard Fleming, two crowd pleasers who have matured on the court and play their roles well.
