Eagle men perched atop NAC Leadership, consistency keying Husson’s attack

The Husson College men’s basketball team has a firm grip on the top spot in the North Atlantic Conference East Division with only six games left in the regular season.

The Eagles improved to 9-0 in conference play Monday with a 10-point victory over second-place University of Maine-Farmington and took a three-game lead over the Beavers.

The 14-5 Eagles are doing it with solid veteran leadership – on and off the court – and unexpectedly productive contributions from several new faces.

Seniors Jason Harvey and Tyler Muzzy, who were already being counted on for that leadership as well as statistical production, have elevated their already high levels of play this season.

Throw in an instant offensive and defensive presence (freshman Martin Cleveland) at a previously weak position (center); solid shooting and passing from freshman guard Brock Bradford; and defensive/intangible input from sophomore guard Blaine Meehan, a transfer from Thomas College; and it’s no wonder the Eagles are flying high.

Husson won a share of the NAC regular-season title with a 17-10 record last season, but the Eagles were dissatisfied after getting bounced from the tournament.

The difference this season? They’re motivated, intense and more fundamentally focused.

“Even this season, some nights we come out and lack a little intensity, but today we picked it up and battled, made some key shots down the stretch, and won it,” Harvey said after Monday’s win. “I think the difference is we know how to win down the stretch.”

Harvey has been his usual stellar shooter and passer, but he has a lot more support this year, especially offensively with Muzzy, Cleveland, Bradford, Scott Kissinger and guys like Sheraud Lee off the bench.

With Cleveland (two-time NAC rookie of the week) becoming an instant starter and Bradford (last week’s NAC rookie of the week) and Meehan working themselves into part-time starting roles, an already productive bench is even deeper and more productive.

“It makes it easier on everybody because no one thinks they have to carry the team,” said Cleveland, who came into the week averaging 16.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. “That’s great for us because everybody brings their ‘A’ game against us, and you can’t do it with just one guy.”

Muzzy is another statistical stalwart for the Eagles with 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

Husson’s biggest challenges are a Tuesday home game against West Division leader Lasell College of Auburndale, Mass., and a Feb. 12 road game against UMF.

“We just have to keep concentrating on improving game by game,” said Husson coach Warren Caruso. “We still haven’t played our best game yet, so we keep working toward that every practice.”

Maines, St. Clair lead Terriers

T.J. Maines, who enjoyed a successful playing career at Morse High in Bath and Colby College in Waterville, is among two former Maine high school standouts now directing the men’s basketball program at Thomas College in Waterville.

Maines is wrapping up his first season as the head coach of the Terriers, who have struggled to a 4-14 record.

He is joined on the bench by former Maine Central Institute and Colby-Sawyer College star Andrew St. Clair.

The 33-year-old Maines is the son of longtime high school coach Tom Maines, who directed Morse to three straight Class A state titles from 1987-89. T.J. played on the ’88-89 team.

The elder Maines now is the head coach at Madison High.

T.J. Maines took over at Thomas last fall for Dr. James Libby, who guided the Terriers for three seasons. He spent the previous eight seasons as an assistant under Dick Whitmore at Colby.

Maines graduated from Colby in 1995 and worked in the Boston financial market for two years before returning to Maine and earning a master’s degree in education from UMaine. He began his coaching career with a one-year stint as the boys coach at Orono High in 1997-98, then landed the Colby job.

Maines now teaches history at Hodgkins Middle School in Augusta.

St. Clair joined the Thomas staff last fall after briefly playing pro ball in the English Basketball League.

At Colby-Sawyer, he became the first player in the program history to amass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. His efforts earned him recognition as a Division III All-American and an ESPN Academic All-American.

St. Clair holds Colby-Sawyer career records for rebounds (1,007), steals (206) and blocked shots (142). His 2,043 points rank him third.

St. Clair plans to attend graduate school next fall and earn a master’s degree in sports management.