Post Classifieds
New-look Bengals pressed as uncertainty surrounds Simmons
By A.J. Speier
On November 14, 2012
In each of its past two seasons, the Buffalo State men's basketball team has been one
of the best teams in the SUNYAC.
Now, facing adversity due to a roster overhaul, the team is faced with some of its
biggest challenges.
The Bengals are guaranteed to be without four of their starters from last season and
are awaiting a response from the NCAA to find out if guard Jake Simmons will be
eligible to play this season.
Simmons has played basketball at Buffalo State for just three seasons. The
uncertainty surrounding his eligibility stems from the fact that in the fall of 2007, he
was enrolled at Finger Lakes Community College and slated to play basketball there.
In October of that year, Simmons sustained serious injuries in a car accident and
was left paralyzed for 10 days. As a result, he didn't play basketball for Finger Lakes.
Because he was fully enrolled at the school and he went on to play three seasons for
Buffalo State, the NCAA has deemed him ineligible for this season. Buffalo State has
appealed the NCAA's decision.
"Hopefully there will be somebody there who will look closer to his plight and be
willing to consider the extraordinary circumstances that he went through and give
him another opportunity to play," head coach Fajri Ansari said. "We've done all
that we can do to present that case. Now it has to be reviewed by all of the possible
parties. That process unfortunately is being drawn out a little longer than we have
hoped."
Simmons is just 147 points shy of Randy Smith's school-record 1,712 career points.
The Bengals have found success in recent years. In 2010, they went 23-7 with a
trip to the NCAA Sweet 16. In 2011, they went 18-9 with a first-round exit in the
SUNYAC playoffs.
If Simmons is unable to play, the Bengals will have to find a way to replace his
scoring. He, Nico McLean, Norman Simmons, Justin Mitchell and Ahmed Nagaya
combined to average 63.3 points per game last season and presently, none of them
will return.
Replacing those players will be team captains Anthony Hamer, Seth Runge and a
young group of talented players.
"It's just time for me to step up," Hamer said. "I have to get the team together and
be a leader. I've got to see somebody step up and take my role. I've got to take
Norman's (Simmons) role."
Runge said that he's expecting to see a difference on the team.
"We're missing two seniors and it's going to be tough," Runge said. "We've got a
whole brand new team, pretty much. If we can learn the system coach is trying to
teach us, it'll really help us out this year."
The Bengals hosted Division II Eckerd College in a three-session scrimmage on
Friday. They were tied at 44-44 after the first session, but the Tritons, who were 21-
9 last season, finished the second session ahead 97-73 and won the third session 23-
17.
"They were a lot bigger and a lot stronger and in that second half it really showed
that difference," Ansari said. "Overall, it's about where I expected. Playing against
a scholarship team, you're always at the risk, especially in a scrimmage, of getting
blown out. That happened in that second 20-minute session, but overall I think we
did okay."
From the rotation that was used during the scrimmage, it's clear that Roderick
Epps, Anyar Majak and Chris Castren are expected to have bigger roles this season.
However, Jamestown Community College transfer Ryan Carney did not participate
in the scrimmage. He has only participated in a few practices because of his
commitment to the school's football team.
"I just have to adjust," Carney said. "I've got to meet everybody and get familiar with
everybody as soon as possible. I have to learn the plays. I obviously don't want to sit
on the bench, so I'm going to work as hard as I can to get significant playing time."
At Jamestown Community College, Carney averaged a double-double per game with
12.8 points and 11.7 rebounds, which was good for top 10 in the country.
"We're anxious to get him back because we already had a scrimmage game without
him and we had to play some younger guys," Ansari said. "I think he's going to be
able to help us out in that regard to give us a little more experience on the floor. He's
versatile because he can play forward and he can play a three or a four."
The Bengals will play their season opener at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hobart. Their home
opener is at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 in the Sports Arena.
A.J. Speier can be reached by email at speier.record@live.com.
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