Hartford Basketball

First off, I'd like to thank Joel Barkers for taking his time to do this interview with me on behalf of Real Sports Net. He is a great talent and hopefully you can check him out more as the 2010-11 college basketball season rolls around.

Joel Barkers is currently a junior at the University of Hartford. Before transferring to Hartford, Barkers attended Kirkwood Community College for his freshman and sophomore years. In his last season at Kirkwood, he averaged 10.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. His rebounds were 18th best in the country.

In his first season at Hartford, Barkers averaged nine points and five rebounds while playing in roughly 21 minutes per game.

Barkers has a great basketball body as he is a 6'6", 225 pound forward from the Washington D.C. area.

Joel was nice enough to answer 10 questions with me.

Garrett Tucker: At what point did you realize you could play college basketball ?

Joel Barkers: When I was in the eighth grade I was ranked one of the top players in the Washington D.C. area and I knew I could play D-1 (division-1) college basketball.

Tucker: For those that aren't aware of your style of play, who would you consider yourself to in the NBA game? Give us a scouting report on yourself.

Barkers: I'm just like a Boris Diaw type. I'm a 3 or 4 that can handle the ball really well and I have guard skills. Very physical, great rebounder, and great passer.

Tucker: What did you like about Hartford that urged you to sign with them?

Barkers: I had a coach named Rick Brunson that I had a close relationship with and I thought it would be best for my career to attend Hartford.

Tucker: What do you think is the biggest difference between the high school and college game?

Barkers: In college the players are much stronger and the game pace is much faster.

Tucker: Do you plan to try to play in the NBA?

Barkers: My goal is to definitely play in the NBA...I WONT GIVE UP UNTIL I MAKE THE NBA!

Tucker: What is your opinion on underclassmen (especially freshmen) being able to enter the NBA draft?

Barkers: I believe if a player feels he's ready for the NBA, then he should be able to attend it and have a shot at the NBA.

Tucker:   Any thoughts on LeBron James and where he may end up next season?

Barkers: I think LeBron will be back with the Cavs.

Tucker: What school first contacted you about playing college basketball? Age/Grade? What was your impression of that team? 

Barkers: When I was in the ninth grade the Virginia Cavaliers first contacted me about hoopin' in college. I was sooo excited!

Tucker: What are you goals for the rest of your basketball career?

Barkers: I want to be an NBA All-star [player].

Tucker: Are there any players you communicate with regularly? Teammates, other college players, NBA players, etc?

Barkers:   My two best friends, Ty Lawson and Kevin Durant, play in the NBA and I speak to them every day.

Thanks Joel!

On behalf of Real Sports Net and the sports' world as a whole, I wish you good luck for the rest of your college career and your pursuit to the NBA. Fans, make sure to watch for Joel Barkers in a Hartford uniform next season!

Make sure to follow Joel Barkers on Twitter @JoelBarkers2

For more updates on college basketball, as well as interviews and recruiting, make sure to follow Garrett Tucker on Twitter

@GTuckersports

(Photo Credit: Pictoria.com)

Led by guard Joe Zeglinski, the Hartford Hawks entered the 2008-09 season with dreams of a winning season and an America East championship. However, the Hawks got off to a slow start by starting the season 3-6.

Just when coach Dan Leibovitz thought the season couldn't get any worse, it did. Playing against Brown, the 6'0" Zeglinski injured his left ankle and suffered a tendon tear that required season-ending surgery.

Hartford could not overcome the loss of his 15.3 points, 5.6 boards, and 34.1 minutes of experienced play per game before the injury. The Hawks finished last in the America East with a 2-14 conference record and were 7-26 overall.

Fortunately for the team, the NCAA granted Zeglinski a redshirt, leaving him two years of eligibility still remaining. The better news is that Zeglinski is displaying no ill effects from the injury and is now playing his best basketball of his career.

After four games, Zeglinski is averaging 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds, shooting 46 percent from three-point range with 17 makes. His stamina is back as well, as Zeglinski is only off the floor for 4.8 minutes per game.

The Hawks are currently 2-2 on the season and just missed obtaining one of their biggest wins in recent history. Zeglinski scored 23 points and connected on eight three-pointers against Baylor, but a last-second desperation shot by the Bears' Epke Udoh caused Hartford to lose, 71-69.

In his sophomore season, Zeglinski became the first Hartford player since the legendary Vin Baker to be named All-Conference First Team. In the 2007-08 season, he was only the eighth player in Hartford's Division I history to score over 500 points in a season.

Zeglinski's 103 three-pointers made that year set the school mark and placed him second in the history of the conference.

Zeglinski averaged 12.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in his freshman year while being selected to the America East All-Rookie team.

This talented competitor left high school as the all-time leading scorer at Archbishop Ryan high School with 1,300 career points. Zeglinski is the only athlete in Philadelphia history to rush for 3,000 yards in football and score over 1,000 points in basketball.

The return of Zeglinski to Hartford's starting lineup has given the other players renewed confidence and the open space to be productive.

Junior point guard Andres Torres is dishing out 7.5 assists per game. With the opponents focusing on Zeglinski's prowess from long range, forward Morgan Serbia has made nine three-point baskets so far this year.

Hartford recruited forward Joel Barkers from Kirkwood Community College, and he has the found the less-crowded paint to his liking. Coming off the bench, Barkers leads the Hawks in scoring with 17.0 points per outing.

It will not be easy for Hartford to go from worst to first in the America East in one season. However, with Zeglinski's hustle and toughness spreading throughout the team, the Hawks can again compete with anyone in the conference.

Don't make fun of my glitter-glue ineptitude.

Two of the top mid-major programs in women's college basketball over the past several years square off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2 as the Marist College Red Foxes (22-3, 13-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) visit the Hartford Hawks (14-8, 9-1 American East).

The game is part of the "Pink Zone" initiative to raise awareness about and raise funds for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.

Don't be misled by the Hawks' eight losses. They're probably the best eight-loss team in the game—by far. Hartford beat Duke on a neutral court in November, 53-51, and it was no fluke.

The high of beating a national powerhouse got the best of the Hawks, as they dropped their next two games to DePaul and THE Ohio State, both NCAA Tournament teams last season.

The Hawks then suffered road losses to George Washington and Quinnipiac, games they probably should have won. Their next three losses came at Louisville (22-3), at Bowling Green (21-2), and at UConn (24-0).

Their last loss game Jan. 21 at Boston University, which is 10-0 in American East conference play. Hartford has won six straight and sits in second place in the conference.

If you'll notice, none of these losses came at home, where Hartford boasts an impressive 34-game home winning streak, one of the longest in the nation.

In addition to it being a Pink Zone game, Hartford will try to "pack the house," another women's college ball initiative to achieve better attendance. Chase Arena in West Hartford holds almost 4,000 spectators, and is already sold out. It's just up to the students to fill their section now.

As for Marist, the Red Foxes started the season 17-1 and reached No. 20 in the Associated Press polls before being knocked off at home by Fairfield in overtime on Jan. 23. It was their first conference loss since Feb. 16, 2007.

Marist rebounded nicely by winning three straight, but then was again beaten at home by conference foe Canisius Feb. 6.

The rude awakening has helped the Red Foxes regain focus as they trounced Loyola (MD) by 33 on Sunday, then avenged the loss to Fairfield by beating the Stags in their house by a dozen last night to regain sole possession of first place in the MAAC.

The matchup Sunday will be a rematch of last season's December meeting where Hartford beat Marist in Poughkeepsie, 49-32.

It was not a pretty game.

Only Rachele Fitz of Marist (12 points) and Danielle Hood of Hartford (10 points) reached double-digits in the scoring column. Hood has since graduated and was drafted by the expansion Atlanta Dream of the WNBA, but failed to make the team.

Marist and Hartford have only a pair of mutual opponents this season, neither of which is very telling—Albany and Boston University. Albany lost at Marist by 18, the first game of the season, and lost at Hartford by 26 two weeks ago.

As for Boston University, the Terriers lost at Marist by 11, but beat the visiting Hawks by the same margin. If Marist had played at BU or if the Terriers had played at Hartford, it would be easier to analyze the games, but that isn't the case.

BU is a very physically gifted, athletic team. The rematch at Hartford will be interesting on Feb. 24. Something tells me the Hawks aren't looking ahead.

Diana Delva is the Hawks' top player this year (12.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG), and tallied nine points in last season's meeting while grabbing an impressive 16 rebounds. Brandy Gang and Maria Laterza will have their hands full with Delva on the inside.

Another matchup to watch is Fitz (20.2, 9.2) against Erica Beverly (10.7, 7.2). Things are going to be physical in the paint, so free throws could be crucial to the outcome.

Delva (63 percent) and Beverly (71 percent) aren't locks to drain their foul shots, nor do they get to the line much, whereas Fitz (82 percent) and Julianne Viani (89 percent) make a living at the charity stripe.

Lisa Etienne, Ilicia Mathis, and MaryLynne Schaefer are an interesting trio of guards for Hartford. Etienne and Schaefer are experienced seniors, while Mathis is a star freshman.

The Hawks have a miserable assist/turnover ratio this season, as they are considerably in the red at 0.8 a/t. Marist is much more comfortable at 1.08. Look for Marist to pressure the ball and force turnovers. Viani (43 steals), Elise Caron (32), and Erica Allenspach (40) are all superb on defense.

The key for Hartford is to neutralize Fitz, Gang, and Laterza inside while still keeping pressure on the 3-point line so Viani and company don't start making it rain inside Chase Arena.

Fitz and Viani will be the main focus of the Hartford defense, so bench play for Marist (Gang, Corielle Yarde, Lynzee Johnson) will be important. Emily Stallings has been great off the bench since coming back from an oblique injury, so her to knock down mid-range jumpers could be huge.

The Hawks don't shoot particularly well from long range, so it will be important for them to get the ball inside and get Marist in foul trouble. If Marist's guards keep pressure on the ball and force turnovers, it will be a long day for the Hartford faithful.

My biased, glitter-glued mind predicts Marist in a tight, 64-56 game.