The men's basketball team has recruited a trio of swingmen for the Class of 1999 that should make the team a strong contender for the 1996 Ivy League title.
With the University of Pennsylvania, the defending Ivy League champions, losing all five of its starters to graduation, Dartmouth, which finished second in the league this season, should be in the thick of the race.
The team returns all but two players from last year's team. Jamie Halligan '95 is hoping to take his game to Europe next year while walk-on Jason Kemp '98 is going on a religious mission for the next two years.
Among those that will contend for the vacated minutes will be a group of three talented freshmen that hope to make a smooth transition from high school stars to college contributors.
The first of the group is Jason Neeser from South Lake Tahoe, Cal. After being named the league's Most Valuable Player two years in a row and being heavily recruited by several Ivy League schools, Neeser hopes that he can step in and provide some of the scoring punch that will be needed after the departure of Halligan, the 19th leading scorer in Dartmouth history.
Assistant Coach Mike Maker describes Neeser as "a great shooter." At 6'4", Neeser will see time at the off guard or possibly the small forward spot. His versatility is one of his strongest assets.
The second prospect is forward Rob Davis who comes to Dartmouth after a postgraduate year at Lawrenceville Prep. Maker described the lefty as "a good athlete with a really nice jumper."
Finally, the Big Green brings in another shooting guard in the form of Seth Newsome of LaJolla, Cal. The coaching staff sees Newsome as another 6'4" guard who can "stretch the defense with his great shooting ability," Maker said.
The freshmen will be expected to come in at their own pace and bolster a very experienced lineup that may take the team to the promised land of the NCAA tournament.
The top returner is Sea Lonergan '97, who was a unanimous pick as All-Ivy last year. His marksman shooting and quick moves to the basket make him tough to defend. Lonergan lead the Ivy League in scoring average last season.
Brian Gilpin '97 will be the man in the middle again next season. After finishing sixth in the nation in blocks per game, the seven-footer will be called on additionally this year to help pick up the slack in the scoring.
Co-Captain Jacob Capps '96 will be the spark plug of the Dartmouth team. Capps can ignite his team with his deadeye three-point shots or his fiery attitude on the court. Both will be important for the team as it makes its way through the grueling season.
The Big Green have a lot of depth at point guard with Kenny Mitchell '97 returning as the starter. Just as capable of running the team are P.J. Halas '98, who contributed quality minutes to the team this year, and co-Captain Matt Bush '96.
Look for good things from Keith Stanton '97 and Asa Palmer '98 in the paint. Both players are solid rebounders.
With numerous '97's and '98's on the team, it can be expected to contend for the title for the next several years. The toughest competition will again come from Penn and Princeton, as well as Brown.
The Quakers should not be underestimated, despite graduating their entire starting lineup, as the team pulled off a recruiting coup and signed one of the top 100 players in the nation in Jed Ryan.
But Dartmouth's blend of experienced players at every position and talent in the recruiting class should make the Big Green one of the toughest teams in the league next season.
