Life after “Leek”
For the past two years, the Hudson Valley men’s basketball team has been led by first team All-Conference and first team All-Region forward Kalik Parker. This upcoming season, Parker, who the Vikings knew as “Leek,” will be the starting forward for SUNY Plattsburgh.
“Even though we lost Kalik, who was a great leader, we still have Jeffery Kruzinski, who was another team leader last year,” Head Coach Ken Dagostino said.
In Parker’s two years with Hudson Valley, he averaged about 17 points per game and was one of the more prolific scorers in the region.
In an attempt to replace “Leek,” the Vikings’ recruiters had a busy off season and received commitments from eight Section II basketball players.
“We almost have a Section II all-star team,” said Dagostino.
The eight Section II players that committed are G Jose Reyes, G Devonte Gleason, G Nate Monson, F Joe Fey, F Nate Krimsky, F Jordan Hoose, G Cameron Overbaugh, and G Giacomo Giglio.
Reyes averaged 18.6 points per game, 5.2 assists, and 4.1 assists per game at Shenendehowa and won the Suburban Council MVP in 2011, as well as an all-star on News Channel 13.
Gleason and Monson were both named first team All-Council and averaged 16 points per game in high school.
Fey was named second team All-Colonial Conference, Hoose earned first team All-Patroon Conference, and Krimsky was named first team All-Western Athletic Conference.
The 2012 recruiting class is dominated by guards and not just from Section II, but also a combo guard from Flagler Palm Coast high school in Florida named Brandon Dean.
Dean scored 2,374 career points and that is his school’s record. In Dean’s senior year, he averaged 28.4 points per game and 6.3 assists per game. He won multiple awards in high school, including first team All-State his junior and senior seasons, and was named 2010 Player of the Year in his district.
Dagostino said, “We’re hoping he can score the ball from all over for us.”
With a team with nine guards on the roster, Coach Dagostino does not think the team is small. “This is the tallest team we’ve had and that’s exciting,” he said.
Returning players Jeffery Kruzinski, Jeremy Taylor, and Conner Chapman are expected to play a mentor role for the players coming in. “I’m looking forward to seeing the returning players, and the players we have coming in, and seeing them progress throughout the year,” said Dagostino.
The Vikings play 17 games at home and 15 games away, but it does not matter to them where they play. “It doesn’t matter if we’re away or home,” Dagostino said. “We want to be mentally tough and I think if we can go out and win on the road, it says a lot about our team.”
“We have to win tough games in the Regional Tournament, and I think road games benefit us more,” said Dagostino said.
The last game Parker played as a Viking was in the 2012 Regional Tournament, where the Vikings lost their first game to Fulton Montgomery.
Although Hudson Valley finished with a 20-10 season, coming up short of a goal will not be forgotten.
“I think when you fail, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth and it motivates you,” Dagostino said.
The Vikings open up their season against the team that ended it last year. They play Fulton Montgomery at home on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.