2005-06 AWARDS

IONA entered the season with expectations as tall as its 6-foot-10 coach. Thanks to a roster splashed with seniors, the Gaels knew that. By anointing them the preseason choice to win the MAAC, the league coaches did, too.

At times, the Gaels buc- kled. They were swept by Manhattan. They let Siena spoil Senior Night. They failed to win the regular-season title.

But 72 superlative hours in the state capital proved the efficient elixir.

With three wins in three days at the MAAC tourney, Iona – the City Game Team of the Year – erased all doubts and showed those coaches really were on to something.

“I’m so proud of them, so happy for them,” Iona’s towering, triumphant coach Jeff Ruland said of his five seniors. “Their legacy is complete. It’s not over now, because I think we can go win some games. But their legacy is complete. I’m proud to be their coach.”

The pride works both ways. After all, the Gaels wouldn’t be the tested, tenacious team they are today if Ruland didn’t throw a grueling schedule at them. Iona (23-7) played Iowa State, Kentucky, Seton Hall and Fresno State – all on the road – and walked away 2-2, beating the Cyclones and Bulldogs.

“We went through a lot of obstacles,” guard Ricky Soliver said. “It was nerve-wracking. But this is a great way to finish off our senior year.”

Yet the NCAA tournament awaits.

“We knew we could do it,” senior guard Steve Burtt said. “We knew we had a special group our freshman year. We knew that if we played together it was going to be hard to stop us. We proved that.”

They’re going dancing as a result.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Tired Tom Pecora and the Hofstra Pride deboarded in Hempstead on Tuesday at 4 a.m. After going 2-1 in the CAA Tournament at Richmond, Va. – finishing as runner-up in what appears to be a two-bid league – it would have been easy to take a day off.

So, naturally, Pecora went to a high school game that night on a recruiting excursion.

“I’m comfortable with what we’ve done and I think we have a real good shot at the [NCAA] tournament,” Pecora said. “But, we’re home now, and it’s out of our hands. Life goes on, so I figured I’d go back to work.”

That ethic has rubbed off on the Pride (24-6), who should make the Dance for the first time since 2001. If you believe in the “finish the season strong” school of thought for bubble teams, consider Hofstra won 12 of its last 14.

“The early rounds are about the little guys,” Pecora said. “They try to set up those classic David vs. Goliath matches. When you look at some of the other [bubble] teams from the power conferences, they aren’t having truly special years. Why not take one of the Davids that is having a special year?”

Something for the bracketologists to mull.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

In the end, Keydren Clark was done in by a couple of scorers you may have heard of – guys named Morrison and Redick.

The St. Peter’s senior guard – trying to win the national scoring title for the third time in as many years – had to settle for a third-place tie with Grambling’s Brion Rush.

But there’s no shame in finishing behind Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison and Duke’s J.J. Redick, players who could meet in the Final Four. Especially considering Clark and his 26.3 average led the Peacocks (17-15) to a 4-1 finish. He is sixth on the NCAA all-time scoring list (3,058).

“You can’t help but be honored by passing guys like Larry Bird, Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins [on that list],” Clark said. “Those are guys – as a kid when you come into the game – you wanted to be like.”