SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Suffolk Has A Reputation To Uphold

Engineering the men's basketball phenomenon at Suffolk CC-Selden has Coach Rich Wrase in demand. The 53-year-old coach with the 52-game winning streak suddenly found himself a hot commodity, though his fees hardly fattened his wallet.

"If you know who I worked for, you know they don't pay that much," Wrase joked of his appearances at camps and other basketball-related events.

Wrase's one-liners are delivered rapid-fire, matching the victories in college basketball's longest active streak. Strangers approach to say hello. His team has been feted (twice) by Gov. Pataki.

He was the national junior college coach of the year. That big New York City newspaper interviewed him. He probably won't make Letterman's Top 10 list, but Chuck Culpepper's rendition is within reach.

Suffolk's streak resumes at home eight days from now when Lehigh Carbon CC arrives from Schnecksville, Pa. "You want to see how the other half lives," Lehigh Carbon coach Robert Mazziotta said, adding that he doesn't expect to upset Suffolk.

Will this season produce a carbon copy of victories? The first real challenge could come Dec. 2 against neighbor Suffolk CC-Brentwood, which is frothing for the opportunity to defeat the two-time Division III national junior college champion.

"To beat a team of that caliber would mean we belong among the elite teams in the country," coach Anthony Zajac said.

There are many new faces who realize they have inherited the wins. "I know I didn't have anything to do with the last two years, but it is part of my responsibility to keep it going," center Alex McLean said.

McLean transferred from Nassau. "When I saw them in November, I wanted to transfer," he said. "They just looked amazing and had a lot of camaraderie."

Guard Alvin Dennis, one of two returning players with experience, said, "I'm thinking along the lines of winning every game possible, but the main goal is to get the ring at the end of the year."

Suffolk had a few close calls last season, especially at Monroe, when the Clippers rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half for a 104-101 triumph. "The streak became who they were," assistant coach Pat Pollicastro said. "They didn't want to lose that. That was their identity."

While some of the key players from last season moved on - Vernon Alonzo is at NAIA Voorhees (S.C) and Aaron Cummings at Adelphi - the winning streak snapped for the two main stars.

All-America guard and leading scorer Maurice Manning didn't graduate, so his scholarship to Division II Kentucky Wesleyan is on hold. He's trying to earn the necessary credits this semester. Leading rebounder Marcele Street has legal matters to overcome before he can resume school and basketball.

With all the new faces, Wrase isn't sure how long the streak can last. "Fifty-two is a good number," he said. "Whatever we get after that is pretty neat. Everything is going to end. It went a lot longer than I thought it ever would."

Indian Hills CC in Iowa has the all-time collegiate record of 89. Suffolk was 34-0 last season and has won 66 of 67 since a 76-73 loss at Sullivan CC on Jan. 18, 2002.

The newcomers, led by Wrase's son, Rich, do not contemplate losing. "You don't want to let a good thing go, especially in the first game," the 6-4 forward said. "You don't want to lose it right away. You want to keep it going as long as it can."

Coach Wrase may appear nonchalant about the streak, but his son said, "I know it means a lot to him."

Freshman Clarence Alonzo, Vernon's brother, watched from the stands last season. His brother told him "Suffolk doesn't lose," so Clarence said, "I don't want to be the one to go back home with a loss."

Returning guard Anton Cheese agreed. "No one plans to lose. We're the defending champs, so we have to play that way every day."

This streak wasn't supposed to happen here; this is no basketball factory. Wrong place, wrong school, wrong part of the country for this much success. As new athletic director Bob Dranoff observed, "There is no training table for this."

When Suffolk loses, normalcy will return. Instead of a few hundred fans at the games, there will be a few. For the players and coaches, perhaps a loss will make them realize just how much they have won.

"I don't think you can really look at something in the moment," Pollicastro said. "You have to look at it when it ends. So when it ends, come back and ask us what it meant. It will have a bigger meaning."

Current winning streaks by the defending national college basketball champions:

Men                                                                  '03-'04
College                         State    Division          Record     Current streak
UConn                         Conn.   NCAA I             33-6                 9
Kennesaw St.              Ga.       NCAA II           35-4                 26
Stevens Point               Wis.     NCAA III         29-5                 9
Southeastern CC          La.       JUCO I            32-4                 6
Cuyahoga                     Ohio     JUCO II           24-10               11
Suffolk CC-Selden       NY      JUCO III           34-0                 52
Women
UConn                         Conn.   NCAA I             31-4                 6
California                     Pa.       NCAA II           35-1                 11
Wilmington                  Ohio     NCAA III         27-6                 10
Trinity Valley CC        Texas   JUCO I            36-0                 36
Monroe CC                  NY      JUCO II            28-2                 22
Minneapolis C&T        Minn.   JUCO III         25-6                 16

 
GODBLESSAMERICA

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