Frosh to lead backcourt

Freshman point guard Marcus Schroeder knows he has big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Scott Greenman '06, a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection for the men's basketball team last year. But the six-foot, two-inch newcomer might find comfort in the fact that — even if his feet don't measure up to size right away — he at least has five inches on his stellar predecessor.

Plus, if you listen to head coach Joe Scott '87 tell it, it may not be long before Schroeder is coming up just as big as Greenman on the hardwood as well.

"Marcus is a tough kid and a good basketball player, so we're hopeful that, as the year goes along, by the time we get to the league season, we're not going to be looking at him as a freshman," Scott said. "He's that kind of a kid."

Though Scott said Greenman and Schroeder are completely different players, starting with the height disparity, they have at least one thing in common — both floor leaders are known for their game-winning treys.

Greenman came through in the clutch for the Tigers repeatedly last season, each three-point dagger bringing Princeton's lost season a step closer to respectability. According to freshman guard Lincoln Gunn, Schroeder's teammate since fourth grade, Schroeder can be counted on for more of the same — he has been at it since they were kids.

Their team down two points with a fifth-grade tournament championship on the line in Sacramento, Calif., Gunn watched Schroeder heave one up from NBA three-point land and, as time expired, the ball hit the top of the backboard and dropped in.

"He's had a lot of game-winners," Gunn said. "But when you think of what a point guard is, distribute first, and think about yourself second, that's him. He's not a selfish player whatsoever."

On a squad of veterans, the backcourt tandem of Schroeder and Gunn will be entrusted with a lot of responsibility. But the classmates from De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., have already brought something special to the team.

"They have an infectious manner to the way they play the game," Scott said. "They have a lot of pizzazz and spunk and they enjoy playing basketball. It's really rubbed off on the whole team in a positive way."

Despite Schroeder's game-winning heroics, Gunn is the one more well-known for his shot. Gunn shot over 50 percent from the field as he and Schroeder helped De La Salle to a 32-1 record and a state championship in their senior season. He adds another weapon to Princeton's offensive arsenal, and with Schroeder at his back to ease the transition he's stepped up his game to the college level.

"[Gunn and Schroeder] are sort of opposites, they have the same personality on the court — like a quiet confidence — but [Schroeder] is hard, tough, always on the move," Scott said. "[Gunn] is too, but he's more of a smoothie. He makes shots, he's a great passer, so they really complement each other really well."

Scott is hoping that the chemistry between the two produces an effective backcourt duo, as both freshmen are expected to see significant minutes and Scott doesn't expect them to play like rookies. Coming from a high-school program that ran a Princeton-type offense under nationally respected coach Frank Allocco, Schroeder and Gunn are more prepared than your average freshmen.

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"They had a really good high school coach who was very demanding and very hard," Scott said. "I think they came here for all the right reasons, and guys who come here for all the right reasons are usually the guys who do really well."

Schroeder has already gained the confidence of the older players, and after practicing over the summer with team members and paying attention to detail every day in practice, he has begun to master the intricacies of the Tiger offense.

"[The seniors] have kind of nurtured me and given me confidence in my game, and let me know that they have faith in me as a freshman," Schroeder said. "I'm ready to take the challenge."

Freshman center Zach Finley, South Dakota's reigning "Mr. Basketball", is also expected to work his way into the rotation. He reminds Scott of Steve Goodrich '98, who made his way to the NBA after graduating as the 11th-most prolific scorer in Princeton history.

"I'm going to throw [Finley] out there and he's going to play," Scott said. "[Finley and Goodrich] are actually very similar. With Goodrich, there were times when you said, 'We need to get him out of there,' but we played him and played him and we all know how good he turned out to be."

Scott knows that by playing freshmen, he's going to have to live with their mistakes and coach them past inconsistencies, but as long as his veterans are producing, he thinks the team is capable of dealing with those bumps in the road.

"It's going to be a year of seeing those guys grow up, if our older guys are consistent, then that always helps the younger guys grow up faster," Scott said.

A final one of those younger guys who Scott named as a potential factor this season is freshman guard Blake Wilson, from nearby Haddonfield, N.J.

The Tigers currently have seven freshmen on the roster, but they have lost a number of returning players.

Roster changes

Sophomore Alex Okafor, who played in 15 games last year, chose to leave the team after being offered the opportunity to work his way up from the junior-varsity squad.

Junior Harrison Schaen — who was widely heralded upon his return to the team in 2005-06 following a one-year hiatus — never became a consistent contributor and is no longer a part of the team. The athletic department's website, goprincetontigers.com, announced that another reserve center from last year's team, senior Pat Ekeruo, has left the Tigers to focus on accomplishing other things in his final year at Princeton.

The same press release explained that sophomore guard Geoff Kestler, who started nine games for Princeton last season, remains with the Tigers but was left off the roster because of injury.