Mike Tony

Princeton senior forward Hans Brase out for 2015-16 season with torn ACL

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Hans Brase posted five double-doubles for the Tigers last season.
Hans Brase posted five double-doubles for the Tigers last season. (Princeton Athletics)

Princeton Athletics announced Saturday night that senior forward and co-captain Hans Brase will miss the 2015-16 season with a torn ACL and return for his senior season in 2016-17.

This is a huge blow for the Tigers, as Brase was the team’s second-leading scorer and leading rebounder in each of the past two seasons. Brase notched 11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists in 31.1 minutes per contest in 2014-15, and scored in double figures in six of 14 conference games a year ago.

Brase’s exit will put pressure on junior forwards Henry Caruso and Pete Miller as well as sophomore forward Alec Brennan in the frontcourt of what has been a balanced offensive attack under coach Mitch Henderson.

Providence tops Harvard, 76-64

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What happened: It’d be easy to say Harvard simply ran into the buzzsaw that is likely future NBA Draft lottery pick Kris Dunn, who posted 32 points, six rebounds, two blocks and an incredible eight steals (seven of which came in the first half). But the Crimson’s turnovers – 22 for the game – are what kept them from taking over the game in the first half when the Friars, Dunn included, were struggling to convert at the rim.

What to look for next: Harvard’s halfcourt defense acquitted itself relatively well, even in spite of Dunn’s next-level second half. I expect that defense to continue to strengthen as the season progresses. If freshman guard Corey Johnson can keep up his deep shooting streak – 15 of his 17 points came from downtown – the Crimson will be able to stretch defenses and keep them honest. Junior center Zena Edosomwan got into early foul trouble and missed six of his first seven free throws, only contributing on offense after Dunn had put the game out of reach. Simply put, Harvard needs more offense out of its frontcourt earlier in contests going forward, and that starts with Edosomwan.

Ivy opening night roundup – A freshman free-for-all

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Columbia 107, Kean 62

What happened:  This contest between the Lions and Division III Kean was one of several games that kicked off at 11 a.m., thus ushering in the 2015-16 college basketball season. The Light Blue enjoyed the return of senior forward Alex Rosenberg, who brought his physical style of offensive play back instantly after missing last year due to a Jones fracture. Rosenberg posted 10 points and characteristically got to the free throw line early and often (six times, to be exact) before sitting after the Lions clinched the game early. Senior guard Grant Mullins posted 11 points in 16 minutes after missing last season due to injury as well. Freshman guard C.J. Davis impressed later in the game, notching 19 points in 15 minutes.

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Reading the Ivy tea leaves – Princeton roundup

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T.J. Bray, Princeton basketball ’14: I’m excited to see how the guys continue to grow this year, especially the junior class. With Hans (Brase) being the double-double threat that he is every night, I want to see how Spencer (Weisz), Steve (Cook), and Henry (Caruso) continue to expand their games in new ways. There’s always more nuances you can pick up in the Princeton offense and I think all three will have added something over the summer. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the team comes together defensively. This team has the ability to play hard and smart on that end for 40 minutes at a time. If they can do that consistently, there’s no telling where this team can go.

Clay Wilson, Princeton basketball ’15: I would say I’m most excited to see how the incoming freshmen fit into the equation. We have a lot of talent back from last year and the incoming freshmen were all really impressive on their visits so I’m looking forward to seeing which guys can step in right away and help. I’m also looking forward to see how Hans’s game has improved. He had a good summer here in Germany and I think he could potentially be in the running for Ivy League Player of the Year if he continues to play more inside like he did towards the end of last season. Everyone knows he can shoot the three ball, but I think he is most effective when he is in attack mode and inside the arc. It’s gonna be interesting to see who gets playing time because a lot of guys deserve to play, but there is so much talent and only so many minutes to be had.

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Reading the Ivy tea leaves – Yale roundup

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Jim Morgan, Yale basketball ’71: After last year’s thrilling battle for the conference title and the heartbreaking loss to Harvard in the playoff, I’m both excited and apprehensive about Yale’s chances this year.

Yale’s selection as the preseason favorite to win the Ivy title has many Yale fans hopeful that we might finally see Yale in the NCAA tournament again in our lifetimes. However, several critical questions must be answered for Yale to fulfill this promise.

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