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(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: FLOOR LEADER: Princeton Day School point guard Drew Godwin controls the ball last season in the Prep B state tournament as PDS head coach Ahmed El-Nokali looks on in the background. Godwin's steady play helped lead the Panthers to the Prep B title game. As the only returning starter for PDS, Godwin will be expected to be a leader on the floor this winter for the Panthers. PDS gets its season underway when it plays at Rutgers Prep on December 3. end of caption

PDS Boys' Hoops Seeks Identity In Wake of Graduation Losses

By Bill Alden

Ahmed El-Nokali's first stab at coaching turned into one of the most memorable basketball seasons of his life.

The former Princeton University point guard guided the Princeton Day School boys' basketball team last season to a 16-9 mark and a berth in the state Prep B championship game.

Losing four standouts to graduation with the departure of Dylan Leith, Dave Pepperman, Alex Sugiura, and Rajeev Sharma, El-Nokali knows that he faces a stern test as he looks ahead to his second year at the helm.

"This team needs to find its own identity," said El-Nokali, whose club tips off its 2004-05 campaign by playing at Rutgers Prep on December 3.

"We don't have anyone over 6'2. We will play a different style this year. We are a better ballhandling team than last year and we are quicker. I'd like us to be more of a pressing team. We need to put on more defensive pressure."

A key veteran who should help PDS handle the pressure it faces is junior point guard Drew Godwin, a key performer in last year's magical run.

"Drew is looking good," said El-Nokali of the guard who can also light up the scoring board with his outside shooting. "He is the point guard and will have the ball most of the time."

El-Nokali is also expecting a bigger contribution from two of last season's reserves, senior guard Vik Gupta and junior guard Ram Narayan.

"Vik was a good shooter for us last year and he has really worked on his ballhandling," said El-Nokali, who also welcomes back seniors Pierre Hoppenot, Colin Johnson, and Jim Butler together with junior Andrew Davidson. "He is also much better defensively. He should be a solid contributor. Ram is looking better, he has really picked up his game."

While El-Nokali will miss his graduated seniors, he is looking forward to developing a quartet of promising freshmen in Jordan Mickens, C.J. Martino, Clint O'Brien, and Mike Shimkin.

"Jordan will see a lot of action, the coaching staff is expecting big things from him," added El-Nokali, whose newcomers this season also include juniors Kevin Smith and Kunle Onitiri.

"The football guys (Martino, O'Brien, and Shimkin) will contribute, they have already picked things up. They add a toughness, they have been the ones on the floor at our practices."

In order for this year's club to succeed, El-Nokali knows it needs to show a blend of patience and hustle.

"We need to take care of the ball and rebound," explained El-Nokali, the captain of Princeton's 2001-02 team and a second-team All-Ivy performer. "We will be concentrating on help defense and switching. We need to get kids in position to rebound."

PDS should have the stamina to execute that blueprint. "I can tell you that the guys worked hard this summer," maintained El-Nokali. "They know what I expect and they put a lot into it. We've really been working on our conditioning."

After last winter's magic, the Panthers hope to be conditioned for more success in the season ahead.