NCDS: Kyle Smith, Head Coach - Columbia

Being a first year head coach can be overwhelming to say the least.  Being a first year Head Coach transitioning from the cozy suburb of Moraga, CA to the Big Apple might be a little much for some.  Throw in a new-born baby a roster of 21 guys, no scholarships and academic restrictions, you have the ingredients for a potential melt-down.

Oh yeah, we are afforded one less assistant coach than the rest of division one and have the opportunity to have a development program to groom some young future players.

Well,  I have embraced it all and I have loved it.  With one week remaining in the season, I have furnished my second article.  I say, not bad considering the changes in my world. 

One of the things that makes the Ivy League unique is the opportunity to have a development team (formerly known as Junior Varsity).  For some coaches, this might be a way to move some guys out of the way of your varsity players.  Not for the Columbia Lions, we have used it as a way to get some guys some game minutes who are not getting as much time on the varsity.  If you take a DNP, you are eligible to play in a game.

It has been a blast for us, and we hope to continue and build in the tradition.  I thought I would include the write-up from our last developmental regular season game.

We have made some improvements in wins, rebounding, and ball-handling in our program, but I might be most enthused about our D-League program.

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WEST POINT, N.Y. - Columbia's developmental squad defeated Army 62-57 on Tuesday night in a gritty road victory to cap an undefeated season in grand fashion, finishing with a 5-0 record.

Dean Kowalski had a solid game as the floor general, racking up six assists with one turnover.  He also provided tough on-ball defense to go along with three steals, seven rebounds and four points.

Matt Johnson finished with a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, to go along with four assists and four steals, in stats kept by assistant coach Kyle Smith.  His defensive overplays led to some necessary easy baskets when the team's perimeter shots were not falling.

Zack Crimmins added 20 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and even hit a three-pointer after which some fans chanted, "Dirk! Dirk!"

Despite an off night, Chris Crockett did make three big-time plays down the stretch.  With Columbia ahead by three, Crockett made a clutch steal and fed Crimmins for a thunderous dunk in transition.  Crockett then made the defensive play of the game, sliding in to take a charge and then converted a tricky layup that pushed the Lions' lead to five points with 57 seconds remaining.

Christian Daniel made a number of key defensive plays late in the game and Sandeep Dhaliwal was steady again, converting on a number of drives to the hoop, including an up-and-under move that delighted the crowd.

Doug Lopez, who has been instrumental in helping the program in all facets this season, finished a fast break with a nifty left-handed layup that put the Lions up by seven points with 8:38 to go in the game.

After the final buzzer, the celebratory dinner was provided by Highland Falls Deli, which provided chicken parmesan sandwiches that were enjoyed by all.

Buoyed by the success of this season, head coach Koby Altman is currently in the process of finding a post-season contest to claim the national title for development programs across the nation.

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