Aaron Walton-Moss led his team to Salem last season. Photo by Pat Coleman, D3sports.com

On Twitter Rob Knox will be tweeting from the Hoopsville Classic: Follow him at @knoxrob1

A day after watching the Champions Classic doubleheader that featured Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky and Duke, all Cabrini men’s basketball coach Marcus Kahn could do was smile when it was suggested that this weekend’s upcoming Hoopsville National Invitational Classic presented by Buffalo Wild Wings at Stevenson University is the Division III version of that made-for-television event.

“I don’t disagree with that,” Kahn said. “This is going to one exciting weekend in Division III basketball and we’re honored to be part of it.”

This year's event will feature 10 teams from seven states, five of which were either ranked or receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 during the 2012-13 season and five who participated in the 2013 Division III NCAA Tournament.

The 2013 field includes Birmingham-Southern, Cabrini, Keystone, La Verne, Middlebury, Ohio Wesleyan, Salisbury, St. Mary's (Md.), Stevenson and Trinity (Texas). The 10 teams averaged more than 20 wins last season while four had its head coach named conference coach of the year. Overall there will be close to 20 hours of exciting basketball crammed into three days in Owings Mills, outside of Baltimore.

The centerpiece of the three-day, 10-game hoopsfest is most definitely Friday’s final game between arguably the two top programs in the Mid-Atlantic region over the last five years: 19th-ranked Cabrini and 10th-ranked St. Mary’s (Md.). It is scheduled to tip around 8 p.m. Over the last five years, St. Mary’s has won 119 games and Cabrini has emerged victorious 127 times.

“I think it will be a good game. The other games will be good as well. I am happy Keystone is in the tournament as well because it will show that the (Colonial States Athletic Conference) has more depth. The last two years have been exciting for us and a lot of fun. We’ve had a good group of guys that have come through here. It’s great for our program to compete in a tournament like this.”

Just like the Duke-Kansas featured a must-see individual showdown between Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins, the Cabrini-St. Mary’s contest has a marquee matchup worth the price of admission. Senior All-Americans Nick LaGuerre and Aaron Walton-Moss are the headliners for their respective teams. They are both strong defenders and binge scorers with a variety of ways to attack opponents. Both players are excited for the challenge this weekend. On Sunday, St. Mary’s will take on Middlebury while Cabrini meets Salisbury.

With LaGuerre averaging 13.4 points per game, the 2012-13 Seahawks compiled a 27-4 overall record and advanced to the Division III Elite 8 before ending the season with a 69-66 setback to eventual national runner up Mary Hardin-Baylor.  It was SMC's second Elite 8 appearance in the last three years.  The Seahawks captured their fourth Capital Athletic Conference tournament championship title in six years. The Seahawks finished the 2012-13 campaign ranked eighth in the D3hoops.com Top 25 final poll.

Meanwhile, the Cavs closed the 2012-13 season with a record of 25-6, the program's fifth consecutive 20-win season.  Cabrini won its 12th conference championship with a 90-74 win over Keystone, sending the Cavs to their 13th NCAA Tournament. With Kahn, the 2013 CSAC Coach of the Year, directing the team and Walton-Moss, Player of the Year, dominating, Cabrini posted three consecutive road wins over Top 20 teams to make its second straight trip to Salem, Va., and the Elite Eight, where it fell to No. 2-ranked and eventual national champion Amherst.

“This is a test for us and we’re excited to play in prime time,” LaGuerre said. “The good thing is these games won’t determine our season whether we win by 20 or lose by 20 because we still have an entire season remaining. I know Cabrini and Middlebury are always good and it’s going to make playing in this tournament more exciting. We know we have to play our best game to win.”

While Cabrini and St. Mary’s were racking up NCAA Tournament appearances, their paths never crossed -- regular season or the postseason – until now. Despite the lack of familiarity on the court with each other, Walton-Moss is aware how strong the Seahawks and the Capital Athletic Conference is.

“We played one of their opponents last year in Wesley and were told that there was another team in its league that was better than Wesley,” Walton-Moss said. “Turned out it was St. Mary’s. I didn’t get a chance to see them play at the Elite Eight last year, but I heard they’re a good team and they play well together.”

Neither team is in rebuilding mode, but both are different from last year. Both squads expect to be in the championship mix in late February and early March. They are still getting to know each other and get used to the rigors of competing at this level. Cabrini’s Fran Rafferty was a key member of the Cavs team last year as he averaged 13.8 points per game in 27 starts. He was a second team all-CSAC selection last season and a solid shooter.  

In addition to LaGuerre, the Seahawks also welcome back Donn Hill (12.4 points per game) and Brendan McFall (10.5 ppg). Eight years ago when St. Mary’s coach Chris Harney arrived to the scenic campus along the Chesapeake Bay, he was just trying to change the culture of the program, be competitive and finish at least .500. He also couldn’t suppress a smile over the phone when it was mentioned that his team’s recent success has his program as one of the nation’s elite.

“It’s flattering to hear somebody say that,” Harney said. “People forget how bad we were when I first got here. But we’ve definitely earned our way and we have been fortunate to have good players that have helped to build this program up. We are honored to be in the tournament for a second straight year and we are glad to receive the recognition for the work we have put in. We are also excited to be playing in Baltimore and that area has been a huge part of our program.”

Harney is telling the truth as 12 of his players are from the immediate Baltimore vicinity. That total rises to 14 if you consider that two players are from Germantown, Md in Montgomery County, which is traditionally Washington, D.C., territory. Still nonetheless, it’s a short trip from Germantown to Owings Mills. The Cavs have three players from the Baltimore area, including two from Owings Mills.

Here’s a brief look at the three other Mid-Atlantic teams in this weekend’s showcase at Stevenson University. I am excited to be in attendance and will have complete in-depth coverage every day with a game story and a daily column.

Speaking of Salisbury

The Salisbury University men's basketball team is looking to build upon a successful season in which it won 19 games, its most since 1996-97. The Seagulls are also looking to post back to back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-01. Salisbury took a step in that direction by defeating Washington College, 86-73, last Friday. Senior Tim Harwood, the team's leading returning scorer, netted a team-high 18 points to lead the Sea Gull attack. The Rockville, Md., native was 5-for-11 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the three-point arc. Harwood added five points from the charity stripe on six attempts. The Seagulls hosted Virginia Wesleyan on Monday night at the Maggs Center. Harwood led Salisbury with 62 3-pointers made last season.

Duncan leads Keystone

Senior Duncan Lunsford averaged 25 points in leading Keystone to a pair of wins in its season-opening tournament. He opened the season with 22 points against Wells and followed that up with a double-double (28 points, 10 rebounds) in a 96-84 win against Hamilton. Duncan was the CSAC’s leading scorer last season, averaging 21.3 points per outing. Dan Candemeres averaged 22 points last weekend for Keystone. The Giants play Franklin & Marshall this evening before playing Trinity (Texas) Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. and La Verne Saturday at 3 p.m. The Giants have posted six consecutive winning seasons and are a serious threat to Cabrini’s CSAC dominance this season.

The Stevenson Scoop

The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the Commonwealth Conference this season behind Alvernia. They will battle Middlebury on Friday night at 6 p.m. and Birmingham Southern Saturday at 5 p.m. Junior Justin Kuntz scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half as the Mustangs posted a 89-69 season-opening road victory at Carin University. Stevenson opened the season by scoring 19 consecutive points against Cairn. It was the Mustangs’ second-straight season-opening win and second in three years under head coach Gary Stewart. Also, reaching double figures for Stevenson in the win over Cairn were senior Kelly Davis and junior Colby Giacubeno, who totaled 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Welcome back

William Paterson’s 6-2 junior guard Sandy Burgos made a triumphant return to the court in last Friday’s season opening, 96-77, victory over FDU-Florham. Burgos lit up the Knights for a career-high 41 points on 14-for-20 shooting. The Fort Lee (N.J.) native saw action in seven games last year before suffering a season-ending injury.

Burgos fell six points shy of matching Tommie Patterson’s single-game scoring record of 47 points, which was accomplished against Medgar Evers on Nov. 23, 1991. That had to be a fun headline to write back then. Could have been “Patterson leads Paterson…” Overall, it was great to see Burgos drill shots from all over the gym. Burgos was an equal opportunity scorer as he tallied 17 points in the first half and 24 more in the second stanza. Burgos had help from his buddy Javae King-Gilchrist, a transfer from Jacksonville College, scored 25 points in his Pioneer debut. The Pioneers were picked to finish fifth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason coaches’ poll.

“He is a complete offensive player, he can shoot it from deep, has a mid range game and can finish in the paint,” William Paterson head coach Jose Rebimbas said. “He is an outstanding foul shooter. He dedicated himself this off season to conditioning, weight training, and skill development. We look forward to witnessing his progression during this season.”

Burgos has always been a prolific scorer. He was the leading scorer in Fort Lee H.S. history and ninth in the Bergen County record books with 2,121 career points. In two years at Harcum College, Burgos averaged 13.8 points as a sophomore and 14.0 as a freshman. Burgos and the Pioneers are back in action tonight as they host Lehman College.

The head Prof

Congratulations to Rowan head coach Joe Cassidy, who picked up win No. 300 as the Profs pounded Berkeley (N.J.) 89-60 Saturday in the consolation game of the Widener tournament. Cassidy's career record is 300-148 in a little more than 17 seasons. He has guided the Profs to 14 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament appearances and to the NCAA Championship Tournament four times.  Rowan won the NJAC title in 1999. Ever wonder how Cassidy has so much energy during games, it’s simple, he served as the Saint Joseph’s University Hawk mascot for two years. Everybody knows the Hawk consistently flaps its wings throughout the game, which kept Cassidy in shape.

Bryn Mawr update

Kudos to Bryn Mawr for being open about the challenges of the program and addressing the modified schedule the team will play this season. The school addressed it in the Bryn Mawr season release on its website. Preseason concerns around the number of players led Bryn Mawr to modify their 2013-14 schedule. However, a surge of student support has created optimism for the Owls basketball program moving forward.

“The basketball team has the full support of the college as we embark on a journey to advance the overall student-athlete experience at Bryn Mawr,” said athletic director Kathy Tierney. “For the 2013-14 season we will focus on player development while we rebuild the program.”

The Owls opened the season by splitting a pair of games in their Women’s CollegeTip-Off tournament.  Nicolette Parmese set a new career record with 32 points and 19 rebounds as she earned her second double-double in as many game to lead the Owls over Notre Dame (Md.) 48-45 in the consolation game. She had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the Owls’ season opening, 65-32, defeat to Cedar Crest. The win was the first for interim head coach Rebecca Tyler, who just took over the program late last week.

Ford tough

The Haverford women’s basketball team enjoyed a memorable weekend in winning Marymount's Pablo Coto Tip-Off Tournament. The Fords upset host and No. 21 Marymount, 70-56, and edged The College of New Jersey, 50-49, on Jacquelyne Pizzuto’s game-winner with seven seconds remaining. Pizzuto drove past the defense and lifted a floater that found the bottom of the net. The winning bucket gave the junior point guard, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, 11 points to go along with her five rebounds and three assists. 

Also earning all-tournament honors for Haverford was junior Elizabeth Lynch, who paced the Fords in scoring with 16 points against TCNJ. Lynch tied her career high with 21 points in the opening win against Marymount. She had help as Nina Voith added 19 points to help the Fords reach 70 points on the scoreboard for just the fifth time in the last four seasons. Voith was also 10-for-10 from the free throw line against Marymount. It was just the third time in program history a player was perfect from the charity stripe in double-figure attempts.

The Fords were picked to finish fifth in the Centennial Conference this season. However, with Pizzuto coming off an outstanding sophomore season, the Fords could participate in the CC playoffs for the third straight year. Pizzuto was named to all-Centennial Conference team as an honorable mention player and she started every game last season. Not only did she average the most playing time on the team (35.7 minutes per game), but also set a single-season school record for minutes played. Pizzuto led the Fords with 93 assists last year.

Since there is so much out there and so little space to mention every single highlight, I am hoping to make these a staple of my columns. So please, don’t hesitate to flood my inbox with notes, press releases, updates, etc so I can mention them.

Mid-Atlantic ankle breakers

The Drew University women’s basketball team will look for its first 3-0 start since 2009 when it travels to Centenary on Wednesday night … The Rangers enjoyed a successful opening weekend in New England by winning the Gordon Tip-Off Tournament … Scranton junior guard Ross Danzig had a prolific scoring weekend leading the Royals to a tip-off tournament victory. Danzig scored a career-high 33 points in Scranton’s season-opening win against Immaculata and added 23 points in a two-point win over Randolph-Macon … Danzig was named tournament MVP … Six women’s teams in the Commonwealth Conference all captured season opening tournaments: Albright (Centenary), Alvernia (Washington & Lee), Arcadia (Ramapo), Elizabethtown (F&M), Lebanon Valley (its own), and Widener (Dickinson) … Messiah’s Brad Bolen scored a team-high 26 points, including the game-winner, against Hartwick to help Messiah win its Tip-Off Tournament … Bolen, who lists “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” as his favorite show was named the Classic's MVP.

Atlantic rim-rockers

The Farmingdale State men’s basketball team made sure its new coach Brendan Twomey had a successful debut by winning the Casella North Country Invitational hosted by Potsdam State. … Senior guard Terence Henderson was named the tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 17.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in the two wins over Clarkson and Potsdam State. SUNY-Purchase won the Eastern Connecticut State Tip-Off tournament for the second time in four years behind Andre Nixon and Franklyn Mickens … New Jersey City University won the York (Pa.) Coaches vs. Cancer Classic by beating Stevens Tech and York … Behind the stellar play of junior forward Melissa Tobie, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, Montclair State captured its second straight Gwynedd-Mercy Tip-Off Tournament title with an 80-51 victory over the host Griffins..Tobie had 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Red Hawks … In its two wins last weekend, Richard Stockton scored 81 points in each half … The Ospreys have five players, led by Nnamdi Usuwa, averaging double digit points after two games. The NJAC begins conference play this weekend.

Help me

This column will only be as good as your submissions and assistance during the year. Feel free to send any noteworthy items, potential feature ideas, upcoming milestones, point out mistakes, say hello, etc. to me atrob.knox@d3sports.com. Don’t worry about overwhelming my inbox. As a former SID, the more in-box traffic, the better. Also, follow me on Twitter at @knoxrob1.