By BRIEN BOUYEA, The Saratogian

ALBANY - Goliath he's not, and he'll never boast the physical attributes associated with a god of the hardwood, but Steve Dagostino has converted the doubters into believers.

After a lifetime of searching for respect on the basketball court, Dagostino, a junior point guard for The College of Saint Rose, finally has people talking about his game and not his stature.
"I've always been knocked for being too small or not looking like much of a player," Dagostino said. "It's been annoying and I've always carried a bit of a chip on my shoulder because of it. It's given me an edge and pushed me to succeed."

At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Dagostino was passed over by Division I recruiters even though he dazzled the Section II ranks at Guilderland High School. Sure he could play, but the prevailing wisdom was that the rigors of the college game would expose Dagostino as being too small to compete with the big boys.

Or so the theory went.

Dagostino, however, had a fan in the Capital District who believed the undersized point guard could succeed at a scholarship program.

Brian Beaury, the head coach at Saint Rose, had kept a watchful eye on Dagostino for years. Beaury, a standout point guard for the Golden Knights during his playing days, just so happened to have a spot for an energetic point man with a burning desire to prove himself.

"I remember Steve when he was eight or nine years old and came to my basketball camps," Beaury said. "The first thing I noticed about him was his fearlessness. The kid had zero fear even back then ... and that's rare. He has such a feel for the game and nothing ever seems to rattle him."

These days, Dagostino is one of the top Division II players in the land. He was recently named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year. The selection did not come as a surprise, as Dagostino was the only player in the conference to rank in the top 10 in scoring (16.8 ppg), assists (4.9 apg), steals (2.14 spg), free-throw percentage (.864) and 3-point accuracy (.404).

With Dagostino leading the way, Saint Rose has enjoyed a memorable season and has qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in three years. The Golden Knights (21-9) are the No. 2 seed in the Northeast Region and will meet No. 7 Pace University (20-12) in the opening round today at 2:30 p.m. at Bentley College.

Saint Rose has defeated the Setters in two of three meetings this season, including an 82-81 victory in the NE-10 semifinals. That game, Dagostino said, was one of the most memorable of his career. The Golden Knights rallied from 12 down with 80 seconds remaining to post a most improbable win.

"We didn't play very well in that game, but we never gave up and we were rewarded for that," Dagostino said. "We kept forcing turnovers and hitting shots. It was somewhat surreal. You never want to put yourself in that situation, but we rose to the occasion and it's a game I'll certainly never forget."

Dagostino has always risen to the occasion. He was named the Suburban Council Most Valuable Player as a senior at Guilderland and has brought his unique combination of fiery desire and cool leadership with him to the college level.

"I've always pushed myself to be the best I can be and I'm my own worst critic," Dagostino said. "I always believe I can do better. Whether it's on the basketball court or in the real world, I know nothing is handed to you. You always have to prove yourself.

"I dealt with all the doubters when I made the varsity team as a sophomore at Guilderland. It was the same thing when I played Empires (Empire State Games). I had to show everybody that I belonged out there. It's always been frustrating to be doubted, but I've used it to my advantage. There have been a lot of times when I've been underestimated. ... That's made me push myself."

Dagostino's success story extends beyond basketball. He was a first-team selection to the 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team.

"That was a terrific honor and it puts everything into perspective as to why I'm here," said Dagostino, who owns a 3.88 grade-point average in accounting.

Beaury said Dagostino is the perfect example of what a student-athlete should represent.

"Dags deserves all of the accolades and the attention he receives," Beaury said. "We've had guys here who have been national players of the year and earned great honors both academically and athletically, but Steve may be the best combination of success on the court and in the classroom. I can't sing his praises enough."

Dagostino recently became the 21st player in Saint Rose history to score 1,000 career points and he is quickly climbing the school's charts in several other categories. He ranks fifth in 3-pointers (172), 11th in steals (164) and 12th in assists (370).

"When it's all said and done, Steve Dagostino will go down as one of the best to ever play here," Beaury said. "He's one of those players you're fortunate to come across every 10 years or so ... if you're lucky."