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Previews
A look at the upcoming season
2002-03 season
Great Lakes Region teams
Capital
Capital has
improved by 16 wins from two seasons ago, matched a school-record with
a 16-game win streak and 23 wins, but one thing has eluded the Crusaders
as of late — an Ohio Athletic Conference Championship.
Head coach Damon Goodwin will have an experienced lineup to help him chase that goal with 15 letterwinners and all five starters back from last season’s record setting run.
Seniors Geron Tate and Tony Ruberg have literally been at the front of bringing the Crusader program back among the OAC elite. Tate was a first team All-OAC selection and led the team in scoring, steals and assists last season is a powerful penetrating point guard who has set school records for free throws made and attempted in a game and single season. Ruberg, an All-OAC honorable mention and unanimous first team Academic All-OAC pick, was the team’s second leading scorer and for his career has been consistently one of the OAC’s top 3-point shooters finishing third in the conference a season ago in 3-point percentage.
A hallmark of Goodwin’s team has been a physical presence in the paint and 6-6, 255-pound, junior forward Chuck Bihn does nothing to tarnish that image. Bihn has led the Crusaders in rebounding each of the last two seasons. He averaged 11 points and seven rebounds a game last season on his way to All-OAC honorable mention honors last season.
Juniors in guard Adam Stolly and Tyler Schleich make up the remainder of the returning starting lineup. Stolly, an All-OAC honorable mention pick, is a solid ball handler out front and provides another outside threat as he was second in the OAC in 3-point percentage, while Schleich, a second team Academic All-OAC selection, compliments Bihn inside and also is decent mid-range shooter.
Two players, junior wing Mark Denner and sophomore Jake Beck both are hoping to return off season-ending leg injuries last year. Denner started the first six games of last season before his season was wiped out and Beck played in the first 26 games before an injury sidelined him during the Crusaders' OAC Tournament run.
Senior Drew Davie and junior Tyler Alexander further strengthen the Crusader lineup, providing depth and big game experience, while newcomers Matt Roeckner and Mike Heekin look to continue the recent success of Capital freshmen.
Capital opens the 2002-03 season with the annual Lutheran Brotherhood Capital Classic on Friday, Nov. 22.
Mount
Union
Mount Union will feature a new look in 2002-03.
The Purple Raiders (18-9 in '01-'02) are expected to return one starter and six of 12 letterwinners overall from last year's squad that finished third in the Ohio Athletic Conference during regular season play.
The Raiders will be led by junior/post Rob Paulauskas (Chester, W.Va.), who appeared in all 27 games while making eight starts last winter. Paulauskas (9.1 ppg/3.6 rpg in '01-'02) shot .548 from the field (74-of-135) and .802 from the charity stripe (97-of-121) on the year.
"Rob is an experienced player who should step into a leadership role for us this coming season," noted Lee Hood, who enters his 11th year at the helm of the Raider basketball fortunes. "He's our leading returning scorer and rebounder with the skills to become one of the better post players in our conference."
Other returning letterwinners include sophomore/guard Brad Gerard (Mentor), sophomore/guard Aaron Brownsword (North Canton/Jackson), sophomore/forward Chris Blakely (Columbus/East), sophomore/point guard Clay Sanders (Youngstown/Rayen) and sophomore/guard Tony Basalla (Euclid).
Gerard (4.6 ppg in '01-'02) who played in 26 of the Raiders' 27 games, shot .432 from beyond the arch (35-of-81). Brownsword (3.9 ppg/2.4 rpg) appeared in 19 games last season. Blakely (2.8 ppg/2.5 rpg) played in 24 games last winter. Sanders (1.2 ppg) shot .529 (9-of-17) from the field and had 24 assists in limited action. Basalla appeared in 20 games overall.
"There's no question we're going to feature a new look this coming season," added Hood. "We lost several four-year players to graduation. Anytime that occurs, it opens up opportunities for others. We have a good nucleus returning and we've added a number of very talented newcomers who should see playing time right away."
In '01-'02, the Purple Raiders were second overall in the Ohio Athletic Conference in team defense (66.6 ppg) and sixth offensively (73.8 ppg). Mount Union was third in field goal percentage (.474) and field goal percentage against (.440). The Purple & White finished third in the conference in rebounding (+3.7) and fourth in free throw percentage (.753). Mount Union posted the best turnover margin the OAC (+1.59).
"We'll be very young this year, but potentially, more athletic than we've been in the past," said Hood. "We're looking forward to an exciting season watching this team grow."
Calvin
Calvin will be seeking its fifth consecutive MIAA title after posting
a 20-7 record in 2001-2002 that included an MIAA championship mark of
9-3. Despite extending its MIAA championship streak, the 2001-2002 season
was bittersweet for Calvin as the Knights missed the NCAA Tournament after
a disappointing 70-63 loss to rival Hope in the MIAA Tournament Championship
game where the Knights built a 17-point first half lead but faltered down
the stretch, scoring only 25 points in the second half.
The game provided a telling trait of Calvin's season as the Knights were often able to build a lead but then wore down in the latter stages of a game. Combined, Calvin was outscored in its seven defeats 86-53 over the final five minutes of regulation or subsequent overtime.
With four starters and 13 letterwinners returning, Calvin will be looking for stronger finishes this year. Calvin's returning cast of players have all spent significant time in the weight room and a strong recruiting class should deepen the playing rotation and increase the team's endurance.
An important ingredient to Calvin's hopes is 6-6 senior All-American forward Jeremy Veenstra. A two-time MIAA MVP, Veenstra is looking to cap his collegiate career with a flourish. The Kalamazoo native will head into his final season just shy of 1,500 points in his career, already ranking sixth on the all-time Calvin scoring list. A year ago, Veenstra was forced to play the center position after starting at power forward his first two campaigns. With the emergence of some younger talent, Veenstra may move back to his old spot this year.
A candidate to move into the post position is 6-8, 225 pound junior center Ryan Smalligan of East Grand Rapids. As a sophomore, Smalligan appeared in 19 games and started in one, averaging 1.8 points and 2.6 rebounds a game. Smalligan has put together a strong offseason, packing on 15 pounds in the weight room while also spending plenty of time working on his game. Senior Tony Westhouse (Dorr, Mich./South Christian High School) has also worked hard over the summer. A 6-6, 225 pound center, Westhouse could provide a much-needed defensive and offensive boost to the Calvin rotation after averaging 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds a game in 21 appearances last year.
Other returning starters include senior forward Rob Dykstra (Byron Center/Tri-unity Christian High School), junior wing Chris Prins (Escondido, Calif./Escondido Calvin Christian High School) and junior shooting guard Kevin Broene (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian High School). A 6-4, 230 pound forward, Dykstra displayed the ability to play both inside and outside as he popped in 21 three-point field goals while averaging 6.9 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. The burly senior will serve as a tri-captain along with Veenstra and 6-4, 215 pound senior forward Nick Ploegstra (Cleveland/Lutheran North).
Depth could also be
a strength as junior guard/wings Rob Holleman (Chandler,
Minn./Southwest Minnesota Christian HS) and Phil Visser (Jenison, Mich./Unity
Christian HS) are back after seeing plenty of court-time the year before.
In 25 games, the 6-4 Visser averaged 6.4 points a game which included
32 three-point field goals. A high point of the season for Visser came
in a 91-60 win at Olivet
on Jan. 26 as he poured in a career-high 21 points. Holleman averaged
5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game in his second varsity campaign last
year which saw him appear in all 27 games and start in five. A strong
freshman class will also bolster the bench. Freshmen to watch include
6-0 point guard Jeremy Burgin (Chisago Lakes, Minn./Chisago Lakes HS),
6-5 power forward Joel Hoekstra (Hudsonville/Unity Christian HS) and 6-4
wing Andy Draayer (Denver/Denver Christian HS).
Otterbein
Fresh off a 30-3 and national championship season, head coach Dick Reynolds
shrugs off talk of repeat.
"We are not even thinking about that," said Reynolds, 2002 NABC and OAC Coach of the Year, who is entering his 31st season. "The only thing we are thinking about — because of our youth and inexperience — is becoming competitive. We just hope to be competitive in the conference."
Although Otterbein returns nine lettermen, almost half of the squad's firepower is missing due to the loss of Jeff Gibbs, Kevin Shay and Robert Mock. Gibbs, 2002 NABC and OAC Player of the Year, and Shay, second team All-OAC, together accounted for 41 points, 20 rebounds, and eight assists a game. As a team, Otterbein averaged 85 points, 42 rebounds and 18 assists.
Topping the list of returnees are starters Tony Borghese (12.1 ppg, 3.6 apg), a sophomore point guard, and Scott Hadley (8.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg), a sophomore forward/center; and sixth-man Mo Ross (10.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), a junior forward. All three can shoot the three, accounting for 119 of the 198 3s Otterbein made last season.
Rounding out the list
of top returnees are second-year lettermen Phil Susi, a junior center,
and Kyle Walton, a junior guard; and first-year lettermen Matt Carpenter,
a junior center, Joey Starling, a sophomore guard, Micheaux Robinson,
a sophomore guard, and Neal Hohman, a sophomore forward.
The Cardinals could receive a boost from the return of juniors Aaron Minister
and Bruce Miles, who did not play for the Cardinals last season. Minister,
a forward, and Miles, a guard, both lettered for Otterbein as freshmen
during the 2000-01 season.
Wooster
Wooster enters
the 2002-03 season with added motivation, as the historic program failed
to win an NCAC regular season or tournament championship last winter for
the first time since 1995-96.
The third all-time winningest program in Division III also comes into the new campaign with a new look. The Scots, who still amassed their sixth consecutive 20-win season in 2001-02 lost four lettermen off their roster, most notably Antwyan Reynolds, who finished his career with 1,260 points and as the school's career leader in steals (259) and tied for the all-time lead in assists (444).
However, a strong nucleus returns led by All-American candidate Bryan Nelson at forward. If the two-time first-team All-NCAC honoree stays healthy, he will finish among the top scorers and rebounders in league history, as he has totaled 1,312 points and 693 caroms through three years.
The key to Wooster's success, though, may be how far along Nelson's fellow post players have developed. Blake Mealer and Matt Schlingman, both sophomores, combined to average 11.1 points and 6.3 rebounds during significant action last season.
Despite Reynolds' absence, the Scots' strength still lies in its perimeter players, highlighted by returning starters Rodney Mitchell and Matt Smith, an All-NCAC honorable mention selection, as well as Andrew Lilienthal, Ryan Snyder, and some underclassmen. Smith, a three-point specialist, returns after averaging 9.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 2001-02, while Mitchell, a lightning-quick guard, was the fourth-leading scorer as a sophomore at 8.6 points.
That highlights the group that looks to turnaround the fortunes of last season, when the Scots went 21-7 but lost three heartbreakers to Wittenberg, which cost them a conference title and stopped their NCAA Tournament streak at seven years.
Ohio
Wesleyan
With returning
veterans at every position, Ohio Wesleyan head coach Mike DeWitt will
seek to blend that experience with a talented incoming class and help
continue the Battling Bishops’ rise into the upper echelon of the
North Coast Athletic Conference standings.
Junior center Travis Schwab leads the returnees. A two-time first-team All-NCAC pick, Schwab ranked sixth in the conference in scoring (16.9 points/game), sixth in rebounding (6.8/game), third in field goal percentage (.561) and seventh in blocked shots (0.7/game) last year.
Junior Charlie Smith again will see time at both center and forward positions, while sophomore Brandon Reid and freshman Julian Boyd will give Ohio Wesleyan different looks in the middle.
Sophomore Brandon Cole, named the NCAC Newcomer of the Year last year after ranking second in the conference in rebounding (8.9/game), gives the Bishops flexibility in the lineup. While he usually will play the forward position, he has improved his shooting range enough so that he also could play one of the guard spots if needed. Freshman Cris Watson will provide additional depth at the forward spot.
Senior Jason Dopoulos and junior Jeff Huber return at the guard positions. Dopoulos will look to return to the form of the 2000-01 season, when he led the league and ranked seventh in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (3.35). Huber, a midseason transfer last year, worked his way into the rotation and became a steady performer. Sophomore Tyler Reed also returns.
Sophomore Bryan King and freshmen Mark Delaney, Nicholas Levine and Andy Warnock will be counted on to contribute. Freshmen Chris Hill and Raymond Strain also will battle for playing time.
Senior Kyle Comstock, who has provided instant offense off the bench during most of his 3 seasons at Ohio Wesleyan, and freshman Ross Rybarczyk, an honorable mention All-Ohio selection last year, will duel for the point guard position. Freshman Kalen Recob also will be in the mix.
Ohio Wesleyan’s schedule includes a season-opening trip to the Adrian Invitational tournament. Traditional non-conference dates with nearby rivals Ohio Dominican and Capital highlight the remainder of the non-conference schedule before Ohio Wesleyan closes out 2002 with a game at Division I Eastern Kentucky and appearances at the Illinois College and Randolph-Macon tournaments. The always-competitive NCAC schedule gets into full swing in January.
Kalamazoo
The Kalamazoo
program begins a new era as Rob Passage enters his first season as head
coach of the Hornets. Passage, a 1993 Kalamazoo graduate, played basketball
for the Hornets for four years and then served as an assistant coach for
six years. He returns to Kalamazoo as head coach following a two-year
stint as the top assistant at Chicago.
The Hornets return four starters and seven seniors from a team that finished 17-10 overall and tied for second place in the MIAA with an 8-4 record.
Leading the senior class are returning starters Dirk Rhinehart, Scott Montmorency, and Kevin Baird.
Dirk Rhinehart, a two-time All-MIAA first-team selection, led the Hornets with 15.4 points per game last season. He shot 42.5% (62-for-146) from 3-point range last season and broke the school record for 3-pointers in a career. Rhinehart also led the team in free-throw shooting (87.7%) and assists (2.9 apg).
Montmorency, a second-team All-MIAA selection last season, averaged 11.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7% from the field.
Baird averaged 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while leading the team with 23 blocked shots. Four other seniors, Nathan Burns, Mike King, Shawn Kidd, and Garrett Weatherhead also contributed off the bench.
Burns averaged 8.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game as the first player off the bench. Burns was second on the team in assists (2.5 apg) and steals (1.1 spg). King saw action in all 27 games and averaged 3.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Weatherhead and Kidd each saw time at point guard.
The Hornets' two returning
juniors are Jevon Caldwell-Gross and Chris Elliott. Caldwell-Gross
made the transition to point guard from shooting guard
last season and started all 27 games. Caldwell-Gross averaged 5.5 points
and 1.5 assists per game while leading the team in steals (1.1 spg).
Elliott saw extensive action at center and averaged 4.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
Top returning sophomores include Tony Wichmann, Erik Rhinehart, and Ryan Konwinski.
Wichmann saw action in all 27 games and averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. He was second on the team in blocked shots with 17.
Erik Rhinehart played in 26 games and averaged 7.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. E. Rhinehart shot 50.7% (37-for-73) from 3-point range.
Ryan Konwinski saw action in nine games and averaged 1.4 points per game.
The Hornets' open their season at Lake Forest on Nov. 23. The home opener is Nov. 26 against Madonna. The Hornets travel to tournaments at Wabash and Wooster prior to the start of conference play in January.
Washington
& Jefferson
Washington
& Jefferson, which has had only one winning season in past eight
years, looks to inject a new attitude and enthusiasm into the program
for
the 2002-2003 season as Karel Jelinek becomes the eighth head coach in
the
college's history.
Jelinek comes to W&J from Thiel where he led the Tomcats to the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship in his first season four years ago.
"I am extremely excited to be at Washington & Jefferson," said Jelinek. "I think the potential of the program is excellent. Our goal is to eventually bring the Presidents back to being competitive at the national level."
Jelinek inherits three starters from last season's 6-19 squad, including senior guard Nolan Larry, who can become the all-time leading scorer in W&J history with 343 points.
Larry has poured in 1,209 points in his career, including a school-record 576-point performance last year. He averaged 23.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game last season.
His 23.0 points per game average tied him for 16th in Division III in scoring. A First Team All-PAC, Second Team All-Great Lakes Region and Verizon/CoSIDA District II Academic All-American honoree, Larry will be counted on as the team's leader on and off the court.
"I am looking forward to having a player like Nolan Larry in our system," added Jelinek, a 1990 graduate of Hamilton. "Everyone is expecting great things from him and he will most likely become the leading scorer in school history. However, he would tell you that his first goal is to accomplish what we have set out to do as a team."
Accompanying Larry in the backcourt is another returning starter in senior point guard Mike Drevitch. Drevitch played in all 25 games a year ago, starting 17. He averaged 4.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals, while shooting over 33% from 3-point range (24-for-72).
'Both Mike and Nolan have provided good leadership in the preseason," noted the head coach. "Drevitch brings toughness and determination to our lineup and plays solid defense. Mentally, he will help us to play at a certain level on a consistent basis."
Sophomore Joseph Dewhart and freshman Billy Zopf will add depth to the point guard position. Dewhart participated in 15 contests last season, while Zopf, a three-year letterwinner at Pine-Richland, brings talented blood lines to the college as his father, Bill, played collegiately for Duquesne and in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks. Sophomore Aaron Olshan (3.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg) also showed flashes off the bench last season and will get an increased opportunity to add a scoring punch to the lineup.
Sophomores Jesse Mullen and Scott Weiner and freshman Dave Cook, who is coming off of knee surgery, will also add depth to the Presidents' backcourt.
"Both Joseph and Billy have showed they are capable point guards who have a good understanding of what we are trying to do," said Jelinek. "Aaron provides a scoring threat and may be able to take some pressure off of Nolan to put points on the board."
Jelinek will look to a host of players to help fill out the small and power forward positions. Sophomores Steve Button, Chris Houser, Marcellino Manilla and Michael Chicone all will battle for two open starting spots during the preseason. Button is a transfer from Walsh, while Houser showed flashes of brilliance last year after playing in 20 contests, including an eight-point performance late in the second half in the PAC Tournament at Waynesburg. Manilla, who played football at W&J last season, and Chicone are versatile wingmen who Jelinek believes can help out early on.
"Steve brings a great work ethic and an inside scoring presence to our lineup," added Jelinek. "Chris is going to have to step up and have a big year for us, while Manilla and Chicone play good defense and are arguably our two best athletes."
Junior Armand Buzzelli and sophomore Ian Zampatti are also two forwards who run the floor well and will be asked to come off the bench to provide help. Junior 6-foot-10 center Tony Franz returns after finishing third on the team in scoring a year ago with 11.6 points. He was also the team's leading rebounder at 7.1 board per game. Jelinek believes that used in the proper situations, Franz can be a dominate force in the PAC.
"We are going to use Tony in short spurts where he can be most effective," said Jelinek. "We are hoping that by using Tony in this way, he can hopefully take over a game."
For the second consecutive season, the conference is expected to be very competitive and well-balanced. With the addition of Westminster to the conference standings this season, every game will be a test for the Presidents.
"There is not a huge difference between the best and worst teams in the conference," added Jelinek. "Westminster is eligible for the conference championship and I am sure they will bring a different approach than they did for the past three seasons, which makes the competition even tougher."
The addition of Jelinek, along with assistant coach Al Seretti to the coaching staff is the first step in bringing W&J basketball back to the level of play it saw when the Presidents advanced to the Division III Elite Eight in the 1993-1994 season. The next hurdle is getting the job done on the hardwood.
"We want Washington & Jefferson to be the place where outstanding players from western Pennsylvania and surrounding areas get a great education and have a chance to play a high level of Division III basketball," concluded Jelinek. "We then want to make W&J the place where players come to participate in the NCAA Tournament every year."
Thiel
Thiel returns four starters and eight letter winners from last years squad
that finished 11-15 overall and second (5-3) in Presidents' Athletic Conference
regular-season play.
Mike Snell, in his first year with the Tomcats, becomes the school's 23rd head coach in the program's 86-year existence. Snell comes to Thiel from Division II West Liberty State, where he served as an assistant since 1998.
Senior forward A.H. Davis leads the returnees. Davis, an All-PAC First Team selection last season, needs 457 points to become the college's all-time leading scorer (1607, Vic Harp, 81-85). Davis finished fourth in the PAC last season in scoring (17.1 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (6.4 rpg). Davis also proved to be one of the conferences most durable players, starting all of the Tomcats' 26 games.
"One of the first things I noticed about A.H. is he is every bit a quality person as he is a quality player. I have been thoroughly impressed with his leadership role on the team so far this preseason," said Snell.
Senior Eddie Mathews and junior Mike Banach also return as starters in the front court. Mathews started 25 games for the Tomcats and averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds. Banach started 20 games last season and averaged 7.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. He finished the season tied for sixth in the PAC in steals, averaging 1.33 per game.
"Eddie and Mike
are the type of players that might not show big stats in the newspapers,
but will do the little things and do what is necessary to win basketball
games. They are both hard-nosed and gutsy players and we are going to
need them to play bigger than they are," said Snell.
Junior point guard Justin Townsend returns as the lone starter in the
Tomcat backcourt. Townsend averaged 4.7 points and 3.7 assists last year.
Townsend will be joined by senior guard Shane Manley, who saw action in
24 games last season. Manley averaged 7.2 points and 2.5 rebounds a year
ago, and finished third in the PAC with a 41.6 3-point field goal percentage.
"These guys (Justin and Shane) are going be on the court as long as we can keep them out there. One place we are lacking experience in is the guard spots. Justin has tremendous court savvy and great vision, but he is going to have to become more comfortable as an offensive threat this season. Shane is one of the hardest workers on the squad and puts in a great deal of his own time to get better. Both of them are sound defensive players and will give all they have defensively," said Snell.
Three other returning letter winners will look to provide Snell with vital minutes. Junior forwards D.J. Gambridge (26 games, 5.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and Dennis Bott (24 games, 2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) will be counted on to contribute early on.
"Dennis and D.J. provide great depth for our interior game. We are fully confident of their abilities to step in and do the job when called upon to do so," said Snell.
Sophomore point guard Daryl Moore will join the team after a great season as the starting quarterback for the Tomcat football team.
Some freshmen looking to provide depth to the Tomcat bench are forward Matt Dracup (Meadville, Pa./Meadville Area), forward Damien Williams (East Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), forward Stephen Laird (Galion, Ohio/Galion) and guard Chris Sheehan (Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River).
When asked about what are some expectations for this year's team, Snell said, "fans are going to see an exciting and up-tempo style of play this season. This team is going to play hard, do their best and leave it out on the floor. They are focused on what needs to be done and where improvements need to be made."
Pitt-Greensburg
"New" is the key word for the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg's
men's basketball team this season. Following an 8-18 season a year ago,
the Bobcats are looking for significant improvement under first-year head
coach Marcus Kahn.
"This year we are striving for a new level of intensity, commitment, and style. This season is the start of a whole new attitude for the UPG program," Kahn says.
Returning this season to help the turnaround process is sophomore wing Ryan Moye (Washington, Pa./Washington). Moye led the Bobcats in scoring a year ago (12.8 ppg) and was named AMCC 'Newcomer of the Year'. Moye will be helped by the return of starters Scott Winfrey (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown HS), Phil Grenda (Southwest, Pa./Mt. Pleasant HS), and Kevin Conlon (Altoona, Pa./Bellwood-Antis HS). Winfrey, a junior guard, is a two-year starter for the Bobcats. He averaged 6.5 points per game last season, while leading the team in minutes played with 667. Grenda is a sophomore forward who played significant minutes in the paint for the Bobcats last season. He is a versatile player and can play many different positions. Last season, Grenda averaged 11.1 points per game while leading the team in rebounding with 4.8 rebounds per game.
Rounding out the returning starters is sophomore guard Kevin Conlon. Conlon averaged 9.7 points per game last season and led the team in three-point percentage (50%) and free-throw percentage (81%).
"We are expecting big things out of our four returning starters. They will not only be looked upon to make significant contributions on the court, but will be expected to provide solid leadership as well," Kahn added.
The Bobcats are not without other key returnees. Sophomore forward Nate Watkins (Pittsburgh/Schenley HS) led the Bobcats in steals a year ago with a school record 56. Also returning is guard John Pulley (Hanover, Pa./Southwestern HS), who averaged 5.4 points per game, and lone senior Adam Bowser (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland HS) who had 35 rebounds.
UPG will also welcome the addition of a few outstanding players. Among these is Thiel College transfer, junior Isaiah Blanciak. Blanciak is an extremely versatile player who can play guard, wing, or forward for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats will also look for big things from freshman guard David Winfrey (Uniontown, Pa./Uniontown HS) and two freshman centers, Clint Mullen (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe HS) and Jarrell Adams (Washington, D.C./Bishop McNamara HS).
"We have a lot of returning talent, but with the addition of several newcomers, the fight for playing time should be very competitive and fun. We should be a deeper team this season," Kahn says.
Fitting right into the theme of a "new program" is the promotion of UPG to a full member of the NCAA Division III. Following four seasons as a provisional member of Division III, the Bobcats are now eligible for the NCAA tournament.
"This comes at the perfect time for our program," Kahn says. "As we begin a new era of Bobcat basketball, we will be able to create additional goals for our program."
The Bobcats, who open
at Mt. Aloysius on Nov. 23, will take on NCAA Tournament participants
in Bethany and conference rival Pitt-Bradford.
"The schedule is difficult, but we look forward to the challenge,"
Kahn explained.
Defiance
Two all-conference selections and 11 letter winners return for head coach
Tom Palombo as Defiance looks to challenge for the Heartland Conference
title for a third consecutive year.
After claiming both regular season and tournament championships in 2000-01 and finishing second in both categories last season, the Yellow Jackets figure to be contenders once again with the return of senior Mike Kurdziel (Toledo/Whitmer) and sophomore Jeremy Miklovic (North Baltimore, Ohio/North Baltimore).
After playing in just 14 games and totaling 41 points in his first two seasons at Defiance, Kurdziel exploded onto the scene last season, averaging 14.5 points and 3.9 assists per game. He connected on 46.2% (54-for-117) of his 3-point attempts and 81.9% (68-for-83) of his free throws, finishing first for DC in both categories. His proficiency from long range ranked among the top-20 in Division III.
In addition to being DC's top passer and outside threat, Kurdziel hit 52.8% of his overall field goal attempts, a mark that was third on the team. As a junior he scored in double digits 22 times and had Defiance's lone points-assists double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 assists in a key win over Franklin, 105-93, on January 19.
Kurdziel delivered big performances in other key games as well, including 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists as DC knocked off Bluffton in the quarterfinals of the HCAC Tournament. With the loss of All-HCAC selections Eric Viney and Marcus Alexander, Coach Palombo knows having Kurdziel on the court will be important to the Jackets' success.
"He (Kurdziel) can do a lot of things for us offensively and defensively. He's a really good defender. He's not just a one-dimensional player. He's a good shooter, a good scorer. I think he's got a lot of potential. He pretty much came out of no where last year and had a great year. Teams are going to know about him and try to shut him down, so he's going to have to realize that and make a few adjustments in his game."
Teams in the Heartland should remember Kurdziel's play from 2001-02, when he was one of three finalists for HCAC Most Valuable Player. In conference play he was among the leaders in scoring (3rd/16.1 ppg), field goal percentage (10th/51.9%), assists (1st/4.50 apg), free throw percentage (1st/87.2%), steals (11th/1.29 spg), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1st/2.10).
Kurdziel's impact in the conference was bolstered by the presence of Miklovic, a 6'9" center who was named Freshman of the Year. Miklovic led the team in field goal percentage at 59.5% and blocks with 24. He contributed 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game overall, numbers that were comparable in conference play.
Miklovic's true impact was felt at the end of the year, when he scored a season high 26 points in DC's loss to Franklin in the conference tournament championship game. Miklovic finished the stretch run with five games of 21 points or more in DC's last six outings, all games against conference opponents.
Miklovic's ability to contribute immediately was complimented by the presence of veterans Viney (15.7 ppg/5.1 rpg), Alexander (11.1 ppg/7.0 rpg), and Brian Brenner (7.9 ppg/53.6 fg%) in the post. In order to continue his success, the sophomore will look to a different cast of players.
"I think we've brought some young guys in that can play around Jeremy. He's going to have to work on his game to continually improve, but he's a good guy to build around," stated Palombo. "We've got some freshmen in Matt Laudick (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Phil Blasko (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka) that can come in and play the post. Of course, from last year's team we've got Matt Voland (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North) and Brett Hammons (Convoy, Ohio/Crestview), so we've got some players that have played a little that will just have to assume a little bit bigger of a role than they have in the past."
With the 6-3 Voland and 6-4 Hammons being sophomores, Palombo will look to two other returnees to provide experience in the post. Chris Fidler (Pioneer, Ohio/North Central), a 6'4" senior, and Shaun Koren (Lowell, Ind./Lowell), a 6'8" senior, contributed key minutes for the Yellow Jackets last season.
Fidler was a starter early in the year, averaging 13.6 points per game through seven games, but was hampered by injury for the remainder of the season, finishing with averages of 8.7 points and 2.6 rebounds. After off-season surgery, the senior is positioned to resume his starting role for the Jackets.
Koren saw action in 21 games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds while adding 11 blocks. All six big men figure to make key contributions as individual performers and in support of Miklovic, whose was the among the best DC freshmen ever for field goals made (141/7th), field goal percentage (59.5%/2nd), total points (336/10th), points per game (12.4/12th), total rebounds (139/11th), rebounds per game (5.1/14th), and blocks (24/2nd).
To be successful in the post, DC will also turn to Kurdziel and his backcourt mates to continue their strong play. Primary among those looking make an impact from the wing will be junior Juan Vela (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont Ross), who averaged 4.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Joining Vela will be another Ross High School graduate, sophomore T.J. Hammer, and senior Jake Osborne (Portage, Ohio/Elmwood), both of whom saw action in 19 games or more last year.
The Jackets will be keyed at the point by sophomore Kevin Stuckmeyer (Plymouth, Ind.Plymouth), who started 20 games and contributed 84 assists. Junior Jason Smolenski (ToledoSt. Francis), who started eight games, returns as a primary ball handler as well.
DC welcomes a total of 26 players and 12 newcomers, including junior transfers Ernesto Starling (South Bend, Ind./Riley) from Ancilla Community College in Indiana and Jonathon Armstead (Toledo/Rogers) from the University of Cincinnati. Other freshmen looking to make an immediate impact will include Curt Croy (Ottawa, OH/Ottawa-Glandorf) at the point and Kirk Lichtensteiger (Convoy, OH/Crestview) on the wing.
Defiance will open its season with the 28th Annual Purple and Gold Financial Tip-off Tournament on November 22-23, hosting non-Division III schools Marygrove, Bethel (Ind.), and Mount Vernon Nazarene. The Jackets will have big non-conference road trips to Calvin on December 31 and to LaGrange for a tournament Jan. 3-4.
Heartland Conference play will involve 14 games and begins with the fourth game of the season, when Defiance travels to Anderson on Dec. 4. Palombo sees the Ravens as being a tough test and one of the conference favorites.
"Manchester would be a favorite with the guys that they have coming back and some of the players they brought in. Anderson will be right up there with a lot of guys coming back from last year's team. Hanover lost a lot but they played eight, nine, 10 guys (in every game). Franklin is the defending conference (tournament) champions. Until you knock them off, Franklin and Hanover are the teams to beat. Our conference is going to be really competitive from top to bottom. I think it is going to be a year like two years ago where the separation from top to bottom is basically two games."
Palombo knows that beating the conference's best and winning another championship will not be easy.
"It takes a combination of playing the best at the end of the year and having experienced guards and post players. The whole season basically boils down to the conference tournament. (Last season) nobody wanted to play Franklin or us down the stretch. We were both coming together and playing really well. I think the best two teams were playing in the confererence tournament final — us and Franklin."
If the Jackets hit their stride at the right time, they will be shooting for their third trip to the NCAA tournament under Palombo and the 34th postseason berth in school history. Palombo enters his sixth campaign with a mark of 83-53 and has had a winning record in each of his 12 seasons of collegiate coaching.
Wittenberg
The Wittenberg Tigers, the winningest men's basketball program in NCAA
Division III history, have plenty of question marks in 2002-03, but a
deep roster of talented returning players and another outstanding recruiting
class promise to provide plenty of positive answers.
Coming off back-to-back North Coast Athletic Conference regular season championships and appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament, Wittenberg returns just two starters and six letterwinners. The Tigers have posted a combined record of 50-10 in the last two seasons, including a sparkling 30-2 mark in NCAC regular season action. A year ago, Wittenberg capped the regular season with a heart-stopping NCAC tournament championship victory against Wooster.
But that was then, this is now, and the 2002-03 season could provide even more highlights. Wittenberg's two returning starters are first-team All-NCAC choice B.J. Harris (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins), a 6-7 post player with a soft touch, and two-time second-team All-NCAC selection Kevin Longley (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler), also a 6-7 post player whose rebounding prowess and power moves offer the perfect compliment. Harris led the Tigers in scoring (12.6 points per game) and rebounding (9.2 boards per outing), while Longley was second in both categories at 9.7 and 8.8 respectively.
Harris and Longley will be joined by a supporting cast that both talented and experienced. Sophomore point guard Danny Brywczynski (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) takes over the starting role after coming off the bench in every game last year and finishing with an outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.4. Junior guard Rod Emmons (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) was the team's top 3-point shooter in 2001-02 with 60 triples and a shooting percentage of .422 from beyond the arc. Sophomore wing Andy Bucheit (Cincinnati/LaSalle) played in all 30 games a year ago and contributed 6.8 points per game, and junior wing Peter Walker (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) was a force off the bench a year ago and ranked fourth on the team in scoring and third in rebounding.
Wittenberg heads into the 2002-03 season with a target on its back and a challenging schedule to provide plenty of opportunities for the marksmen. Among the non-conference foes are perennial national title contender Ohio Northern, defending national champion Otterbein, both on the road, and possible matchups against NAIA power Ohio Dominican in the Kiwanis-Wittenberg Tip-Off Classic and against 2002 NCAA tournament participant Franklin at that team's tournament.
Bluffton
Bluffton head coach Guy Neal has the biggest team in program history —
in more ways than one — and that size is what could take BC back
to contention in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
A total of 26 players are in the program preparing for the upcoming 2002-03
season, which stands as the most players that have ever suited up for
a Beaver basketball squad. And 10 of those players measure up at 6-feet-3
inches or taller, also the most in school history. Specifically, five
players are 6-4, one is 6-5, two are 6-6 and one is 6-7.
"It's the largest group we've had in terms
of numbers, and it can be attributed to an unbelievable effort in recruiting
last year," said Neal, who returns for his 13th season with
125 wins under his belt. "We hope that the numbers will provide
us with more depth not only for this year, but for the next couple of
years."
Six letterwinners are back from last season's squad, including
co-captains Marcus Bixler and Mike Leimeister.
"Both Marcus and Mike have matured as leaders and players in our
program over the last three years," commented Neal. "The success
of our team is truly important to them and they want to win a championship
before they graduate. They have worked extremely hard over the offseason
and they are doing a great job as captains."
Graduation took two players from the program following last season as
wing Rod Overmyer and guard Kevin Grey will be missed this season. Both
started all 26 games last season and turned what could have been a rebuilding
season into a campaign highlighted by big wins. Grey co-captained last
season's squad along with Bixler, while Overmyer, who led the
league in scoring at 19.4 points per game, was a two-time All-HCAC selection
and is playing this winter in France.
Prior to last season, Bluffton fans realized that with the loss of all
five starters from the 2000-01 team, a repeat of that season's
16-9 overall record and 6-6 mark in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic
Conference might not be in the cards for two years in a row.
Neal agreed, but said Bluffton really wasn't too far away from
having a fine season.
"When last season ended, which was a rebuilding season in many
ways, we felt that we might not be that far from where we were in 2001,"
analyzed Neal, who said a five-win season wouldn't have been
too surprising last year. But BC ended the season with 10 wins and showed
rapid improvement during the season as Bluffton finished 10-16 overall
and 3-11 in the HCAC.
And to continue that improvement, Neal has identified a few starting points.
"We simply have to do the little things better game in and game
out," he said. "Specifically, we need to defend better
than we did last year while trying to stay as good offensively as we were
down the stretch. If we can establish more depth, that will help as well."
Not only did Bluffton have the HCAC scoring champion last year in Overmyer,
but also the number two man on that list as Leimeister ranked second in
the conference with 17.3 points per game and was also named All-HCAC.
He ranked fifth in the HCAC in rebounding (6.3 rpg), third in field goal
percentage (.579) and ninth in free throw percentage (.807). A two-time
HCAC player-of-the-week selection, he scored 30 or more points six times
last year and his 14-for-15 shooting performance against Defiance on Feb.
13 set a BC single-game record.
Bixler returns to run Coach Neal's offense after an outstanding
season as Bluffton's point guard. He led the HCAC in assists
with 125, which ranks as the sixth-best single-season total in BC history
and he set a single-game record with 13 assists against Concordia on Nov.
17. His 5.7 points per game ranked fifth on the team and he led the squad
in steals with 47, which tied the eighth-best single-season total in BC
history.
Guard Derek DeNero completes the senior trio and is also one of the top
returning scoring and rebounding threats in the HCAC. He averaged 14.5
points per game last season, which ranked eighth in the league and his
6.7 rebound per game ranked third. He ranked eighth in the HCAC in steals
with 39, ranked seventh in free throw percentage at .817 and earned the
HCAC player-of-the-week honor once.
Those three players, along with last year's seniors Overmyer
and Grey, comprised Neal's starting lineup in all 26 games last
year as Bluffton ranked among the best shooting teams in the HCAC. The
Beavers led the league in free throw percentage (.766) and ranked third
in both total field goal shooting percentage (.461) and 3-point shooting
percentage (.373).
In addition, four other players return after their first season with the
varsity last year, including juniors Brad Boyles and Ryan White and sophomores
Bryce Beilharz and Ken Vana. Of those four players, Boyles, who saw action
in every game last season, played the most minutes (17.8 mpg) and ranked
sixth on the squad in scoring (5.3 ppg). He shot an impressive 58.1% from
the field and 84.2% from the free throw line. Beilharz (1.5 ppg) also
played in all 26 games, while White (0.8 ppg) played in 20 games and Vana
(0.5 ppg) played in 10 games. Sophomore David Schwartz will miss this
season with a leg injury.
Among the first year players are junior Neal Finch (6-4) and sophomore
Nathan Chivington (6-2, Fletcher) to go along with 16 freshmen who bring
most of the aforementioned height. Michael Klotz (6-7, Wakarusa, Ind./Northwood),
Todd Brzozowski (6-6, Jackson, Mich./Jackson H.S.) and Eric Sweet (6-6,
Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf H.S.) top that group, followed by Scott Bergman
(6-2, Elmore/Woodmore H.S.), Shaun Boening (6-1, Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa
Valley H.S.), Darren Clark (6-1, Plain City/Jonathan Alder H.S.), Paul
Driskell (6-4), Joe Duzan (5-10, Dublin/Scioto H.S.), Paul Jackson (6-3,
St. Paris/Graham H.S.), Brett Mitchell (5-11, Avon Lake H.S.), Zach Nussbaum
(6-0, Berne, Ind./South Adams H.S.), Don Schmidt (6-2, Greenville, Pa./Reynolds
H.S.), Simeon Talley (6-0, Columbus/Centennial H.S.), James Washington
(6-0, Indianapolis, Ind./Arsenal Technical H.S.), Nick Winslow and Bryan
Yelley (6-4, Wheelersburg).
"The HCAC will be as strong and balanced as ever," said Coach
Neal. "As we have been saying for four years, this is a great Division
III league. Defiance will be strong and I expect Manchester and Hanover
to be picked high. Anderson has some really talented players back along
with Franklin, and Mt. St. Joseph and Transylvania will be very good,
as well. There are no weak or down programs in the HCAC."
Bluffton will tip off its season Nov. 22 at the North Central tournament
in Naperville, Ill.
More Previews
2001-02
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