Capital 2011-12 men's basketball preview

Personnel may change, but one goal remains the same year after year for the Capital University men's basketball team, which has become one of the most successful programs in the Ohio Athletic Conference with four conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances since 2002.

Plain and simple, the expectation for the Crusaders and head coach Damon Goodwin, who enters his 18th season at the helm, is to compete for the OAC championship.

"Our ultimate goal every year is to win the OAC championship … that really hasn't changed," Goodwin said. "Obviously it doesn't happen every year, but the expectation for our program has become that. In the past 10 years, there's only been one year where that really hasn't happened."

Despite the loss of first-team all-conference selection Scott Robertson and two-time All-OAC and former all-region pick DJ Frazier, Capital returns a trio of starters and several other contributing players from a team that finished 18-9 and tied for second in the league with a 12-6 mark. The 2010-11 Crusaders swept league champion and NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Marietta and made the program's fifth straight appearance in the OAC Tournament semifinals.

Goodwin expects the team's two seniors, Tyler Munro and Kelly Winter, to take on primary leadership roles both on and off the court.

"Kelly Winter and Tyler Munro have been more talkative than they have in the past," Goodwin said. "They've been more vocal in practice, and they continue to improve on those things. Again, they have the most experience on the team."

Capital, which was selected to finish fourth in the OAC Preseason Coaches Poll, will look to pressure the basketball defensively to create high-percentage chances offensively. After losing its starting frontcourt players from a year ago, Goodwin believes the team can push the tempo and force opponents to play a full-court game with its strong, deep backcourt.

Though the team has worked this way in the past, Goodwin said it would be a point of emphasis in 2011-12.

"I think we're going to be able to put some defensive pressure on teams," Goodwin said. "We need to get to a point where we're using our quickness and athleticism at the perimeter positions. If we can into a game where we can make other teams play that way, I think it's going to be our advantage."

The Crusaders' schedule features four contests against NCAA Tournament qualifiers from last season, including non-conference affairs at Wittenberg (Nov. 22) and, potentially, Buffalo State (Dec. 17) at a tournament in Buffalo, N.Y.

Capital opens the season this Friday, Nov. 18, against Thiel, which was picked to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). The Crusaders begin OAC play on Nov. 30 at Heidelberg.

See below for a position-by-position preview of the 2011-12 Capital men's basketball team.

Backcourt

Winter (Dublin, Ohio) and Munro (Lexington, Ohio) return as starters and compliment each other well as the two projected to flank the point guard.

Primarily a dribble penetration attacker, Winter finished among league leaders in assists (73) and free-throw percentage (.750) a year ago. He will be relied on to be leaders on offense and to make sure teammates are set up properly on each possession. Winter is also one of the team's best on-ball defenders.

Munro, meanwhile, prefers to catch and shoot. He is the team's top returning scorer, averaging 8.7 points per game, and was a 2010-11 honorable mention all-conference honoree.

"Last year they both started, and they complimented each other, and they need to continue to do that," Goodwin said. "I think they're both pretty good passers. They both do a pretty good job from an assist-to-turnover standpoint."

Goodwin also hopes the two can attack the glass on both ends of the floor, filling the void left by the departure of the team's top two rebounders last year.

Junior Michael Sommer (Celina, Ohio) also projects to see time at the wing position. Sommer, who averaged 6.1 points in 26 games last season, is a superb athlete and will be called upon to increase his scoring output.

Junior Tim Cammon (Westerville, Ohio), a transfer from Central State, is similar to Winter and is in position to serve as the senior's backup.

Junior Mitch Westerheide (Ft. Loramie, Ohio) returns as the team's most experienced player at the point. Westerheide shot 48 percent from 3-point range serving primarily as a backup last season. Freshman Adam Blake (Kingston, Ohio) will challenge Westerheide for the starting point guard spot.

Others competing for rotation spots in the backcourt include junior transfers Damon Dillard (Westerville, Ohio) and Tim Congrove (Circleville, Ohio), freshman Mike Augustine (Lexington, Ohio) and sophomore Matt Dawson (Newark, Ohio), who played in 24 contests last season.

Frontcourt

Junior Spencer Niekamp (St. Henry, Ohio) returns as the lone starter down low, and is expected to return to his starting place. As a 6-foot-6 forward, Niekamp has the unique ability to step outside and shoot, averaging 8.0 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, good for sixth in the OAC, in 2010-11.

"Spencer might be our most complete player," Goodwin said. "He understands the game, he's a good offensive player and he's become a better defensive player. He's a pretty tough kid. Spencer is a very good player, and we expect a big year from him."

Freshman Daniel Ocke (Sidney, Ohio) looks to serve as Niekamp's backup.

Three players are competing for the starting spot next to Niekamp. Sophomore Jared Cashen (Norwalk, Ohio) returns as the most experienced player in the post, shooting 56.0 percent in 27 games a year ago.

Junior Ben Jackson (Columbus, Ohio) and sophomore Ben Danhoff (Clyde, Ohio) project to push Cashen for playing time. Danhoff appeared in 10 contests last season, while Jackson returns to the mix after leaving the team as a freshman.

Others looking to contribute include sophomore Chad Johnson (Middletown, Ohio), who appeared in eight games in his rookie campaign, and freshman Andrew Bolka (Xenia, Ohio).