2011-12 Johnson State Men's Basketball Preview

JOHNSON, Vt. - The Johnson State men's basketball team will look to improve on a 8-17, 4-10 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) 2010-11 season behind seventh-year Head Coach Michael Osborne.  The Badgers fell short of the NAC playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

Eleven players return from the 2010-11 squad led by captains Alen Turan (Essex, Vt./Essex) and Andy Bousono (Philadelphia, Penn./Nueva Esperanza).  Turan, a senior combo forward with good athleticism and all-around basketball skills, averaged 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds a contest and had a strong finish to his 2010-11 campaign.  Bousono, a lightening quick point guard, scored 6.9 points per contest while leading the team in assists (79) and steals (47).

Also back as the leading returning scorer is sophomore center Billy Boyd (Hardwick, Vt./Hazen) who once recovering from injury finished with averages of 7.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.  Other experienced returners include senior forward Brian Phelps (Milton, Vt./Milton) (4.8 ppg), junior Cody Camisa (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) (4.4 ppg), and sophomores Scott Moran (Orange, Conn./Amity) (4.4 ppg), and Bryan Hickey (Barre, Vt./Spaulding) (3.4 ppg).

"We really felt that over the last 10 games of last season, once we got healthy and were together, we were solid, albeit young, group," said Coach Osborne.  "With a number of guys slated to return, and all 11 have, we needed a tremendous off-season and pre-season and feel as though we are ready to be very competitive all season.  If we can be the hardest working team on the floor every night out I feel good about how things will shake out for us."

Johnson will open their season at season at in-state rival Vermont Technical College on Wednesday, November 16 at 8:00 pm.  The Badgers non-conference schedule will also consist of a fall semester tournament at Wesleyan University at which they open with Curry College with Bard College as the tournaments fourth participant.  Other NCAA Division III contests include a tilt a home against nationally ranked Middlebury College and road matchup at Plymouth State University.  The schedule also includes games with USCAA teams SUNY Canton and College of St. Joseph (Vt.).