Lynchburg Men's Basketball Season Preview
The Lynchburg College men's basketball team comes into the 2011-2012 season with high expectations. The team finished last year with a record of 11-15 and an eighth place finish while in arguable one of the best basketball conferences in all of Division III, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). The Hornets fell to rival Washington and Lee University in a first round ODAC tournament game in Turner Gymnasium. However, with the loss of only one senior, the pieces are set for a possible post-season push in the ODAC.
The Hornets welcome back four important contributors in the frontcourt, led by senior forward Nate Campbell (Cary, NC/Cary). Campbell last year averaged 17 points per game and seven rebounds per game. Campbell, a highly skilled post, can step out and knock down the open 15-20 foot jumper. He shot better than 50 percent from the field and 89 percent from the free throw line on his way to being named First-Team All-ODAC and second-team all-state. Upfront with Campbell is junior forward Austin Chillemi (Richmond, VA/Trinity Episcopal). Chillemi appeared in 20 games, starting 19 and averaged 10.2 points and almost six rebounds per game. The coaching staff expects him to increase on both of those numbers this year.
Returning for his third year at the wing forward position is junior Brandan Connor (Chesterfield, VA/Benedictine). Connor averaged almost six points per game but his biggest impact was on the defensive end, as he led the team in steals with 55 last season. Lynchburg also returns forward Michael Wims (Standardsville, VA/ William Monroe). The junior shot 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from three-point range, hitting eight. His best game was a 17 point-six rebound night in a double-overtime thriller against Christopher Newport, which included a buzzer-beater three pointer to send it into the second-overtime.
Not to be outdone by the frontcourt, Lynchburg returns many stellar guards and boasts a few newcomers looking to make immediate impacts. Tucker Lucas (Herndon, VA/Herndon) averaged 7.4 points and 2.5 assists per game in 26 games after transferring from Division II Shepherd University. He scored a career high 18 points in a close five-point win over Averett University last season and he also shot 32 percent from three-point range. He will be looking to improve on those numbers in his senior year. Lynchburg brings back two juniors with experience in the backcourt. Michael Glover (Verona, VA/Spotswood) provides toughness on both ends of the floor for the Hornets. Glover will be counted on to knock down the open three, after shooting 34 percent last year, including five makes against Christopher Newport. Robby Kaiser (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) is seen as one of the best shooters in the league. Kaiser shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and 78.6 percent from the free throw line while averaging nearly six points a game. He chipped in a season-high 16 points in a regular season game against Washington and Lee.
The Hornets return several guards with experience and have brought in some key newcomers as well. Andrew Simmons (Chesterfield, VA/Meadowbrook) played in all 26 games as a freshman. The backup point guard averaged 5.4 points per game and totaled 50 assists. He showed flashes of his playmaking skills and he will be looking to improve on it this year. Sophomores Tyler Burnett (St. Augustine, FL/St. Joseph Academy) and Tristian Boysaw (Wytheville, VA/ George Wythe) return to the backcourt this year. They will look to provide more production for the Hornets in their second year.
The coaching staff is also expecting important contributions from transfers Xavier Parham (Richmond, VA/ Highland Springs) and Harry West Jr. (Mechanicsville, VA/Meadowbrook). Parham transferred from Christopher Newport University, where he played during the 2009-2010 season. Playing in 27 games and starting two, he scored 5.1 points per game and led the team in assists with 84. The sophomore will compete for minutes at the point guard position and apply defensive pressure on opposing teams' guards. West comes from Patrick Henry Community College to add depth in the backcourt. He averaged 6.2 points and three assists for the Patriots last season. The explosive guard will be expected to provide minutes at both guard spots and keep up the defensive pressure that Head Coach Hilliary Scott desires of his entire team.
Coach Scott and the rest of the coaching staff welcome five other newcomers to the team this year. Sophomore Manny Hernandez (Clifton Park, NY/ Shenendehowa) is an explosive scorer from the wing. At 6-3, the coaches expect him to utilize his size on both ends of the court. Sophomore forward Justin Naumann (Mechanicsville, VA/ Lee Davis) will be a physical presence down low, who is a very strong rebounder. Freshmen Jason Bennett (Gloucester, VA/Gloucester), A.J. Hamilton (Gloucester, VA/Gloucester), and Haden Thompson (Richmond, VA/Banner Christian School) are the other new faces for the Hornets. Bennett is a strong and athletic post who attacks the rim very well. Hamilton is a versatile player that provides athleticism and explosiveness at both the guard and forward positions. Thompson provides another scoring option for Lynchburg. The tall wing was named team offensive-MVP in high school.
Lynchburg once again face a challenging schedule. The Hornets travel to Mount Aloysius for an early season tournament and face Capital Athletic Conference foe Marymount (Va.) at the Saints gym. The conference schedule will once again be difficult to navigate as all of the teams have reloaded. However, the big names on the schedule are two Division I opponents, Elon College and Coastal Carolina University. The Chanticleers won the Big South Conference regular season title and competed in the National Invitational Tournament last year. These two opponents in mid-December will certainly show the mettle of the Lynchburg Hornets this year.
