Wilkes 2011-12 men's basketball preview

WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's basketball team enters the 2011-12 season with a chip on their shoulder, coming one possession away from a trip to the Freedom Conference championship game last year. Veteran head coach Jerry Rickrode, now in his 20th year at the helm of the Colonel program (346-152), welcomes back a core group of experienced returners and an exciting freshmen class as Wilkes looks poised to make the next step in 2011-12.

"The experience level of this team may be the highest I've had here in a while," said Rickrode. Our three senior captains, Kendall Hinze, Matt Mullins, and Paul Huch, have done a great job providing leadership to the underclassmen" "They have been practicing with a sense of urgency  taking no possessions off and leading by example which is always what you want to see out of your captains."

Wilkes finished 15-10 overall and 8-6 in Freedom play earning the fourth seed in the postseason tournament where the Colonels would fall to eventual champion Delaware Valley College in the closing seconds of a tight contest, 69-66. The Colonels will have to find a way to replace leading scorer, sharpshooter Chris DeRojas who graduated as the school's sixth all-time leading scorer after leading the squad averaging 17.7 points per-contest his senior season. With the return of four starters and a group of upperclassmen that made up 76.1 percent of the scoring, that task may be a bit less difficult.

With the departure of DeRojas, senior tri-captain Matt Mullins will step to the forefront to lead the Colonels backcourt. Mullins, who started in 24 contests as a junior, was third on the team last season averaging 12.0 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 40.2 percent (106-264) from the floor. Mullins is a dual threat combo guard that can play three different positions for Wilkes with the ability to take defenders off the dribble and hit the three-pointer. He also has the size to defend bigger guards and is an excellent rebounder at the guard position.

Joining Mullins in the backcourt will be freshman point guard Jourdon Wilson. Wilson, a second team All-Conference performer at Cumberland Valley High School, possesses all the skills needed to run the Colonel offense. He has a very high basketball IQ with the ability to play in a two-tempo system that the Colonels operate under. Wilson will also lessen the burden on Mullins allowing the senior guard to play off the ball to allow him more of a scorers' mentality.

Junior Tyler Breznitsky returns to the squad after playing in 24 games last year and will again be called upon to add depth to the Colonel backcourt. Breznitsky flourished in his role off the bench last season providing all of the offensive spark the Colonels needed. He averaged 6.3 points connecting on 47.5 percent (19-40) from behind the arc. He remains one of the most consistent performers for Wilkes through the first four weeks of practice. Sophomore guard Craig Thomas is also back after seeing time in 20 contests as a rookie. Thomas is a true point-guard who causes extreme distractions for opposing teams with his pressure on-the-ball defense.

Juniors Cliff Richardson and Steve Blish will vie for time in the backcourt as the two have combined to play in 67 games over their first two years in the Colonels program. Sophomores Matt Hayes and Mike Boylan, and freshman Trevor Gilliam give the Colonels even more depth at the guard position.

Senior tri-captain Paul Huch returns after a summer of improvement on his all-around game. The 6-5 small forward averaged 9.9 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds creating mismatch problems all season long for opponents. Huch has the ability to give the Colonels output in points, rebounds, and blocks (47) at the forward position. Freshmen Cameron Hinkel and Albright transfer Jeremy Hartman fit well in the Colonel system and will compete for time behind Huch at the three spot. Freshman Mike Sharpe will look to add depth to the forward position.

At power forward, sophomore Pat Furst returns healthy in 2011-12 after suffering an ACL injury that cost him all of last season. He will retain freshman eligibility athletically for the Colonels. Furst blends well in the Wilkes' high-low system with the ability to stretch defenses with his outside shot. He is fundamentally sound with a high basketball IQ. At 6-3, 230 pounds, Furst can defend the post and rebound the basketball.

Sophomore Brendan Sheldon, who started in 17 contests as a freshman last season, will add depth to the power forward position for Wilkes. Sheldon averaged 3.0 points and 4.0 rebounds playing 16.3 minutes per-game last year. He serves as s high energy athlete and excellent offensive rebounder in the Colonel frontcourt.  Fellow sophomore Nic Wilkins will begin his first season for Wilkes after missing last season battling a sickness. Wilkins is a good shooter who will help bolster an already talented frontcourt.

Wilkes returns the premier post player in the Freedom Conference as senior tri-captain Kendall Hinze is back  to man the middle for Wilkes. Hinze, the leading returning scorer from last season, averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 25 starts. Hinze was in the top five in several offensive categories for Wilkes last season including rebounding (4th), blocked shots (5th) while leading the conference in field goal percentage at 61.4 percent (129-210). The 6-5, 235-pound center is not just a scorer from the post as he has proven over his three years at Wilkes, but can also pass the ball out of the pivot in the Wilkes offensive scheme. He enters his senior season with 601 career points and will look to hit the1,000-point plateau sometime this season.

Two rookie big men, Rodney Hill and Lee Strause, will look to add depth to the post. Hill has an athletic 6-7 frame with the ability to change shots with his blocking ability. Strause is more a traditional post with great size and developing post skills.

The Colonels will participate in two tournaments in the early season including the Pizza Hut Tip-Off Tournament at Dickson College as well as the first annual Cross County Challenge held at Marywood University. Wilkes and King's will renew their old rivalries with Scranton while also playing Marywood in a round robin event that will rotate host locations each year.

The Colonels schedule doesn't let up as they enter Freedom play as Wilkes hosts Misericordia on November 30th in their Freedom opener, then travel to preseason favorite DeSales on December 3rd.

"The conference will have a lot of parity once again this season," added Rickrode. "We will need to come to play every night as last year showed that anyone can beat anyone on any given night in the Freedom league."

Wilkes opens the 2011-12 campaign November 15th with a non-conference tilt against Penn State Hazleton in the Marts Center at 7:00 p.m.