MSOE men's basketball season preview
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Published: 11/14/2011 |
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During the past six seasons, the MSOE men's basketball team has set or tied the school record for wins four times and has won 65 percent of their games. After losing five key players from the 2010-11 team, including seniors Austin Meier and Bennett Deacon, developing players will be a focus for this year's team.
"This year's goals have to be different," said head coach Brian Miller. "We have to be focused on how good we can become by the end of the season. Our goals will center on fitness and skill development which will lead to results in the long term."
Meier will be missed for the numbers he put up and also for what he brought to the floor that cannot be quantified.
"The hard part that you lose is all the tough rebounds and clutch plays that Meier makes," Miller said. "We were 19-7 playing close games. That could easily be reversed without a guy like him. I can't tell you how many times he made the clutch play at the right time."
When it comes to scoring this season, senior guard Oren Bloom will be counted on to elevate that part of his game for the Raiders.
"He's as good of a motion player as I've had," Miller said about Bloom. "He really understands that stuff. He's very versatile. I think he's going to have to do a lot of scoring for us."
Junior forward Victor Bande will also have a chance to step up on the offensive end.
"He's gotten stronger," Miller said about Bande. "He's learning defense better; learning to calm down a little bit. You can see his confidence level that he can go out there and score."
Miller believes that seniors Cynerick Osinaike and Michael Ricciardi and sophomore Derek Watton will be x-factors for this year's squad.
"Cynerick needs to be a consistent performer," Miller said. "He needs to guard like crazy. He needs to provide us a burst of quickness getting to the basket offensively without turning it over. Derek is coming off knee surgery. He has a lot of ability. He's a versatile wing and strong. He's a shooter. He's like Ricciardi that way. Their development might dictate how good we can get."
Osinaike and sophomore guard John Cording were named team captains. Cording was selected to the NAC All-Freshman team last season.
"Cynerick is our organizer and John is the heart and guts," Miller said. "John really lifts the energy of practice. He is very verbal and inspirational."
MSOE will look to sophomore Jaren Singh and freshman Nate Gibson to progress so they can help the Raiders in the post.
"This year reminds me of my first year," Miller said. "There was talent there but it was going to take time. We need to stay with that development to get those younger guys to the point where they can get to the next level."
The freshmen class will have a chance to make an impact during the 2011-12 season. That includes forward Bob Slovensky.
"He was coached well in high school," Miller said. "He's got perimeter type skills. He can step out and shoot and handle the ball."
Another freshman with a chance to hit the floor right away is guard Jeremiah Erdmann.
"He's athletic and can shoot it," Miller said. "He reminds me of (former MSOE player) Andy Voigt, only he's stronger."
Depth in the backcourt will include sophomore David Wilson and freshmen Travis Pischel, Garrison Glowniak and Austyn Lingle. Freshmen forwards fighting for playing time are Nathan Verdun and Jerome Rhodes.
The Raiders begin their season at the Northwestern Tip-Off Tournament in St. Paul, Minn. Nov. 18-19. The NAC portion of the schedule gets going Nov. 29 against Benedictine in Lisle, Ill.
