By Jim Muir

Rend Lake College men’s basketball coach Randy House will be the first to admit that last year, en route to a NJCAA Division II National Championship, the Warriors flew under the radar.

Those days, however, are over.

The Warriors are ranked number one in the nation in the pre-season NJCAA Division II Top 10 National Poll, a fact that will not be lost on future opponents.

“I think it probably says more about the respect that the kids from last year earned,” House said about the lofty pre-season ranking.  “But, it’s for certain that this year’s team is not going to sneak up on anybody.  We’ll have a bulls-eye on us every game.”

House said while expectations are high, last year’s success has nothing to do with his current crop of players.

“Being a pre-season number one pick is flattering and quite an honor but in reality it means nothing,” House said. “We have the potential this year to be a good team but we have to work hard and strive every day to get better and try to continue the success last year’s team had.”

While the Warriors lost some key players to graduation, including NJCAA Tournament MVP Bronson Verhines, the cupboard is far from bare in Ina this fall.  The Warriors return five key players from the national championship team including Jeril Taylor, Cortez Macklin, Montez Buford, Montez Williams and Trice Waley. All five of those players, House pointed out, hit the starting lineup at different times during the national championship season.

“We’ve just got to try and fine the right pieces and chemistry and strive to get better every game,” House said. “We’ve been battling some early injuries so we need to get everybody healthy too.  We’re excited about the start of a new season.”

Buford (Louisville, Ky.) started 19 games last year for the Warriors and scored 253 points throughout the season. Fellow Louisville native Taylor ended the season with 220 points. Macklin, also from Louisville, made the NJCAA All-American team for RLC last year as the scoring leader at 13.1 points per game. Whaley, a point guard from Jeffersonville, Ind., was another high scorer last year and boasted the most points in one game with 28. Williams, a 6-7 center from East St. Louis, ended the season with 138 points.

“We have lots of newcomers too who are very talented,” House added. “We’ve got to work on getting them up to the speed of the game in college ball, and I suspect we’ll have more depth this year than last year.”

Freshman and incoming players this year include Jauan Akins (Vine Grove, Ky.), Richard Clemons (Louisville, Ky.), Eric Darrett (Nashville, Tenn.), Ruben Gosa (Vine Grove, Ky.), Devontai Halfacre (St. Louis, Mo.), Brandon Johnson (East St. Louis), Paul Knapp (Flora), Parish McCullum (Maywood) and Tim Witcher (Sesser). For freshmen standout players, House said it is still too early to judge.

“We have more size this year, with a couple guys at 6- 7, and we have some new wings and guards that will do well,” he said. “Right now we’re working on blending in the new players with the team. We should be bigger and more talented than last year, but we have to work on our team chemistry. Last year we played well because the guys all knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but we’ve still got a year to build on that.”

The Warriors will play their first game on Friday, Nov. 1 at Truman College in Chicago, followed by Elgin Community College on Saturday, Nov. 2 and South Suburban College on Thursday, Nov. 7. The first home game will be against St. Louis Community College at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov.11.

(Some information for this story came from RLC Public Information director ReAnne Palmer.)

NJCAA Pre-Season Top 10 National Poll

1 Rend Lake College

2 Mott Community College

3 Monroe Community College

4 Community College of Beaver County

5 Brown Mackie College

6 Iowa Lakes Community College

7 South Suburban College

8 Owens Community College

9 Louisburg College

10 Grand Rapids Community College

 

INA, Ill.  – With celebrations still fresh in their minds, the Rend Lake College Warriors basketball team has a familiar end-game in sight: clinching the NJCAA Division II National Championship for the second year in a row.

In March, the Warriors defeated Moraine Valley Community College 87-69 in the title game of the National Championship, making it the first such title for the team. With five sophomores returning from the win, and another nine new faces on the team, Head Coach Randy House said he expects the players to do great things.

“We should be very competitive this year,” said House. “It’ll be an interesting year. Our goal is to win half or better in our conference. If we can play that well, we’ll have a very successful campaign.”

RLC is the only Division II school in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC), which means the team will face some strong competition. House said he expects the returning players will help lead the young team early in the season.

“We have five returning players. All were starters at one point last year, so they have some minutes on their record,” said House, speaking of Montez Buford, Cortez Macklin, Jeril Taylor, Trice Whaley and Montez Williams.

Buford (Louisville, Ky.) started 19 games last year for the Warriors and scored 253 points throughout the season. Fellow Louisville native Taylor ended the season with 220 points. Macklin, also from Louisville, made the NJCAA All-American team for RLC last year as the scoring leader at 13.1 points per game. Whaley, a point guard from Jeffersonville, Ind., was another high scorer last year and boasted the most points in one game with 28. Williams, a 6-7 center from East St. Louis, ended the season with 138 points.

“We have lots of newcomers too who are very talented,” House added. “We’ve got to work on getting them up to the speed of the game in college ball, and I suspect we’ll have more depth this year than last year.”

Freshman and incoming players this year include Jauan Akins (Vine Grove, Ky.), Richard Clemons (Louisville, Ky.), Eric Darrett (Nashville, Tenn.), Ruben Gosa (Vine Grove, Ky.), Devontai Halfacre (St. Louis, Mo.), Brandon Johnson (East St. Louis), Paul Knapp (Flora), Parish McCullum (Maywood) and Tim Witcher (Sesser). For freshmen standout players, House said it is still too early to judge.

“We have more size this year, with a couple guys at 6- 7, and we have some new wings and guards that will do well,” he said. “Right now we’re working on blending in the new players with the team. We should be bigger and more talented than last year, but we have to work on our team chemistry. Last year we played well because the guys all knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but we’ve still got a year to build on that.”

The Warriors will play their first game on Friday, Nov. 1 at Truman College in Chicago, followed by Elgin Community College on Saturday, Nov. 2 and South Suburban College on Thursday, Nov. 7. The first home game will be against St. Louis Community College at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov.11.

For all things athletic at The Lake, visit www.rlc.edu/warriors.

For more on the Warriors basketball team, visit www.rlc.edu/mens-basketball.

 

By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Missouri Valley Conference will hold its annual Media Day on Wednesday in Chicago, during which it will announce the preseason poll results and All-Conference team. Here’s a look at my preseason ballot.

1. Wichita State
2. Indiana State
3. Bradley
4. Missouri State
5. Northern Iowa
6. Southern Illinois
7. Evansville
8. Drake
9. Loyola
10. Illinois State

On paper, there are two very solid teams in the league (Wichita State and Indiana State). After that, well… In fact, trying to figure out the third-best team was mostly a process of elimination. I think three teams that have been at or near the basement in recent years (Bradley, Missouri State, SIU) are ready to move up. Here are some quick thoughts on each team.

1. Wichita State. The Shockers lost so much from last year’s Final Four team — including Carl Hall, Malcolm Armstead, Demetric Williams and Ehimen Orukpe. Still, they are ranked No. 16 in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll. They would do well to note how SIU was ranked for four weeks at the start of the 2007-08 season, coming off a Sweet 16 appearance, only to settle later for an NIT bid. Nothing is automatic in college basketball. Wichita has the likely preseason player-of-the-year in Cleanthony Early (13.9 ppg). Their next-best player is sophomore Ron Baker (8.7 ppg), who missed most of last season due to injury, but was a hero in the NCAA Tournament. Guys like Tekele Cotton (6.5 ppg), Fred VanVleet (3.6 ppg) and Chadrack Lufile (1.6 ppg) were role players last year who will have to step up big for the Shockers to return to the Big Dance.

2. Indiana State. It seems like Jake Odum (13.6 ppg) has been in the league forever. The savvy veteran point guard, paired with athletic swingman Manny Arop (12.0 ppg) and sharp-shooting Lucas Eitel (4.1 ppg), give the Sycamores one of the league’s best backcourts. They have Justin Gant (7.5 ppg) and Jake Kitchell (2.7 ppg) returning in the front court. Having made the NCAA Tournament two years ago and the NIT last year, the Sycamores should be a dangerous team once again.

3. Bradley. Walt Lemon Jr. (15.6 ppg) is a superb player. Teamed with Tyshon Picket (11.0 ppg) and Jordan Prosser (5.5 ppg), the Braves should continue their ascent under third-year head coach Geno Ford. I realize I’m picking Bradley higher than most other pundits, but I fail to see another team that warrants the third-place distinction more than BU.

4. Missouri State. The Bears were the youngest team in the Valley last year, and after a terrible start to the season, finished a respectable seventh in the MVC. Freshman of the Year Marcus Marshall (11.5 ppg) is a special player. The Bears will be bolstered by the return of Jarmar Gulley, who missed last year with a torn ACL. They also have some young big men in Christian Kirk (8.7 ppg) and Gavin Thurman (6.9 ppg) who could develop into nice players. It also appears Keith Pickens (6.1 ppg) is going to give his knee another try this year after announcing his retirement last March.

5. Northern Iowa. The Panthers always seem to plug guys into their system without missing a beat. If that trend continues, then Northern Iowa could finish in the top half of the Valley. The top two returnees are Seth Tuttle (11.4 ppg) and Deon Mitchell (9.3 ppg) — both solid MVC players. Matt Bohannon (4.7 ppg) is one of the league’s better perimeter shooters. Tennessee transfer Wes Washpun is expected to boost UNI’s athleticism. They really need some of their younger players, such as Austin Pehl (0.8 ppg) to improve.

6. Southern Illinois. Desmar Jackson (15.6 ppg) is one of the league’s most explosive scorers, and Anthony Beane (9.2 ppg) is a rising sophomore. Those two players alone will keep SIU in most games. There are big questions at point guard and center, though, where the only player with Division I experience is Davante Drinkard (1.9 ppg). Barry Hinson overhauled virtually the entire roster in 16 months on the job, and if some of the new pieces like freshman Sean O’Brien come through, the Salukis could finish even higher.

7. Evansville. Graduation really did a number on the Purple Aces’ roster. They lost four starters, and are about to find out what life is like without Colt Ryan, who has carried the program the last four years. They do return sophomores D.J. Balentine (8.1 ppg) and big man Egidijus Mockevicius (5.8 ppg), and the latter could develop into one of the better post players in the league. Still, this looks like a rebuilding year in Evansville.

8. Drake. Since the end of last season, the Bulldogs have had a coaching change and a lot of roster turnover. They have a couple of pretty good players coming back in big man Seth Van Deest (9.5 ppg) and guard Richard Carter (9.2 ppg). After taking a year off from basketball, forward Aaron Hawley will return for his senior year. Ray Giacoletti will need an immediate boost from his first recruiting class to avoid Thursday night basketball in St. Louis.

9. Loyola. First, a confession. I’ve not seen Loyola play. I know they lost three of their best players off last year’s seventh-place team in the Horizon. I know they have a redshirt freshman named Milton Doyle who originally signed with Kansas. I don’t know if they are ready to compete at this level until head coach Porter Moser gets a few more recruiting classes under his belt in the new league.

10. Illinois State. Quick. Name one player on the Redbirds’ roster. Can’t come up with one? Me either. I looked it up, and they do have Nick Ziesloft (4.5 ppg) and Kaza Keane (2.7 ppg) returning. That’s it. All the new players may be really good somewhere down the road, but it likely won’t be this season.

Here’s my preseason All-Conference team.

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
Jake Odum, Indiana State
Walt Lemon, Jr., Bradley
Desmar Jackson, Southern Illinois
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State

A tsunami swept through the MVC during the off-season and washed away most of its returning scorers. Twenty-four players averaged double figures last year in the MVC, and only eight of those players return. Three teams (Bradley, SIU, Indiana State) have two of them, while Wichita State and Missouri State each have one. That should make for a wild and unpredictable season.