Men’s b-ball team expected to have growing pains
Coach warns of early season growing pains as team hitches wagon to rookie recruits
The University of Windsor Lancers men’s basketball program has taken a distinct change of direction this season.
Instead of chasing transfer players and those returning to Canada from the United States, head coach Chris Oliver added six freshmen recruits for the 2018-19 season.
“It was a conscious effort to bring in a first-year class that, hopefully, can be with us over five years,” Oliver said. “We’ve survived on transfers and we’ve had some well-documented transfers out of our program over the last few years that have hurt, or we’ve missed out on some of those key transfers that would have helped improve our program immediately.
“So, we said we can’t rely on that. If we have to wait on transfers, we can’t do that. We made a conscious effort to be able to recruit a really good first-year class that we can be consistent with, and then we’re not as hit and miss with transfers going forward.”
No doubt there will be growing pains with the decision, but the Lancers split their first two OUA games to start the season and now head home to face the York Lions at the St. Denis Centre on Friday. Game time is 8 p.m. “We like it because we think our young guys’ skill set matches anybody,” said Lancers freshman Thomas Kennedy. “So, we know that there might be struggles at first, but as we get used to the competition, we’re going to be showing more exponential growth rather than the other teams. We’re going to be growing at a faster rate, which is better.” There are some new twists for Oliver, who now holds a Monday video session with his first-year players to review the previous week’s play.
“The top end of the league is not realistic right now, but as we move through the year, depending on how good we get and how our young guys improve to the second half of the year, I think we have a chance to be pretty much where we were last year,” said Oliver, whose team lost in the OUA semifinals last season. The six-foot-nine, 220-pound Kennedy, a Windsor native who has started both games, was a huge addition for the Lancers. Oliver also has high hopes for six-foot-two guard Kanayo Nnadi, six-foot-three guard Levi Ogbonna, six-foot-five guard Owen Henderson, six-foot-seven forward Jake Polski and six-foottwo guard Andreas McBounds, who is a Lajeunesse high school product.
“All those guys, being true first years, coming from good programs,” Oliver said. “That’s as good a first-year recruiting class, with the exception of transfers, as there is anywhere within our conference. We’re excited about that.”
Getting the rookies to develop is only one issue the club is dealing with early as fourth-year guard Damian Persaud tries to fill the huge hole left with the graduation of all-star point guard Mike Rocca. Oliver thinks Persaud has done a nice job of helping the offence utilize all of its options.
“Nobody takes over Rocca’s spot,” Oliver said. “(With Persaud), the ball tends to move a little more and needs to move a little bit more, because there’s not one guy that can do what (Rocca) does. Hopefully, that allows more of our players to contribute in a positive way.”
It was a conscious effort to bring in a first-year class that, hopefully, can be with us over five years.
Persaud and third-year forward Anthony Zrvnar have taken on a leadership role with this group. “Being the oldest on the team, and I feel like this is the most rookies we’ve had in my four years,” the 23-year-old Persaud said. “So, it’s definitely something weird, but it’s a challenge I accepted, and I want to make the guys better. I enjoy seeing them get better and grow.
“The main thing with us is, because we’re so young, the toughest part is to keep it together for four quarters and not lose intensity. I think we’re on the right path. There are a lot of pieces and they all have flashes. They just have to figure a way to keep that together for four quarters.”
And he said Rocca prepared him to take the challenge of being a leader and also to be himself in the role.
“Mike taught me a lot in my four years,” Persaud said. “I know what he did when I got here and I want to lead and set the same examples for the young guys. “A lot (of the offence) did go through Rocca last year. I’m not trying to do what Rocca did. I’m just trying to help, and we have a lot of pieces. I don’t have to be like Rocca, I can be myself and we can be successful.” There are other players to work with. Guard Telloy Simon returned to the court on Saturday after missing more than a year following an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Guards Chris Poloniato, Lucas Orlita and Lucas Wood also return, but patience is the key.
“I think we’re a bit better defensively at this point from last year,” Oliver said. “We’re a little bigger and a little more athletic. “We have the potential to get considerably better, which is what we’ve always done here, but we’re going to experience some inconsistency as we start the year.”