After a disappointing 2005-'06 season that started out with a six-game losing streak and ended with a 14 point loss to Bucknell in the second round of the Patriot League Tournament, the AU men's basketball team hope that their status as one of the most experienced teams in the PL will make them serious contenders for the league title.
The team's six seniors are led by Andre Ingram, who has led the Eagles in scoring the past three seasons. Although his 12 points a game last year was the lowest total of his career, Ingram is one of the best players in the PL and looks poised to have his best season.
"He is now as complete a player as he can possibly be," said Coach Jeff Jones. "He is a team leader, and everyone who has watched him the last three years wants to see him do great things."
Starting guard Linas Lekavicius will also play a big role on the team. He was the team's best player in the PL Tournament, scoring 18 points in the first round against Lafayette and 21 points against Bucknell, and he has carried that momentum into this season.
"The past few months, Linas has been playing the best he has ever played," Coach Jones said. "You can tell that he knows that he wants to make the most of his senior year."
Out of all the seniors, 6'10" center Brayden Billbe looks like the player most likely to have a breakout season. After starting 28 out of 29 games last season, Billbe had a great offseason, capping it off with two 14- point performances last week in the team's two exhibition victories. If he carries over this improvement, he could give the Eagles a strong inside presence, which is especially important in league play.
While the team's senior leadership is one of its biggest strengths, the success of the Eagles this season may be determined by the development of last year's freshmen.
The sophomores are lead by Derrick Mercer, who started every game last year at point guard and is the reigning PL Rookie of the Year. Though Mercer is the shortest player on the team at 5'9", his court vision and aggressiveness make him one of the top point guards in the PL.
"Derrick is our floor general," Coach Jones said. "He makes our offense go, and we expect him to pick up right where he left off this year."
Two less heralded reserve forwards, Brian Gilmore and Jordan Nichols, are expected to play larger roles this year. At 6'5", Nichols is smaller than the typical power forward, but his long wingspan and tenacious attitude make him a monster on the defensive end, where he recorded 36 blocks last season. Meanwhile the 6'8" Gilmore is a talented offensive player who moves well without the ball and can create mismatches because of his height.
"Rarely do you hear coaches talk about one without the other," Coach Jones said. "We envision them as a sort of two-headed monster at the forward position."
Sophomores Garrison Carr and Cornelio Guibunda are also players to watch. Carr, who is the team's best pure shooter and three-point threat, has worked hard during the off-season, often practicing at the point guard position, giving the team depth at both guard spots. Meanwhile Guibunda, who sat out last season after transferring from Georgetown, is a wild card for the Eagles. He made progress over the summer and gives the team depth at the center position. While Billbe and Paulius Joneliunas may prevent Guibunda from seeing much time this season, Coach Jones wants to get him enough experience so he is ready for next season when Billbe and Joneliunas have graduated.
This year's out-of-conference schedule is a challenging one for the team, featuring away games at major-conference schools such as Maryland and Virginia. However, unlike last season where the team started out with six straight road games, the schedule is more balanced between home and away games.
"I wanted to challenge the team, but I didn't want to make the same mistake as last year," Coach Jones said. "We actually have some home games the first month of the season this year."
While the non-conference games will be a good test for the team, the start of PL play in January is the critical time for the Eagles. AU will be improved this year but will face tough tests from perennial powerhouse Holy Cross and two-time defending PL champion Bucknell. While both teams lost impact players (2005-'06 PL Player of the Year Charles Lee and 3-point threat Kevin Bettencourt for Bucknell and Kevin Hamilton for the Crusaders), they should still be contenders for the PL Championship. Teams like Lehigh and Colgate also have the ability to make some waves in the league this year.
"We all know that it's not an easy road," Coach Jones said. "But you find teams that have experience can sometimes parlay that into a great season."
The Eagles kick off their season on Friday at Fairfield. The first home game is Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. against Morgan State.
