Title and NCAA Tourney Berth in 2004-2005
BEREA, OHIO — Baldwin-Wallace College veteran head basketball coach Steve Bankson feels his 2004-2005 Yellow Jacket team has a good chance of challenging for both the Ohio Athletic Conference title and a spot in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
"If we play to our ability and continue to improve all season, we have the talent to be a very good team," said Bankson, in his 25th season at B-W and 41st overall as a head coach. "We have both veteran talent and leadership, a solid corps of players returning to our bench and recruited a few players that can help us become better."
A year ago, the Yellow Jackets finished 18-8 overall and tied for second place during the OAC regular season. But it could have been so much better.
Entering the final week of the regular season, B-W was all alone in first place with games left at John Carroll and at Otterbein. Then freshman sensation Tori Davis came down on someone’s ankle at JCU and the severely sprained ankle changed everything.
What the ankle sprain didn’t change was the confidence and experience that was built up in each player on the roster up to that point. And, it is that level of confidence that Bankson feels will make a big difference in 2004-2005.
"You can’t teach experience," said Bankson. "It has to be learned.
"It is just like respect, it has to be earned," said Bankson. "I think we gained a level of respect last year, but we still have more to prove this year.
"Our players are hungry," continued Bankson. "That was evident in their offseason work habits. Each player who was on the roster last year knows that he needed to get better to keep his job. I am looking forward to seeing how the season unfolds."
Leading the 2004-2005 Yellow Jackets will be its returning starting five of seniors Thad Davis and Tom Harrington, junior Keith Aufmuth and sophomores Tori Davis and Matt Marks. Overall, Bankson returns his top nine players and has a solid group of newcomers who have the ability to help.
In addition to the starting five, look for senior Jeremy Coffey, juniors Dan Gundert and Greg Williams and sophomore Nick Meyer to all return to the varsity with hopes of making an even more valuable contribution than last year.
Also, look for junior transfer Charod Hale and first-year newcomers Brendan Schuler, Tyler Sekerek and Charles Williams all to look to make their marks. There are also others who have the ability to help and make B-W even better.
"We have a number of players in our preseason camp who have talent and ability," said Bankson. "We hope to make some decisions by the time we play in our first tournament in late November."
Thad Davis returns after scoring 19.0 points and grabbing an OAC-leading 10.4 rebounds per game en route to being first-team All-OAC and All-Great Lakes Region. He is expected to be one of the most dominant inside players in the OAC and region this winter.
Joining him inside is brother Tori Davis who averaged 14.3 ppg. and 7.7 rpg. and blocked an OAC-leading 56 shots a year ago. He also shot 57.6 percent from the floor and 72 percent from the foul line en route to being a second-team All-OAC pick. Tori Davis also altered at least as many shots as he blocked.
At the point guard position, senior Tom Harrington returns for his third season as a starter. A year ago, he led the OAC in assists with 139 and scored 8.6 ppg. A 75 percent foul shooter, Harrington canned 36 three-pointers and was second on the team with 28 steals.
Junior Keith Aufmuth is back after scoring 13.5 ppg., canning a team-leading 46 treys and making 42 steals and earning All-OAC accolades. He also canned 78.3 percent of his free throws.
Rounding out the returning starters are sophomore wing Matt Marks and senior post Jeremy Coffey. Marks started 20 games and averaged 7.7 ppg. with 24 treys. He offers B-W a better perimeter shooter and additionally canned all 22 of his foul shots a year ago. Coffey, who started three games, can play either inside or outside and is a solid defender. He scored 3.5 ppg., grabbed 2.4 rpg. and nailed 10 three’s.
Another trio of players who offer Bankson veteran depth are sophomore wing player Nick Meyer, junior wing Greg Williams and junior wing/ post player Dan Gundert. Meyer scored 5.9 ppg., canned 21 three-pointers and made 38 of 48 free throws last winter. Williams, who missed the last 16 games due to a foot injury, scored 4.0 ppg. and offers the team defense and quickness in the backcourt. Gundert played in 15 games last winter and is capable of playing inside or out at 6’2". He scored 1.4 ppg., grabbed 1.5 rpg. and made all 10 of his foul shots last year.
Also, look for sophomore guard Adam DeChant and sophomore post player Chad Clark to seek additional playing time this winter.
Bankson’s recuiting class is small but powerful. Of the first-year players, he is hoping Hale, Schuler, Sekerak and Williams will push his upperclass players.
"We have some first-year players who are talented and can make us a better team," said Bankson. "We feel that Charod (Hale) has the talent and ability to make an impact on the inside this winter. At 6’5", he will give us another presence in the middle and a player that can either block or alter a number of shots.
"Both Schuler and Sekerak can shoot from the outside," said Bankson. "Both will have to adjust to the college three-point shot and work on taking care of the basketball and make good decisions. Charles Williams is a player with a lot of raw, unharnessed talent. He has the ability to be good."
The Yellow Jackets open the 2004-2005 season when they travel to Gettysburg, Pennyslvania to play in the Gettysburg College Tip-Off Tournament on November 19-20. B-W will play Mary Washington (Va.) College in its first game at 6:00 p.m. The first OAC game is o December 4 when B-W hosts Otterbein College at 3:00 p.m.
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