Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball to Host London Leopards in Exhibition Game Friday
10/31/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2001
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After knocking heads with each other for three weeks, the Bison men's basketball team will be tested in game conditions for the first time this season when Bucknell hosts the London Leopards in an exhibition contest Friday night in Davis Gymnasium. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. and admission is free.
The Bison feature an experienced cast, with four starters and a dozen letterman returning from last year's squad that posted a 14-15 record and advanced to the Patriot League Tournament semifinals. Preseason All-Patriot League point guard Bryan Bailey is again Bucknell's catalyst, but backcourt mate and fellow co-captain Dan Blankenship along with forwards Boakai Lalugba and Brian Werner provide a quality nucleus.
Bucknell fans will get an early glimpse of a pair of promising first-year players in forward Chris Niesz and swingman Antario Glover. A tall, lanky athlete from Middletown, N.J., Niesz is an excellent long-range shooter. Glover is one of the most athletic players in the program and has shown early signs of being a demon on the offensive glass, even at 6-3.
Other returning players who will appear against the Leopards are guards Matt Quinn, Chris Rodgers, Dave Cohen and Roland Webber, forwards Jeremiah Bennett, Jordan Hardenbergh, Jack Namvou, Peter Santos and Ben Slater, and centers Davorin Skornik and Kevin Welch.
The Leopards are a traveling team made up primarily of former college players. Northern Iowa is their next stop on their preseason college tour, which also includes visits to Utah, BYU and San Francisco.
The Bison open their 2001-02 regular season Nov. 16-17 at the Mohegan Sun Classic in New Britain, Conn. Bucknell faces Cornell in its home opener on Monday, Nov. 26.
