Bison Men's Basketball Looks to Carry on Tradition of Continuity

Bison Men's Basketball Looks to Carry on Tradition of Continuity

11/5/2018 3:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Reigning PL champs open season Wednesday at St. Bonaventure

Perhaps the best measure of the health of a college basketball program is how it reacts after graduating a star-laden senior class. Does one big graduation purge lead to a multi-year rebuild from the ground floor? Or can the team fill those gaps with enough up-and-coming talent to remain in contention for more hardware?

Historically, Bucknell's response has been the latter. Dating all the way back to 1975-76, when the team played in the East Coast Conference, the Bison have had only eight losing conference seasons out of 42, and never more than two in a row. More recently, Bucknell has won seven of the last eight Patriot League regular-season crowns, with four NCAA Tournament berths in that span.

During this four-decade run, the program has successfully dealt with the loss of Hall-of-Fame players and coaches. When Bucknell is down, it is not down for long.

That tradition of continuity will be put to the test this year, only because the Bison bid farewell to one of the all-time great senior classes in team history. Stephen Brown, Nana Foulland and Zach Thomas — all First Team All-Patriot League selections in 2017-18 — combined for more than 4,800 points, two conference Player of the Year awards and two PL Tournament MVP honors. All three are now playing overseas after becoming the first class ever to win four straight regular-season championships.

On paper, the graduation hit is massive. But on the practice floor at Sojka Pavilion, no one is looking back. The group that will be gunning for another title this March is deep, talented, and actually a bit more experienced than one might believe.

Of the five projected starters, only senior center Nate Sestina has yet to start a game in his career. In the backcourt, senior Kimbal Mackenzie is a former All-Patriot League selection with 89 career games played and 56 starts at the 2 spot. Sophomore Jimmy Sotos played in every game last season as a rookie, including 13 starts while Mackenzie was injured, and Sotos is now poised to take over the point guard role. Juniors Avi Toomer and Bruce Moore have 32 and 22 starts, respectively, and they are expected to line up at the 3 and 4 spots this year.

Throw in key reserves such as seniors Nate Jones and Matt O'Reilly, junior Ben Robertson, and sophomores John Meeks and Paul Newman, and that adds up to another 254 games worth of experience. And that does not factor in what appears to be an impact freshman class.

"This group is very talented, and we have a lot of experienced guys who have taken big shots in big games," said third-year head coach Nathan Davis. "But just like every year, it takes some time to define roles and learn how to play together. Talent alone does not do it, you need those intangibles. You have to find the right chemistry and see how all the parts fit together."

This year's group has actually had more time than usual to develop that chemistry, as the team was afforded 10 extra summer practices in advance of an overseas trip to the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Freshmen Walter Ellis, Andrew Funk, and Kahliel Spear were all able to take part, and by the time the official preseason kicked off in September, much of that initial feeling out had already been developed.

"One thing about this group is that they are really fun," said Davis. "They really compete in practice and hold each other accountable, but at the same time there is a lot of positive energy. They don't seem to get down. If a guy isn't playing well that day, he just keeps plugging away and his teammates pick him up."

The Bison finished 25-10 overall, 16-2 in the Patriot League, and 15-1 at home last season. The Bison swept Loyola, Boston University and Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament, winning the last two games by a combined 60 points en route to the eighth NCAA Tournament bid in team history. As a 14 seed playing in Detroit, the Bison matched up with local favorite Michigan State and fell by a narrow 82-78 margin in the NCAA First Round.

It might seem like it was a smooth ride, but Bucknell was forced to deal with some adversity, most notably significant injuries to Mackenzie and Toomer right smack in the middle of one of the most difficult non-conference schedules the team has ever played. Both returned for the bulk of conference play, albeit at less than 100 percent physically.

Mackenzie is one of the team leaders in a number of areas. In addition to his status as one of the top returning guards in the league, he is a true captain on the floor and in the locker room. Mackenzie missed 12 games last season due to injury but still averaged 8.3 points and 2.5 assists per game. As a sophomore, he tallied 11.9 points per game, including 23 points against West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament, shot 41.0 percent from the arc, and earned Third Team All-Patriot League honors.

"Kimbal is just a mentally tough, confident player," said Davis. "He has a habit of making important plays when we need them, and we will look to him for more of the same. He is a great leader who is always upbeat. You would never know if he's not playing well just by watching his body language and how he interacts with his teammates."

One of Bucknell's most noticeable differences this season comes at the center position, where Sestina takes over for Foulland, who was four-year starter and the 2017 Patriot League Player of the Year. Sestina brings a much different style than Foulland, who was a pure low-post presence. Sestina can score in the post as well, but his range extends out to the arc, where he hit 14 3-pointers as a reserve last season. Sestina averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 56.0 percent off the bench, and he was perhaps the team's best player in the Patriot League championship game with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting in 18 minutes against Colgate.

Even though Sestina is a senior with zero starts and an average of 13 minutes per game over his career, the league's head coaches and sports information directors voted him to the five-man Preseason All-Patriot League Team this season.

"Nate is very, very talented," said Davis. "He is big and strong and also a very nimble athlete for his size. He can post, he can get his own shots, and he can create shots for others. We have not seen him in a lead role yet, so for him it's about being consistent every night, but really you could say that about anyone."

Sotos takes over for Brown at the point after playing in all 35 games with 13 starts as a freshman last season. The Chicago native played both guard spots last year, showing a knack for both hitting open shots and finding the open man, and he averaged 4.8 points and 2.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per game. Sotos shot just under 40 percent from the 3-point arc and scored in double figures five times.

"Jimmy has good size and strength for a guard, and he is great at using ball screens," said Davis. "In transition, he does a really good job getting the ball to guys on time. He can get into the lane himself and finish at the rim, and he can shoot the three. I'm really excited to watch him this year."

Toomer's return to health, along with the graduation of Thomas, means that Moore can go back to his more natural position at the 4 spot. Moore averaged 5.6 points in 30 appearances with 22 starts last year, including an 18-point performance against Boston University followed one game later by a 17-point outing at Army. The 6'8" Baltimore-area native has worked hard in the weight room to add strength to his frame, and he is another versatile player who can score inside and out.

"Bruce played mostly at the 3 last year, which really didn't take full advantage of his skill set," said Davis. "He is a physical player who can make shots out to the 3-point line. He is also our most versatile defender. He can guard 1 through 5 if needed."

As for Toomer, the 6'3" Atlanta native seems poised for a big year on the offensive end. His lockdown defensive ability was his ticket to playing time right away — he started 22 games as a freshman and was in the lead five last year until going down with a leg injury early in the year — and now he looks to take on a larger scoring role after averaging 4.9 points per game last season. Toomer shot 39.1 percent from the 3-point arc, and he can also get to the rim.

"Avi is an explosive athlete who can finish through contact," said Davis. "He can make open shots and also create his own. And he continues to be a terrific defender. Like Bruce, he can guard multiple positions."

Joining Mackenzie and Sestina in a deep senior class are Jones and O'Reilly. Both have battled injuries during the preseason, but both bring great experience and leadership. Jones' 86 career games played are second-most in the program behind only Mackenzie, and he has had some big shooting nights for the Bison. O'Reilly is a long-range bomber, with 56 of his 59 career field goals coming from behind the arc.

"Nate Jones has played important minutes for us over his career, and he is a guy that we can really trust to do his job when we put him in there," said Davis. "Matt is a high-level shooter who knows what's expected of him. Both Matt and Nate have contributed in important games, and there is no substitute for experience."

The high-flying Robertson rounds out the junior class. Nicknamed "Top-10 Ben" after a series of thunderous dunks landed him on the national highlight reels, Robertson is at his best putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim. His long arms and athleticism also make him a strong defender. Roberston played in 30 games last season and contributed 51 points, including a big first-half bucket in transition against Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.

"Ben is a very athletic wing," said Davis. "He has improved his perimeter shot, which will help open up even more opportunities to go to the basket. Defensively he gets a ton of deflections and can really impact the game that way."

Two candidates for breakout sophomore seasons are Meeks and Newman in the frontcourt. Meeks primarily plays at the power forward spot, although he did see some time at the 3 last year. He has a smooth lefty shooting stroke and is crafty around the basket.

"John Meeks just has a knack for scoring," said Davis. "Whether it's shooting the three or putting the ball on the floor, he just finds a way. He also might be our strongest player physically. Being able to focus on one position this year should really help him."

Newman had the benefit of apprenticing under Foulland last year, and he will be in the mix this season as Sestina's chief backup at center. Newman was one of the stars of the European trip. With Sestina on the bench while recovering from an injury, Newman saw the most minutes at center during the three games and averaged 13.3 points while converting on 15 of 21 shots from the floor and 10 of 12 from the foul line.

"I'm not sure I've seen a guy improve as much as Paul Newman has improved since he's been here," said Davis. "He is comfortable away from the basket and can also finish inside. He has good footwork defensively, and he is probably our best rebounder."

Jordan Sechan rounds out the four-man sophomore class. Sechan saw action in 14 games last season as a walk-on guard and tallied five points, four rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes.

"Jordan is very solid with the ball and can make open shots," said Davis.

Newcomers Ellis, Funk, and Spear all bring different elements to the squad. Ellis, the son of former Notre Dame and NBA star LaPhonso Ellis, is a 6'5" off-guard who can score in a variety of ways. He averaged 14.7 points per game in Europe, including two 19-point games. Funk, whose older brother Tommy is Army's point guard, is a hard-nosed player from Philadelphia's Archbishop Wood High. He brings good size and basketball acumen to the backcourt. Spear, a long and rangy Texan, can play both the 4 and 5 spots.

"Andrew Funk comes from a great high school program and is well-prepared for college basketball," said Davis. "He is a tremendous shooter and has a good mind for the game. He just sees things better than a lot of freshmen do. He understands our defensive principles, and he is going to be a key guy for us this year.

"Walter also has great size, and he shoots the ball at a very high level. Defensively, he is athletic enough where he can bother people.

"Kahliel is super-athletic. He handles the ball well for a big man, and he finds a way to score in the lane. His length allows him to be an effective defensive player."

So while the Bison will have some different faces in the lineup in 2018-19, the coaching staff is delighted at the team's depth and versatility.

"This group is very talented," Davis said. "It will look a little different without Nana in the middle, but I think we are actually bigger and maybe a bit more athletic across the board than last year. We won't have anyone average 20 points per game like Zach did last year, but we might have six or seven guys in that 8-15 range."

One thing that has not changed is that Davis will be challenging his team with a difficult non-conference schedule. The slate includes a first-ever trip to Hawai'i for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic during Christmas week, and Bucknell will face nine opponents that combined to win more than 64 percent of their games a year ago.

Not including the three possible opponents at the Diamond Head Classic, Bucknell's nine non-conference foes combined for a 193-108 (.641) overall record and a 112-48 (.700) mark within their respective leagues. Six of the nine teams won at least 21 games and seven of the nine had winning records. Then toss in Rhode Island, which went 26-8 and 15-3 in the Atlantic 10 last season, who the Bison will be meeting in the first round in Hawai'i, followed by a possible second-round game with another NCAA team in TCU.

"This year's schedule will present another major challenge, but guys come to Bucknell expecting to compete against teams of this caliber," said Davis. "Year in and year out, the Patriot League schedule is always a difficult grind, and we want to make sure that we are fully prepared. You want your weaknesses to be exposed early in the year, so that you can get them corrected for league play."

Bucknell will be one of three 2018 NCAA Tournament teams in the field for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, joining TCU and Rhode Island. The event also features host Hawai'i, UNLV, Colorado, Indiana State and Charlotte.

All games in the Diamond Head Classic will be televised on the ESPN family of networks. Games are slated for December 22, 23 and 25.

"The Diamond Head Classic is a great testament to how our program is viewed by others around the country," said Davis. "It is a credit to past teams and past coaches who have helped build up our reputation as a consistent title contender."