Bucknell University Athletics
Consistency Key for Bison Men's Basketball in 2019-20
11/1/2019 2:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
When Bucknell head coach Nathan Davis talks about the keys to his team’s success as the 2019-20 season draws near, the word he often comes back to is “consistency”.
The Bison are in the midst of a historic run as winners of five straight and eight of the last nine Patriot League regular-season titles. They have survived the graduation of numerous all-conference players and thrived even as others have adjusted to new or expanded roles. Such a transition will be in order again this season following the loss of four members of the Class of 2019, including All-Patriot Leaguers Kimbal Mackenzie and Nate Sestina.
Three starters – point guard Jimmy Sotos, wing Avi Toomer and forward Bruce Moore – are back to lead a group that has contributed to many important wins in recent years. Bucknell finished 21-12 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League a year ago. The Bison shared the regular-season title with Colgate – their first non-outright crown in this nine-year run – but fell to the Raiders in Hamilton, N.Y., in the Patriot League championship game. As another new season dawns, Davis is not concerned with revenge or championship streaks or playoff seeding. No doubt he has high hopes for this team, but he simply wants his guys to make the right plays on a regular basis.
“I think with this group and a lot of guys in new roles, it is about playing with consistency day in and day out so that it carries over into the games,” said Davis, who brings an 89-45 record into his fifth season as Bucknell’s head coach. “We have a lot of guys who can do a lot of things, but we have to keep it simple offensively and make the right play. We don’t need to force anything. We need to make the right play and trust our teammates. If we do that, we will get a lot of good shots, and if we can get good shots, I would think we can score pretty efficiently.”
The Bison averaged just under 77 points per game last season, second best in the Patriot League, even though they ranked in the middle of the pack in field goal percentage (7th, .450) and 3-point percent-age (5th, .351). Davis employs a fast tempo offensively, and when his team is getting good looks, it can post some breathtaking outbursts (witness last season’s 118-point game against Lafayette or the 97-point game against UNLV at the Diamond Head Classic). But again, that consistency word comes into play, particularly with the arrival of the grind of Patriot League play later in the season.
“The consistency of focus is always the big thing,” said Davis. “There is adversity in every season, and the teams that respond the best to adversity are the teams that are at the top in the end. This group is certainly capable of doing that. It’s going to take some time, hopefully sooner rather than later, but rarely does it happen in game one. It’s about whether we can do the things day in and day out that you need to win against good teams when you’re not making shots, because that is going to happen. You have to be able to defend. You have to be able to rebound and take care of the ball, in order to give yourself a chance to win those games when it’s not coming easy offensively.”
Tasked with helping to maintain that course are Bucknell’s three senior captains: Moore, Toomer and forward Ben Robertson. That trio has combined for 265 games played, and they have all been a major part of the team’s success.
“From a leadership standpoint, those three guys have seen every situation you can possibly be in, from good to bad,” said Davis. “They know how to handle adversity across the board, so they ought to be in a position now where they can help guys understand how hard it’s going to be to win, and they can help guys get through it when they are struggling.”
Moore started all 33 games last season at the four spot, when he was part of a terrific frontcourt duo with Sestina, who will use his final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer at Kentucky this season. Moore averaged 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field as a junior, but perhaps his biggest impact came at the other end of the floor, where he was named to the five-man Patriot League All-Defensive Team at season’s end. Because Moore can defend any position on the floor at 6’8”, he brings great versatility.
“Bruce has played a major role for us over his first three years,” Davis said of Moore, who leads all active Bison with 98 career appearances. “He’s certainly very capable of increasing his scoring. He can put his back to the basket, he can step out and make shots, and he can put the ball on the floor. And then he’s an elite defender as well, one of the few guys in the league who can guard everyone one through five and do a really good job on him. I’m expecting a big year from Bruce.”
After an injury-plagued sophomore year, Toomer nearly doubled his scoring average from 4.7 to 8.7 a year ago. As an everyday starter at the “3” position last season, Toomer was another key two-way player, like Moore a versatile defender who can also score and rebound.
“Avi has been in a lot of big games, and he has made a lot of big plays in those games,” said Davis. “He is a very explosive athlete. He has the ability to score, which I think he will do more this year. He can shoot the three or put in on the floor and shoot the mid-range jumper.”
The high-flying Robertson is one of the best on the team at attacking the rim, and quite often it is the rim paying the price on one of his thunderous dunks. Robertson has played in 81 career games off the bench and has shot 53.8 percent from the field, including a career-best 57.6 percent last season. He is also adept at the drive and kick when defenses collapse on him, and he had 18 assists with only eight turnovers in 200 minutes last season.
“Ben is another guy who has been around for a long time and has been involved in a lot of wins,” said Davis. “I would say without a doubt he is vertically our best athlete, but he has also worked really hard on his shot and it has gotten a lot more consistent over the offseason. He has been playing with a lot of confidence, and he should, because he’s been around and has a great feel for what’s going on.”
The point guard Sotos joins forward John Meeks, center Paul Newman and guard Jordan Sechan in the junior class.
Sotos had one of the top passing seasons in school history a year ago, despite a shoulder injury that cost him two games in the middle of the league schedule and affected his performance a bit even af-ter he returned. Sotos averaged 8.2 points per game (9.3 before the injury), and he led the Patriot League and ranked 18th nationally in assists at 6.1 per game. Sotos’ 189 total assists were third-most in a season in school history, and the 6.1 assists per game were most by a Bison since Mike Joseph aver-aged 6.3 in 1989-90. His 14-point, 12-assist game in Bucknell’s rout of UNLV was one of the year’s top performances, with the 12 assists the most by a Bison in a game in 27 years.
“Jimmy was having a really good year for us before he hurt his shoulder, and he has to get a lot of credit for coming back and playing through some pain late in the year,” said Davis. “He is very good with the ball in his hands, he says plays develop ahead of time, and he’s just a really smart player. He’s got great size for a point guard, he’s a very good shooter, and I think he’s a guy who has the potential to be one of the better players in the league.”
Meeks also battled the injury bug a year ago, but when he was available, he proved to be an “instant offense” type player at the power forward position. He missed all of preseason practice and then the first seven games of the season, but over the final 26 games he managed 5.7 points in just 11.7 minutes per outing (19.5 points per 40 minutes). Meeks shot a stellar 48.5 percent from the 3-point arc and 49.6 percent overall. The lefty figures to have an even bigger role this season as long he stays healthy.
“Meeks is a guy who just knows how to score,” said Davis. “First off, he is a really smart offensive player. He sees the floor and reads the game so well, which also enables him to get other guys shots. He’s also a very physical presence. He can get in the lane and get his shot off in a lot of different ways. The injury last year really only allowed him to practice 10 to 20 minutes per day, which affected his cardio and kept him from having a bigger impact. But this year he is back in great shape and playing at a high level.”
Newman continues to climb the depth chart, from third-string center behind Nana Foulland and Sestina as a freshman, to the No. 2 guy behind Sestina last year, and now to the probable starter at the “5” spot this year. A big, physical player from Philadelphia, Newman can score around the rim, and even in limited minutes he has developed into one of the Patriot League’s top shot-blockers. He ranked fourth in the PL with 37 blocks last season, even though he played just 12.8 minutes per game.
“Paul Newman has had a chance to go up against a lot of good players over his first two years, including two pretty good ones in Nana and Nate in practice every day,” said Davis. “What I like about Paul is that he’s changed his body and become really explosive. He can finish with both his right and left hands, and he’s another guy who can guard multiple positions. I think that he’s going to get a chance to show how good he really is.”
Sechan walked on to the team two seasons ago and has added some depth to the Bison backcourt. He has improved his game every year thus far and gives his teammates a good look in practice.
“Jordan is a good ball-handler, and he pushes our guys to get better every day,” said Davis.
Sophomores Andrew Funk, Walter Ellis and Kahliel Spear all showed positive signs as rookies a year ago, and with a full year under their belts should all be in line for increased roles in 2019-20.
In particular, Funk appears poised to take over for Mackenzie at the shooting guard spot. He brings great size to the position at 6’5”, and as his confidence grew late last season, so did his production. Funk averaged 4.7 points per game overall but upped that mark to 5.6 in league play, highlighted by a 21-point game against Lafayette.
“I think that last year Andrew showed flashes of what he can be,” said Davis. “He’s got really good size and can shoot the ball with deep range. He can put the ball on the floor, he’s vocal, and he brings great energy every day.”
Ellis is a very aggressive offensive player who showed last season that he is not afraid to come off the bench hunting for buckets. He played in 27 games off the bench last season and knocked down 13 3-pointers, and he could be in line for an expanded role in the rotation this year.
“Walter is another guy with great size and strength and ability,” said Davis. “He can really shoot the ball. I think with the way the team was built last year, it was hard for him to get in a rhythm so he didn’t entirely show what he’s capable of.”
Spear played in 14 games as a frontcourt reserve last season and tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots in 33 minutes.
“Kahliel has improved tremendously over the last year,” said Davis. “He came in at about 180 pounds, and he’s now at about 210. He’s really, really long and has Kawhi Leonard-type hands. He’s very athletic and score in the post or put the ball on the floor.”
Each of the four members of the first-year class has impressed the coaching staff in various ways throughout the preseason. Xander Rice, the son of former North Carolina standout and current Mon-mouth head coach King Rice, is poised to see significant minutes in the backcourt rotation with Sotos and Funk. Rice started his high school career at legendary St. Anthony in Jersey City, where he played for two years and started as a sophomore for Hall-of-Fame coach Bob Hurley. After the school closed, Rice played at Mater Dei Prep as a junior and then at The Patrick School (formerly known as St. Pat-rick), the alma mater of Kyrie Irving.
“Xander has obviously grown up around the game, and he has also played in some of the best high school programs in the country,” said Davis. “Not only has he been well-coached, but he has been going up against good players every day. For a freshman, he is really consistent. He does a great job pushing the ball, he can make shots, he can get in the lane, and he can guard. We’re going to need him to do a little bit of everything for us.”
Malachi Rhodes is a 6’8” forward from a top-notch Wheeler High School program in Georgia. His most immediate impact could be on the glass, where he is a tenacious rebounder at both ends. Rhodes has also worked hard on refining his offensive game, and he should be able to give the Bison quality minutes.
“Malachi was really well-coached in high school, and like Bruce and some of our other guys he is a versatile athlete,” said Davis. “He can guard multiple positions, he is a relentless rebounder, and he can step out and make some threes as long as he is taking the right ones. He also has good footwork in the post.”
Also looking to make an impact at one of the forward positions is Jake van der Heijden, who like Meeks is a lefty from the basketball-rich state of North Carolina.
“Jake has a Zach Thomas-type conscience when it comes to shooting the ball,” said Davis. “It doesn’t matter what anyone says, he’s got faith in his shot and he’s going to let it fly. He makes them at a very high rate. There could be some games where he goes out there and puts up a lot of points in a short period of time. He’s a very good athlete, especially vertically. He can get up and finish on people.”
Alex Timmerman adds even more size and strength to the front court. He averaged less than a re-bound shy of a double-double at Crystal Lake High School in Illinois, where he showed skill at both ends of the floor.
“Alex moves his feet really well, which you might not think when you see how big he is,” said Davis. “But he does move well, he’s good in the post, and defensively he can get around guys and get them off of their spots. He can step out and make shots and he’s a very good passer. He’s got to get better at learning how to use angles, like most guys do at that age, and his game will continue to become more polished just with the opportunity to play and practice and get more experience.”
Once again this season, Bucknell will be tested with a difficult non-conference schedule. After appearing in holiday tournaments in Honolulu and Las Vegas in the previous two seasons, this year the Bison will participate in the NIT Season Tip-Off. The event starts with campus-site games at Penn State and Syracuse, followed by a four-team mid-major tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Bucknell takes on Seattle in the opener, and then either Yale or Western Michigan the following day.
The Bison have an attractive non-conference home schedule, featuring traditionally strong mid-majors Vermont, Hofstra, Princeton and Albany. Bucknell will face four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference teams on the road – Fairfield, Canisius, Rider and Siena – and the non-league slate wraps up on Dec. 28 at The Palestra in Philadelphia.
“I think our non-conference schedule is really exciting for our fans and for our players, although I don’t know that I’m overly excited about some of them,” Davis quipped. “But in all seriousness a big reason why our guys came to school at Bucknell was to get a great education and to play a high level of basketball while competing to win championships. Because of how our program has become established, we are going to play really good teams. I look at our schedule and I don’t see anyone that we can’t beat, and I don’t see anyone where we are going to be able to just show up and win either. At the end of the day we have to win the Patriot League Tournament to go where we want to go, and I want to make sure that we are exposed to a lot of different things so that we can spend all year improving on those areas, and so that we are not fooled into thinking that we are better than we really are.”
The Patriot League slate starts on Jan. 2 at home against Army and wraps up with a Leap Day game at Boston University. Colgate brings back nearly all of its production from last year’s title squad, and the Raiders were selected as the preseason favorite this year, followed by Bucknell and American.
Bucknell’s run of five straight regular-season titles, which is the second-longest in the nation behind Gonzaga’s seven straight, suggests that the Bison come in to each new season with a high level of confidence. Davis said that those expectations are certainly in order this year, but also cautions that success must be earned.
“I don’t think that anyone comes to Bucknell without the expectation of competing for championships, but I think the challenge year in and year out is making sure the players understand that just because it’s happened before doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again,” Davis said. “You have to earn it every day in the way that you compete, the way that you carry yourself, the way that you play, and what kind of teammate that you are. Those are all things that successful teams do. It doesn’t just happen because you’re wearing a uniform. We know that every night we are going to get the other team’s best shot. Certainly we have enough talent to put ourselves in position to hang another banner, but we have to earn it.”
