Bucknell Men's Basketball Season Preview

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As head coach Nathan Davis prepares for his seventh season at the helm of the Bucknell men's basketball team, the excitement in his voice is palpable as he talks about his 2021-22 squad.

With only one senior on the roster in standout guard Andrew Funk, this will no doubt be a young Bison team. Like many Division I basketball programs in these uncertain times, Bucknell has experienced some roster flux over the last two seasons, but while he predicts some ups and downs inherent with a young team, Davis loves the makeup of this year's group.

A year ago, not only was the team's on-court time curtailed by pandemic restrictions, but the players were not able to socialize in groups away from Sojka Pavilion. This year, the entire team was on campus for several weeks this summer, and that bonding time has resulted in a tight-knit, unselfish squad.

"The energy and togetherness of this team is as good as I have seen in my time at Bucknell," said Davis. "This group has worked extremely hard and they hold each other accountable in a positive way. We have the skill and talent to be successful, but it's really going to come down to how we handle adversity. That's key for every team out there, regardless of how many guys are back. If we can do that as well as I think we are capable of, we can have a special season."

Andrew Funk

Funk and junior point guard Xander Rice are the team's co-captains and the lone returning starters from last year's squad that played only 12 games in a COVID-disrupted year. Sophomore seven-footer Andre Screen seems poised to take over the starting center role, and junior frontcourt men Malachi Rhodes, Alex Timmerman and Jake van der Heijden will need to make a leap from role players to prominent figures. Sophomore guard Josh Adoh will likely jump into the rotation after barely getting his career started last spring due to injury and COVID shutdowns, and four first-year players have all shown plenty of promise during preseason workouts.

"Our guys have really embraced the idea that the star of our team is the open man," said Davis. "We have plenty of guys who can score, and there is a trust in one another that you need to be successful. Nobody cares who our leading scorer is as along as we win the game. Defensively, we have good size and athleticism, but most importantly the guys are really playing with pride at that end of the floor."

Davis is also eager to play another challenging non-conference schedule, something that has become a tradition at Bucknell. Those tough tests were sorely missed last season, when the Bison jumped straight into Patriot League play. Normally after 12 games, the coaching staff has a good idea of the team's strengths and weaknesses and can make adjustments going into the conference schedule, but last year after 12 games the season was over.

Davis notes that dynamic when talking about talented sophomores Screen and Adoh. "They are really like second-semester freshmen," he says.

"Our non-conference schedule is even more important this year because of what we missed last year," said Davis, whose team opens the season at North Carolina State on Nov. 9 and will play in the Cancun Challenge during Thanksgiving week. "These games give us a chance to have our weaknesses exposed and give us a good, honest look at ourselves. Of course we want to win every game, but our ultimate goal is to be Patriot League champions."

Much of the on-court leadership will fall on Funk's shoulders, and the team's only senior is relishing the "older brother" role. Funk was the team's second-leading scorer last spring at 12.9 points per game, and he ranked fifth in the Patriot League in minutes played at nearly 34 per night. A two-time member of the Academic All-Patriot League Team, Funk is a weapon in the backcourt at 6'5" with deep shooting range.

"Andrew is our only guy left who has played for a championship, and we are really going to rely on his experience," Davis said of Funk, who was a rotation player as a freshman on the 2018-19 squad that lost at Colgate in the Patriot League final. "He is such a steady presence in terms of his everyday effort and performance. The younger guys see how hard he works, and they know how much he wants to get us back to that championship level."

Rice has seen the most game time among the four-man junior class, and his freshman-to-sophomore leap was significant. He played in all 34 games as a backup guard as a freshman, and then last spring he shined as the starting point guard. Rice averaged 10.5 points per game, including a 23-point performance at Lafayette, he was one of only three guards in the Patriot League to shoot 50 percent from the field, and he committed only 18 turnovers in 12 games.

Xander Rice

"I'd say Xander made one of the biggest jumps from his freshman to his sophomore year that I've seen," praised Davis. "He has a chance to be one of the better guards in the league. He's playing with a ton of confidence. He is strong off the dribble and has really improved his shot, and most importantly the guys really respect him on and off the court."

Rhodes, Timmerman and van der Heijden have all followed similar career arcs to this point. All have been role players for the most part, but all three are going to be needed to play significant minutes up front this season. Davis notes that all three have worked extremely hard in the weight room, and as juniors they have the size and skill to be a strong collective group.

"Malachi brings a ton of energy every day, and he is all about the team and whatever it takes to win a game," said Davis. "He has expanded his perimeter game and can score with his back to the basket, and defensively he can guard multiple positions, which allows us to play him in a bunch of different spots. Alex is very strong and very skilled offensively. He does a great job using his body to create an advantage, and he can shoot it from three. Jake has a different skill set from our other big men. He is super-talented at the offensive end with tremendous range. He has improved his ability to put the ball on the floor, which should help him score in different ways."

Screen got a taste of Division I basketball last spring, and he came back this year bigger and stronger. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 19 minutes per game a year ago, and he shot 60.7 percent from the field while leading the team in blocked shots with 15 in 10 appearances.

Andre Screen

"Andre is just enormous, and he is really talented," said Davis. "He has good mobility for a man of his size. He moves his feet well laterally and gets off his feet quickly. He has a great touch around the rim and he makes good decisions with the ball. The guys are not afraid to throw it into him in the post because he is so reliable. He can score, he can get to the foul line, and he is also a very good passer out of the post. At seven feet tall, he can obviously impact the game at the defensive end with his shot-blocking ability."

Also representing the sophomore class is Bulgarian guard Alek Delev, who joined the squad as a walk-on last year.

"Alek is a great young man who competes every day to make us a better team," said Davis.

Davis is very high on his freshman class, which is comprised of four talented and hard-working newcomers with a variety of tools. All four have played against high-level competition, and Davis feels that their energy and coachability will help them contribute quickly.

In the backcourt, Josh Bascoe and Elvin Edmonds IV both come from outstanding high school programs, and they have both carried themselves like veterans early on.

"Josh is strong and athletic with deep range," said Davis. "He handles the ball really well, which enables him to create good shots for himself and others. Elvin is coming off a high school state championship, and he is just accustomed to winning. He has a quiet demeanor, but he is a natural leader. He is really fast with the ball and can shoot it from deep. He is crafty in the lane with his finishes, and he has the makings of a good defender."

Ian Motta and Brock Newton have both brought energy and toughness to the forward position. Motta, a Puerto Rico native who played at powerful Allen High School in Texas, is a 6'6" wing with a long wingspan and deep shooting range. Newton, who like Bascoe hails from Canada, played against top competition with Toronto Basketball Academy, and he gives the Bison even more quality depth at the 4 spot.

"Ian is a big wing with very good athleticism," said Davis. "He can score at all three levels, he is a very good shooter, and he works extremely hard at the defensive end. Ian has a chance to be really good. Brock is a tough, skilled 4 man with a good knack for the game. He's already one of our best offensive rebounders, and he just finds a way to get the job done."

Players Mentioned

Josh Adoh

Josh Bascoe

Alek Delev

Elvin Edmonds IV

Andrew Funk

Ian Motta

Brock Newton

Malachi Rhodes

Xander Rice

Andre Screen

Alex Timmerman

Jake van der Heijden

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