The Brescia men’s basketball team kicks off their 2019-2020 campaign today, and expectations are high following an overall successful season last year.
The Bearcats are on the road for their season opener at Crowley Ridge College at 6 p.m. in Arkansas.
Last season the Bearcats grew as a program and received votes nationally, finishing ranked in the top 50 in several NAIA categories.
This year, Brescia wants to prove they are better than the sixth-place ranking they received in the River States Conference preseason poll.
“Our number one goal is making it to [NAIA] nationals,” said Kayode Daboiku (SR, Cincinnati, Ohio). “We want to win the whole conference, not just our side, we want to be number one.”
Noah Cunningham (JR, Madisonville, Ky.) said it will take work throughout the year to reach their ultimate goal
“In order to get to those goals, we have to have smaller goals that we must achieve first,” he said. “I think a main goal that we have to focus on is coming together.”
Head Coach Brian Skortz cited the team’s non-conference schedule, experience and maturity as large factors that will help the Bearcats contend for the RSC Championship.
“We play anybody anywhere, and we’re going to some very key tournaments with really good [non-conference] competition that will absolutely help us when we get to RSC play,” he said. “We return eight individuals who were in our rotation last year and in this conference, it’s shown that the teams that have had that experience have done very well.”
Daboiku is the lone returning senior, while returning juniors include Cunningham, Tristen Murray (JR, Bowling Green, Ky.), Dylan Beckham (JR, Bowling Green, Ky.) and Damontae Barnhill (JR, Madisonville, Ky.).
Skortz said Murray (11.6 points per game) and Barnhill (8.4 points per game, 84 percent FT) as players who will be counted on to do more this season.
In addition to the six sophomores who will be back, the Bearcats recruited 12 transfers/freshmen who will compete for playing time.
Skortz believes that the freshman class could help provide the team a spark — both in games and in practice — to help build the team’s chemistry.
“We have improved our team quickness and athletic ability,” he said. “We just need to continue to grow in practice and trust one another on the defensive side of the floor. We will be able to score and we will be an exciting team to watch once we learn about one another and the team chemistry.”
Important dates to know:
Oct. 10 – home opener against Martin Methodist
Nov. 16 – at NCAA D1 Murray State University
Dec. 3 – at Asbury University for RSC opener
WOMEN’S TEAM LOOKING FOR GROWTH, COMMITMENT
The season began Saturday with a road loss, and the Lady Bearcats will look to back Tuesday at Georgetown.
The team was voted 11th out of 13 in the River States Conference preseason poll, but head coach Mike Gray is hoping for a better finish.
“I’m very excited for this upcoming season,” she said. “I’m looking forward to these ladies producing this year, and hopefully we’ll have a successful season.”
Gray mentioned that building chemistry is one of the biggest things the team will need to work on after adding 10 new players in their latest recruiting class.
“We have to commit to the team,” he said. “We have to commit to what we have to do as teammates and coaches. I’d like to have a little bit more chemistry on the basketball court and more communication.”
Cassidy Moss (JR, Marion, Ky.) and Riley Collins (SO, Irvington, Ky.) both emphasized that better play within the conference is a key focus for the team this season.
“The competition is growing and the conference is getting bigger, so we just have to start being more competitive towards each other,” Moss said.
Said Collins: “Last year we didn’t start off so strong and it really caught up with us, so this year it’s really important that we start off faster and stronger.”
Important dates to know:
Nov. 5 – at NCAA DI University of Evansville
Nov. 9 – home opener against St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
Dec. 3 – at Asbury University for RSC opener
