Starters:
Larenz Thurman (#13)
Guard
six-foot-one
185 lbs.
junior
Wilmington,DE
Philadelphia Electric and Tech High School
Cuyahoga Community College
Thurman was second team all-conference and the team MVP for the top rated Junior College team in the country last season. His new teammates are impressed right out of the gate with what Thurman brings to the team.
Teammate Mario Lawson spoke about Thurman as a leader on the court:
" Larenz is a great floor general. If I could compare him to an NBA player it would be someone like CP 3 (Chris Paul) or Rondo (Rajon Rondo.) Larenz can shoot the ball pretty well. He has a really high basketball IQ. Played for the the #1 Juco team in the country last season at Tri-C," Lawson said.
On his energy:
" We have some new guys in Larenz, Isaiah, and Kameron (Harris) who are very inspiring. It is inspiring to add guys who are this hungry to our team,"Lawson mentioned.
Coach Tim Koenig spoke a little about the curveball that was thrown at him early in the season:
"Larenz and Jake Sala are going to be a big part of what we do as a team. They are both coming off injuries, but as long as Larenz is healthy he will be our starting point guard this season," Koenig said.
Pete's Take:
Thurman will be the engine that makes this team go. It is imperative that he stay healthy, as he will be the floor general who directs this team.
Isaiah Sanders (#10)
Guard
six-foot-six
185 lbs.
freshman
Sickerville,NJ
Timber Creek High School
Sanders had a solid high school career at Timber Creek High School in New Jersey. His new teammates have some very complimentary things to say about his ability. Here are a few comments:
"We will have a lot more depth at the guard position than we had last season." Will Vorhees said.
"Isaiah has really matured a lot already since he stepped foot on campus," Mario Lawson said.
"Isaiah can jump out of the gym. He is one of the best athletes I have ever seen. Another thing that he will really help with that we struggled with last season is that he is a really good rebounder for a guard." Drew Scarberry stated.
Pete's Take:
Sanders has great athletic ability. He will add another element to this team that we did not really have last season. He will help a lot with the drive and kick game.
Halil Parks (#24)
Guard
six-foot-two
170 lbs.
sophomore
Arlington, Va.
Wakefield High School
Parks was a big part of the team last season as a freshman, although injuries kept him on the sidelines for a good portion of the season. Parks played in 19 games and started 10 a year ago. He was third on the team in scoring at 13.2 points per game, and second on the team assists at 3.2 per contest. He shot 46 percent from the floor as he averaged 27 minutes per night. He was also third on the team in steals with 14. Parks nailed three clutch free throws with the team down three at Urbana on January 20th in a game that the Falcons would eventually win in overtime.
Vorhees talked about what Parks brought to the team last season:
"HP helped the team a lot his freshman year. He was one of our main go to guys on offense. He is also one of our quicker and most important guys on the defensive end."
Kameron Harris agreed:
"HP is big for us. One thing that he does not get as much credit for as he should is that he can really knock down shots."
Pete's Take:
Parks proved his value to this team last season. He will be another key cog in what they do. He will be especially important on the defensive end. The team will benefit greatly from having more depth at the guard position this year.
Angelo Cugini (#34)
Forward
six-foot-seven
232 lbs.
redshirt senior
Akron,OH
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Played in 27 games and made 25 starts last season. Was fourth on the team in scoring at 11.3 per game and averaged a team leading 8.1 rebounds a night. Was fourth in the Mountain East Conference in total rebounding average and was fifth in the league in offensive rebounds per game. Shot 51 percent from the field on the season. Had six double-doubles. Scored a season high 19 points versus Urbana on January 20th.
Teammate Will Vorhees talked about battling Angelo in practice everyday:
"Angelo is our bruiser. He is not the tallest guy or the biggest guy but he can rebound with the best of them. He is a really smart player who has been around the block with this being his fifth year." Vorhees said.
Scarberry spoke about his toughness:
" Angelo played his butt off last season!"
Pete's Take:
Cugini is the hard-nosed guy that will always be a fan favorite. He can get you a rebound at anytime when you need it. Look for a big year from him this season.
Will Vorhees (#41)
Forward
six-foot-eight
240 lbs.
redshirt senior
Lima,OH
Columbus Grove High School
Vorhees red shirted last season after playing in just three games. He averaged 24.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a night before his season ending injury.
Cugini spoke about what it means to have Vorhees back this season:
"It is huge to have Will back this season. We can work the ball inside-out with Will on the floor. Everyone in the country knows what a player he is."
Sanders agreed:
" Will does everything on the floor so well. From rebounding to passing and everything in between, he is a big piece of our puzzle."
No one knows better about Vorhees' importance to the team than coach Tim Koenig. He had this to say about the return of the All-American:
"Will is a hell of a player and a great guy. It is so nice to see the appreciation he has for playing and being with the guys everyday. Will makes everyone around him better. It is great to see him smiling again. Everyone felt his loss from top to bottom last season,"Koenig said.
Scarberry added his thoughts on Vorhees:
" Will is a machine down low. He will average a double-double easily. We obviously have other pieces but he is our main guy. He is our anchor on defense and it is huge to have him back," Scarberry said.
Vorhees gave some insight on what last season was like for him:
"Last season was a lot different for me. It was tough. I could not be out there and help my teammates the way that I wanted to. I had to find other ways to help. Whether it was to help the coaches out- cheer on my teammates- get teammates water at halftime. It was tough for me though." Vorhees said.
On his expectations for this season:
" Winning the MEC is always this team's first goal. Anything short of that is a disappointment. Peaking at the right time is a big part of it as well," Vorhees added.
Pete's Take:
It is no secret what having Vorhees back means to this team. Everyone in the program and around the country knows it. He is an All-American for a reason and will prove it with his play on the court. The experience of what he went thru last season will just make him better.
Bench:
Daniel Lott (#1)
Guard
six-foot-two
185 lbs.
junior
Cleveland,OH
Brooklyn High School
Lorain Community College
Was all-conference and all-academic at Lorain Community College.
Angelo Cugini described Lott's game this way:
"Dan is a scrappy guard. He is the guy you want to have on your team and you do not want to play against him. He can make you pay with his shot."
Scarberry gave his take on Lott's game:
" Dan is deceptively quick. He is a lot quicker than he looks. He is a hard-nosed player that can really shoot the ball."
Pete's Take:
Will add to the depth of the guards on this team. Can never have to many guys who can score. Will not play a ton of minutes but his ability to be a hard nosed guy and shoot the ball will get him on the floor this season.
Kameron Harris (#4)
Guard
six-foot-one
185 lbs.
freshman
Amelia,Va.
Amelia Academy
Was named All-State in both his junior and senior seasons. He earned Conference MVP honors last season in basketball.
Harris talked about his expectations for this season:
" I expect the season to be better than last year. Expecting more wins for sure. We will have a chip on our shoulder after last season as well, since we did not make the conference tournament. We need to not only get back to the conference tournament but also to make some noise in it," Harris added.
Mario Lawson spoke about Harris' game:
"Kam has great athletic ability. He will be good at getting to the rim. Opponents will have to game plan against our guards and what they bring, especially in getting to the rim."
On the biggest difference Harris will see from the high school game to college:
"The speed of the game will be a big difference. Although the freshman have done a good job of adjusting to that. We have beat these guys up a little bit in practice," Lawson stated.
Pete's Take:
Harris will add to the depth of the guards. Will be a big piece off the bench for this team. Could be a matchup nightmare for anyone.
Drew Scarberry (#44)
Guard/Forward
six-foot-six
200 lbs.
redshirt junior
Franklin Furnace,OH
Northwest High School
Appeared and started in all 28 games for NDC last season. Was second on the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game. Shot 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line. Was second on the team in steals with 15 and shot 80 percent from the free throw line.
Kam Harris talked about Scarberry both as a teammate and what he brings on the floor:
" Drew is always preaching about the "Band of Brothers" and Brotherhood. He is like a big brother to me since I got here on campus. We hang out both on and off the court. He has taken me under his wing. On the court Drew can be like Steph Curry in how hot he can get shooting the ball. He can make 6-8 shots in a row easily. Then it is harder for other teams to defend us as a team. They have to help on him on defense and that will leave other guys open."
Coach Koenig added his take on Scarberry:
"Scarberry is a guy who may not start for us but he could play a lot of minutes. It is not always about who starts the game but who finishes it," Koenig said.
Pete's Take:
Scarberry is still probably the best pure shooter on the team. He did not shoot the ball as well as he would have liked last season. A big part of the offense will be his ability to make shots so that other guys will get free. The addition of some more athletic guards will help him tremendously.
Hamish Warden (#23)
Forward
six-foot-eight
215 lbs.
freshman
Perth, Western Australia
Guildford Grammar School
Vorhees spoke about Warden:
"Hamish is really athletic. He is a stretch forward who can shoot the ball very well. He will always be a big help on offense, and is a good rebounder as well."
Scarberry added what Warden can do at the other end of the court:
" Hamish is 6-8 or 6-9 and really long. He can lock down the paint. With a guy like him rebounding, we should be a lot better this year."
"Hamish is very skilled," Sanders added.
Pete's Take:
Another big piece to the puzzle of the newcomers. Warden should be a difference maker. Will be nice to have some help defending the paint as that was a major issue last season.
Maurice Carroll (#30)
Forward
six-foot-seven
210 lbs.
freshman
Aberdeen,MD
Cushing Academy
Was on the state championship team at Cushing Academy. Was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Vorhees talked a little about both Warden and Carroll:
" They are two different guys who have two different, unique attributes. They will both help rebound the ball. Hamish is a guy who will stretch the floor with his ability to shoot, while Carroll will utilize his array of post moves and rebounding ability."
Pete's Take:
The team's biggest weakness last year was rebounding. Carroll's rebounding skill will make the team a lot better in that department this year.
Jacob Sala (#20)
Forward
six-foot-nine
218 lbs.
freshman
Lakewood, OH
Lakewood High School
Coach Tim Koenig had this to say about Sala:
" We have 8-10 guys who can start on this team. We will be shuffling guys in and out. He will be a big part of what we do. The fact that you start the game does not necessarily mean you will finish the game."
Bruce Hodges added his insight on Sala:
"Sala is an aggressive-young kid. He is phenomenal around the rim. Wants to win. He is in the gym trying to get his body better." Hodges mentioned.
Maurice Carroll spoke about Sala as well:
"Sala is a good player. He has a lot of potential. He is very good down low." Carroll added.
Pete's Take:
Sala will be another great addition to this team. Will have more since up front this year. Being a local kid from Lakewood, some of the fans may already know him from his high school playing days.
Cole Hayes (#11)
Guard/Forward
six-foot-six
185 lbs.
sophomore
Ridgecrest, California
Burroughs High School
Played in all 28 games and made nine starts last season. Scored 5.6 points per game. Was third on the team shooting at a 79 percent clip from the free throw line. Grabbed 2.3 rebounds per game.
Cugini spoke about Hayes and his rebounding last season:
" Cole was one of our better rebounders last season. The guards struggled on the boards but Cole was a plus in that area for us."
Harris spoke about Hayes:
" Having Cole back this season is important. He learned a lot last year from what he has told me. He is a guy who can knock down shots as well.
Scarberry talked about his fight:
" Cole is a fighter. He is very tenacious in practice and in the game. He learned a lot from last season, as we all did."
Pete's Take:
Hayes learned a lot from last season. When he gets hot he can score with anybody. He is a very talented sophomore.
Dan Atcheson (#2)
Guard
five foot ten
185 lbs.
senior
Brisbane,Australia
Marist College Ash Grove
Played in eight games last season. Scored two points- had three rebounds and two assists for the year.
Cugini talked about his improvement since he arrived on campus:
" Dan has made an unbelievable improvement from when he got on campus to now. He is a leader both on and off the court."
Scarberry agreed:
"Dan Atcha works his tail off every day. He knows his role. He may not be in the starting five or play a lot but he will make the most out of every one of his opportunities. He is one of the vocal leaders on this team both on and off the court."
Pete's Take:
Atcheson is one of the captains of this team for a reason. Has made great strides since his freshman year.
Bruce Hodges III(#3)
Guard
six-foot-two
177 lbs.
junior
Lima,OH
Lima Perry High School
Dodge Community College
Was a team captain for Dodge City last season. His freshman year he played at Tri-C on a team that went 28-3.
Coach Koenig talked about the unique way that Hodges chose NDC:
"Bruce surprises me both on and off the court. First of all he called us. He had known both Will and Larenz from AAU ball. He gave us a huge lift on the defensive end in our scrimmage against Malone. He really surprised me with his defensive tenacity. He won't light up the box score but we are happy to have him here."
Pete's Take:
Hodges will be a good addition to this team. Anybody who seeks out what they want to do will most likely be successful.
Out With Injury:
Levi Frankland (#25)
Guard
six-foot-four
175 lbs.
sophomore
Queensland,Australia
Hillcrest Christian Community College
Played in 23 games and made 14 starts last season. Averaged 8.8 points and 2.3 rebounds a game in 25 minutes per contest. Shot 42 percent from the field.
Scarberry spoke about what Levi brought last season:
"Levi stepped up for us last year. When we had a lot of injuries he stepped up. Unfortunately he is not healthy right now, but it will be big when he comes back."
Pete's Take:
Frankland was a guy who scored last season when the team desperately needed offense. He will be out for at least a month with an injury. Could be a big lift when he gets back.
Redshirts:
Jack Kelsheimer
Guard
six-foot-two
190 lbs.
junior
Westlake, OH
Cornerstone Christian Academy
Played in 27 games and made one start last season. Averaged 2.6 points per game and shot 42 percent from the field, along with 39 percent from the 3-point line. Also added eight steals.
Teammate Isaiah Sanders spoke of where Kelsheimer will be missed most:
" Jack is a guy who is a key part of our team on the defensive end."
Pete's take: Kelsheimer will be missed on the defensive end. The team will also really miss his ability to shoot from the 3-point line. He is redshirting after tearing his ACL and MCL in practice prior to the season.
Mario Lawson (#0)
Forward
six-foot-four
195 lbs.
sophomore
Cleveland,OH
James Ford Rhodes High School
Lorain Community College
Transferred from Lorain Community College after one season.
Sanders talked about what Lawson will being to the program:
"Mario is really athletic. He is one of the better athletes on our team."
Harris agreed and added some more insight:
" Not only is Mario athletic but he is always active as well."
Pete's Take:
Lawson will use his athleticism and it will help this team in practice. Will learn a few things by redshirting this season.
Tariq Brown
Guard/Forward
six-foot-five
191 lbs.
freshman
Columbus,OH
Eastmoor Academy
Was the Defensive Player Of The Year at Eastmoor last season.
Sanders talked about what Brown can help with on this team:
" Tariq can rebound!"
Harris spoke about some of his other attributes:
"Tariq is six-foot-six and long. He is really athletic as well.
Pete's Take:
Another athletic guy who is long, who will help the team in the long run. Good to have some depth this season.
Practice Squad:
Brandin Tucker
Forward
six-foot-three
South Euclid,OH
Brush High School
Jake Sala talked about Tucker's role:
"Brandin is a teammate that you need to have. He is energetic and funny."
Pete's Take:
Is a local kid who will get a shot on the practice squad this season.
Brian Henderson
Guard
five-foot-nine
sophomore
Kenston,OH
Kenston High School
Sala gave this thoughts on Henderson as well:
"Brian is a hard worker. He does a lot of stuff that people do not notice. He does everything in practice that everyone else does, and is just a really hard worker." Sala added.
Pete's Take:
Another local kid from Ohio who will get a shot as a practice squad player.
(No picture available)
Phillip Bessick
Forward
six-foot-three
190 lbs.
redshirt sophomore
Maple Heights,OH
Villa Angelo Saint Joseph's High School
Played for VASJ. Was on the state championship team of 2015.
Sala Spoke about Bessick as well:
"Phil was the first person I met when I got here. He is a really hard worker and a good kid."
Pete's Take:
The pipeline to NDC has always been open to good players from the area. Bessick took advantage of that this season.
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