October 27, 2009
With the 2009-10 campaign on the horizon, the Bluffton University men's basketball team is ready to build on five consecutive winning seasons that have seen the Beavers finish in the top half of the conference in four of the past five years. Despite bidding adieu to five graduating seniors who have been an integral part of the success Bluffton has achieved recently, Coach Neal and his 2009-10 squad have the athleticism and basketball skill set to compete in what promises to be a highly competitive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Large graduating classes are nothing new for a Bluffton men's basketball program that has had at least four seniors depart after four of the past five seasons. Losing seniors to graduation year in and year out is the sign of a solid program and that is again the case at Bluffton as five players who all started a significant amount of games will leave plenty of minutes up for grabs when the Beavers take the floor this season. How quickly the returners adjust to their new roles will likely determine whether the Beavers can continue their ascent into the upper echelon of the HCAC.
A talented 2009-10 sophomore class that saw its minutes gradually increase throughout the 2008-09 campaign has the speed and athleticism to keep Bluffton moving forward. Although the Beavers appear very guard-oriented on paper, the Bluffton ball-handlers are also accomplished at working on the blocks and they know how to get into the paint and create scoring opportunities at the stripe. As they have been during Coach Neal's tenure at Bluffton, the Beavers are adept free throw shooters who relish the opportunity to go to the line in clutch situations.
"Each year presents a unique puzzle that needs to be assembled," stated Coach Neal. With six returners who made sizeable contributions down the stretch in 2008-09, the cupboard is far from bare heading into what promises to be an exciting season. "We have a core group of players who will be asked to fill expanded roles this season." Five straight winning seasons, five straight McDonald's titles and finishing in the top four of the HCAC are just a few examples of the recent success that Bluffton has cultivated under Coach Neal who celebrated his 20th year as head coach of the Beavers in 2008-09.
Providing toughness for the Beavers after earning All-Heartland Conference honors the past two seasons is senior guard Josh Eichar (North Baltimore) who gets it done at both ends of the floor. Eichar routinely paces Bluffton in assists, steals and rebounds while going toe-to-toe with the best playmakers in the conference. Although Eichar did not see any varsity action during his freshman campaign, he has been a mainstay in Bluffton's starting lineup the last two seasons. Seniors Jordan Pothast (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Chris Singleton (Wapakoneta/Ada) are both entering their fourth year in the program and their leadership on and off the court has factored into the rise of Bluffton University men's basketball. A pair of local seniors, Tyler Braidic (Pandora/Pandora-Gilboa) and Adam Burris (Bluffton), gives Bluffton solid depth in the backcourt.
Returning juniors Rob Luderman (Defiance/Ayersville) and Cam Saylor (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) have seen limited varsity action during their first two seasons, but they will both have the opportunity to compete for playing time heading into the 2009-10 campaign. Luderman, who was sidelined due to an injury for part of 2008-09, and Saylor add to Bluffton's wealth of talent at the perimeter positions. Junior transfer A.J. Holman (Arcadia) will get a close look in the pre-season with the departure of post players Nick Wilson and Josiah Stober.
With four freshmen who tasted varsity action a year ago near the top of the depth chart this year, the 2009-10 sophomores will need to mature more quickly than recent underclassmen. They have the talent and athleticism to compete and now it is imperative that consistency and productivity meet potential. In the backcourt, the Beavers have a pair of formidable guards in Nick Lee (Vanlue) and Mychal Hill (London/Jonathan Alder). They split time a year ago, but will likely be on the floor together more this season as Bluffton takes advantage of its smaller roster.
The Beavers' only returning post player, Brent Farley (Lima/Shawnee), moved into the starting lineup late in his freshman campaign and he gave Bluffton an athletic presence who can finish at the rim. Bluffton also returns Nate Heckelman (Norwalk), a sophomore slasher with the athleticism to get to the rack. Other sophomores who will be challenging to see the court on game nights are Steven Swick (Elida) and Orry Moughler (Butler, Ind./Eastside).
A Heartland Conference that has seen the balance of power revolve around Transylvania and Franklin for the past few seasons may be even more balanced in 2009-10. Those schools lost outstanding players to graduation while teams that have struggled to make the post-season tournament return most of their production. In what has become routine, the tournament draw is unable to be completed until the final Saturday of HCAC basketball is in the books.
One experience that the Beavers hope to build on was hosting an HCAC tournament game in Founders Hall last season. The returners accomplished something that just one other Bluffton men's squad had. The Beavers have been in the top half of the HCAC for the past five seasons, but Coach Neal feels that there is more work to be done. "Hosting the HCAC tournament and being in the mix for an NCAA post-season berth are possibilities if we continue to play consistently," quipped Coach Neal. "Losing good productivity each year to graduation is the sign of a good program. We have lost at least four seniors three of the past four years, including four 1,000 point scorers and two HCAC Players of the Year, but the program has continued to move forward and that is what we expect."
-BEAVERS-