Tigers Take the Court for New Season
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Nov. 12, 2007) – Occidental men's basketball is coming off a 2006-07 season in which they finished 19-6 overall and won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship with a 12-2 record. The Tigers will field a team of seven seniors, a pair of juniors, three sophomores and a freshman for the 2007-08 campaign.
Oxy welcomes back All-SCIAC senior guard Connor Whitman and six fellow seniors including point guard Gemayal McBride and five forwards in Chris Hunt, John Impelman, Henry Meier, Chris Pitcher and Joe Sasich.
The backcourt combo of Whitman and McBride possesses a plethora of talent.
Whitman played an average of 31.5 minutes per game a year ago. In 2006-07 he scored 16.6 points per game after shooting 46.8% from the field, 48.9% from three point range and 79.1% from the line (34-43). Whitman tallied a team high in both assists and steals with 65 and 20, respectively, while adding eight blocks and 3.4 rebounds per game.
McBride finished his junior season with 52 assists, 17 steals, 4.2 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game and a 63.8 field goal percentage.
When asked about the impact that the senior duo will have on this team Newhall said, "Whitman has worked hard to become a complete player. McBride is the team’s defensive stopper and top ball handler.” He went on, “Connor has developed into one of the top guards on the West Coast while Gemayal can dominate a game without scoring a point."
New additions who will make immediate impacts on the Oxy hoops program are 6-foot-10 sophomore transfer, from UC Riverside, Sean Anderson and 6-foot-5 freshman Doug Jordan.
Anderson will make his presence felt as the Tigers’ center. "Sean gives us an interior defensive presence and an is an excellent passer from the high post,” Newhall offered, “ His low post game continues to improve every day.”
Jordan had an impressive pre-season and will aid in the offensive attack while pulling down rebounds as well.
Huston Conti will take over the small forward position after played 17.1 minutes per game, scoring 6.2 points per game with 2.5 rebounds per game and 12 steals a year ago. The 6-foot-2 junior is much improved. Newhall expressed his expectations for Huston saying, “He has the potential to be a consistent double-figure scorer for Oxy over the next two seasons.”
Jordan Schultz saw action in all 23 games in 2006-07. He was a threat from three point range (42.1%), while dishing out 17 assists last season. Newhall defined the junior guard as, “a tremendous three-point shooter who is extremely effective against zone defenses.” He will see increased playing time this season.
Pitcher played 11.6 minutes per game and accounted for six blocks and a 56.3 field goal percentage. The 6-foot-6 senior will step into the power forward spot after adding 15 pounds of muscle to his frame. “He is the most improved player in the Oxy program and is focused on leading the SCIAC in rebounding,” said Newhall.
Also stepping on the court in 2007-08 will be 6-foot-8 sophomore Clark Gordon who spent last season improving his skills on the JV team. Gordon will add rebounding prowess in the coming year.
Rejoining the Tigers is Gyan Alexander, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, who sat out last season with a broken foot. He looks to regain his form as one of the top defenders in the SCIAC.
After battling knee injuries the past two seasons a couple of 6-foot-6 forwards, Sasich and Hunt, are healthy and ready go for their senior campaign. Sasich averaged 12 points per game and 6 rebounds per game in 2005 while Hunt is an active rebounder and explosive perimeter shooter.
A deep, talented bench will help the Tiger's prepare for the first annual SCIAC Post Season Tournament. The senior leadership stems from Meier and Impelman. The pair of forwards add depth on the front line. In limited action Impelman was perfect from the field (5-5) while Meier grabbed 14 rebounds last season.
Absorbing the loss of four starters (much of the offensive production) to graduation is never easy. However, the seven Oxy seniors are determined to defend their 2007 SCIAC title and return to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in six years, continuing the Oxy winning tradition.
The Tigers finished last season ranked # 26 in the nation. Newhall enters his twentieth season and is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season.
Pre-season is history, now it is on to the show. Oxy played three intra-squad scrimmages and three exhibition games in preparation for the upcoming season. Monday night Oxy wrapped things up with a 75-51 victory over the Afghanistan National Team in Rush Gymnasium. On Nov. 4 Occidental lost a close 71-62 game to Division I University of San Diego. The team also played well against Glendale College. Whitman led the charge, posting 29, 24 and 21 points in the three pre-season games.
With the leadership on and off the court the Tigers will be exciting to watch in 2007-08. The season tips off at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Nov. 16, 2007, at West Coast Baptist.
