A Look Ahead: A Brief look at the Men's Baskteball Team
Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Sports
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Rotunda Reporter
After a 9-22 season, including winning five of their last seven games to end the season, the Longwood Lancers men's basketball team is once again ready to take to the floor for the 2008-2009 college basketball season. This season will mark Longwood's second year as a full-time Division I team.
To accompany two returning starters, sixth-year Head Coach Mike Gillian and the Lancers will also start the season with 11 returning letterwinners from last year. Seniors Ryan Bogan and Kirk Williams will lead the Lancer offense this season. Bogan averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 23 starts last season and was selected as an Independent All-Newcomer Team selection. Kirk Williams, who will be academically ineligible for the first half of the Lancer's season, led the team in scoring with 16.9 points per game to go along with his 6.5 rebounds per game. Williams was an All-Independent First Team selection last season, but will be one the sidelines until at least Dec. 12.
Also returning to the court for the Lancers this season is fifth-year red-shirt junior Dana Smith. Smith played 10 games last season, averaging 10.4 points per game and 4.2 rebounds before ending his season with a knee injury. The Lancers will be looking for Smith to remain 100 percent for the entire season and fill the offensive void that is likely to be left by Williams' absence.
Other notable returning members of the team include juniors Billy Robinson Jr. and Kevin Swecker and sophomore Durann Neil. Swecker was sidelined for much of last season with mononucleosis, but averaged 8.8 points per game and shot 47 percent from the three-point line when he was on the court. Robinson and Neil averaged 4.0 and 4.3 points per game respectively and look to improve upon those numbers this year with more playing time.
Gillian will welcome three new freshmen to the team this year: Antwan Carter from St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan van der Kooij from the Netherlands, and Martiz Washington from Hopewell, Va. These additions will add two new big men in Carter and van der Kooij, to the front court for the Lancers while giving Gillian another option at guard in Washington.
This year's schedule boasts big road games against teams like the University of Kentucky, the University of Florida, and in-state foes Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. At home, the Lancers will tip off against in-state opponent James Madison University and George Washington to headline their 15-game home schedule. This season the Lancers will host the most home games since becoming a full time Division I member at the start of last season. Longwood will open the season at 7 p.m. this Friday night in Willett Hall against Virginia Wise. Friday night's game will be the first of three consecutive home games for the Lancers (Norfolk State, Gardner Webb) before they take to the road for a big game in Morgantown against the West Virginia Moutaineers next week.
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