GAME INFORMATION
Millersville at Ohio Valley
Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 - 8 p.m.
Vienna, W.Va.

Millersville vs. Glenville State
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 - 2 p.m.
Vienna W.Va.

MEDIA INFORMATION
Audio Broadcast (MSBN)
Live Stats

GAME INFORMATION
Complete Game Notes
Preseason Prospectus

2012-13 SEASON OUTLOOK
Millersville basketball and 15th-year head coach Fred Thompson are not used to missing the postseason and sub-.500 basketball. That's why the last four seasons have been so difficult. For a program that's won 10 PSAC Championships (two under Thompson) and reached the NCAA Tournament 11 times since 1985 (four appearances under Thompson), the expectation is refreshingly simple: win.

The Marauders are coming off of a nine-win season in 2011-12, but with four double-figure scorers and an inside-outside balance that rivals any in the PSAC East, the expectation is much closer to becoming reality than it has been in the last couple of years.

Guards Larry Grant and Anthony Coleman and post players Elijah Obade and Jaymes Miller accounted for more than 63 percent of its scoring and 66 percent of its rebounding from a year ago.  Millersville, in fact, hasn't had four starters return since the 2007-08 season when the likes of Charlie Parker, Reggie Bates, Bernard Brown and Rayquan Miles won 22 games and reached the NCAA East Regional final.

With that kind of familiarity with the lineup, Thompson can't be blamed for being optimistic.

“We are very comfortable with the core we have back,” said Thompson. “They've been here, they know what we are up against, and they've played against some really good competition for the last couple of years.”

The quartet has combined for 175 games played and 113 starts of the last two seasons. Not only are the players now more experienced having gone through the rigors of a PSAC schedule, but the leadership is more evident.

“Their leadership really shows,” said Thompson. “We use the term 'good cop, bad cop.' Elijah is the bad cop. He does the yelling. Larry is the calming influence. Anthony is in between. But Elijah is the guy that gets the other players going. He gets on them. He knows what I expect of the team. Larry pats them on the back and keeps them up.”

The Marauders also return sub Brandon Brown, who according to Thompson has improved his shot immensely. Junior Kemar Williams sat out the 2011-12 season but is the likely back-up to Grant at point guard.

Two incoming transfers are also expected to make an instant impact. Junior Brandon Belt averaged 9.1 points per game last season at Gannon, and York, Pa., native Nate Bollinger comes from Delaware Valley College where he averaged 18.1 points per game.

Millersville's journey begins Friday at Ohio Valley University and runs through a stacked PSAC Eastern Division that includes the reigning PSAC Champion East Stroudsburg and veteran Bloomsburg, West Chester and Kutztown squads.

“It's always difficult in the PSAC,” said Thompson. “Our concern is getting through the Eastern Division, and for the first time in a while I really feel like we've got a shot.”

GUARD
Grant, a 6-2 senior, and Coleman, a 6-2 junior, are back in the starting lineup. Grant shifted from the shooting guard to the point guard position during the 2011-12 season and acclimated himself quickly despite the change in roles. A potent scorer who led the team with 13.0 points per game, he became the first Marauder since 1989 to average at least 13 points and five assists per game. He also recorded three double-doubles with points and assists. Four times he scored 20 points.

While he can and most certainly will score, the coaches are asking Grant to be sure to involve his teammates like he did in his 13-point, 11-assist performance against West Chester or his 19-point, 10-assist effort against Cheyney.

“Larry has to understand that he doesn't have to take over a game himself by scoring,” said Thompson. “He has other scorers around him. If he can get them the ball, they can help him win games. I think at times last year, Larry wasn't confident the other guys could score so he took it upon himself to try to score. He understands now that we have good players out there.”

One of those players is Coleman, who emerged as an efficient and versatile combo-guard last season. He averaged 10.8 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field. He also ranked second on the team in rebounds and steals. Coleman will be one of three guards in the lineup, essentially playing the small forward position. He may be undersized for that role, but he more than makes up for it in skill and smarts.

“He's our best defender and our best IQ guy,” said Thompson. “He catches on to the offenses and defenses very fast—faster than anyone I've ever coached besides Charlie Parker. He's shooting the ball well; he takes it to the basket well. He's starting to come on right now which is what we need. He'll play the small forward for us, but he can get inside and even play the (power) forward for us because of his IQ and understanding of the game. I wouldn't be surprised to see him playing some point guard for us. He's our utility guy that can score and do a little bit of everything.”

Slotting into the starting lineup will be either the 6-1 Belt or the 6-2 Bollinger. Both players should infuse the Marauder offense with a 3-point shooting consistency that it sorely lacked last season when it shot just 29.3 percent from three. Belt made 51 3-pointers to lead Gannon, and Bollinger ranked second in the Freedom Conference with 2.1 3-pointers pre game. 

“Brandon is tough,” said Thompson. “He played at Gannon, and they teach toughness up there. He can put the ball on the floor. He can play some point guard for us, but he can really shoot the ball. He's probably one of the best shooters we've had around here in a while.”

At Delaware Valley, Bollinger scored 8.6 points per game as a freshman on a NCAA Tournament team, and then scored double figures in 23-of-25 games as a sophomore. He set a school record in January, dropping 50 points on Wilkes University.

“You score 50 points in a game, I don't care where it was, you can put the ball in the basket,” said Thompson. “Nate and Belt are going to stretch the floor for us.”

Williams will spell Grant at the point guard position and gives Thompson another ball-handler and a feisty defensive presence.

“We aren't going to get a lot of scoring out of him, but he's going to distribute the ball,” said Thompson. “He's also a heck of a defensive player that will drive a lot of point guards crazy.”

Brown, a 6-3 swingman, also gives the Marauders some versatility. He played in 18 games a year ago, but Thompson has been impressed with his play in practice and scrimmages, saying that he, like Belt and Bollinger, will stretch the floor with his shooting.

Kyle Richardson, a 6-4 freshman from Baldwin, N.Y., is skilled and athletic, but Thompson will bring him along slowly. He was his conference's player of the year as a senior in high school.

FORWARD/CENTER
The only true center on the roster is the 6-9 Obade, and he is primed for a breakthrough season. He led the PSAC in rebounding and blocked shots in 2011-12. His 9.8 boards per game were the most by a Marauder since 1989, and he was the first Marauder to lead the PSAC in blocked shots since 1996. He also improved his scoring from 5.7 points per game to 11.5.

Obade is strong and athletic. He grabbed a PSAC-leading four offensive rebounds per game but runs the floor well, and his offensive game continued to develop in the offseason.  While he is important on the offensive end, it is his presence on defense that makes the difference for Millersville.

“We are expecting a lot out of him,” said Thompson. “He's been great. We love the kid. He's been a good leader for us this year. He understands what we want in the system. If we had to pick one kid that's the most important to this team, it's him. It's the little things that he does defensively. He is always in the right spot.”

His ability to protect the basket gives guards like Grant and Coleman the freedom to pressure on the perimeter.

And if Obade doesn't block the shot, it's likely that the 6-6 Miller will. Miller ranked second on the team and eighth in the PSAC in blocked shots with 31 last season. No other duo in the PSAC combined for more blocks. Miller has a plethora of post moves in his repertoire and finishes equally well with his right and left hand. He has averaged 9.4 and 10.7 points per game over each of his first two seasons. His offensive abilities have never been in question, and Thompson has seen his game develop in other areas.

“One big improvement for him is that he's always in the right spot defensively,” said Thompson. “That's a welcome change for us. He had a hard time figuring it out for the first couple years, but he's following Elijah's leadership and getting in the right spot. He'll rebound more, he's always going to score, and he'll even score some more this year.”

With the ability to score, rebound and play defense, it is difficult to imagine a post tandem in the PSAC East that is as well-rounded as Obade and Miller.

“I don't think anyone can stop these two together on the inside,” said Thompson. “That is our objective on the floor: get Elijah and Jaymes going. That's really going to open up the outside.”

Depth is always needed in the post, especially with Obade averaging 3.6 fouls per game, and Miller averaging 3.2 per game last season. The first player off the bench is expected to be sophomore Xavier Mumford. He is aggressive and shines on defense and on the boards.

“You are going to love this kid,” said Thompson. “He's not a great scorer, but he's going to finish around the basket. He's very athletic. He has long arms, gets in the passing lanes and blocks shots. He's very active. He grabs offensive rebounds like crazy and gives us extra possessions. He said to me 'Coach, if you need me to guard a guard, let me know, because I can guard anybody.' That's what we love about him. He's learning the system, but he's going to be really good for us.”

Kris Bratcher is a 6-5 bruiser that saw time in 16 games last season and can certainly give Obade a rest. Chima Nwakpuda, at 6-5, has raw ability but is feeling his way through his freshman season. He scored over 1,000 points at The Shipley School in Philadelphia. Danny Rodriguez, a 6-5 forward, is a lights-out shooter according to Thompson. He averaged 19.8 points per game in high school. The 6-6 Josh Quartmon has been away from the game for a couple of years, but played for a successful Susquehanna Township program in high school.