The Flyers kick the season off against UC-San Diego on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. (CST). They return to action on Saturday night, as they square off against Alaska-Anchorage at 9:30 p.m. (CST) and wrap up the weekend against Dixie State at 1 p.m. (CST).
All three games will be broadcast live on 1340 WJOL with Scott Slocum providing the play-by-play. All three games will have live stats and audio streaming. Video streaming will be available for Sunday’s game against Dixie State.
Romeoville, Ill. - Why not us?
The 2010 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Midwest Regional Championship featured two teams that the Lewis Flyers had defeated during the season in Quincy and Saint Joseph's.
While Lewis fell short in their ultimate goal of a Great Lakes Valley Conference championship and an NCAA Regional bid - the experience factor cannot be denied as Flyers head into the 2010-11 campaign with their sights set on championship hardware.
The Flyers return eight lettermen, including six players who averaged over 21+ minutes-per-game in 2009-10 and return junior forward Lonnie Lawrence (6-foot-5, 215 lbs) to the line-up after the Bloomington, Ill., native missed last year due to a knee injury.
"We are going to be as good as our nucleus is," fifth-year Lewis head men's basketball coach Scott Trost said. "They've all been through the rigors of playing in the GLVC and have worked extremely hard in the off-season to prepare ourselves to be playing in March."
When you combine the experience of the returning players and the exuberance of six newcomers, Trost could have one of his deepest squads in recent memory. Last season, Trost's rotation typically went seven-deep.
"I expect us to be an improved basketball team," Trost said. "We'll have more depth and we'll be more athletic, but only time will tell how good we'll really be."
Trost, however, knows what to expect from senior guard Dennis Thomas, Jr. Thomas, who has started 72 games in three seasons, has a career scoring average of 10.5 points-per-game. The Milwaukee, Wis., native needs just 85 points to reach the 1,000-point plateau for his career. Trost has tabbed the 6-foot-2, 180 pound Thomas as a captain for the 2010-11 season.
"I expect (Dennis) to be an all-conference player like he is capable of," Trost said. "He's been fantastic in practice and individual workouts, playing with an extra gear and a little hop in his step.
"He's driving to the basket, finishing more, and becoming more of a vocal leader," Trost continued. "He's worked extremely hard and it's certainly paying off for him."
Junior point guard Chris McClellan had a breakout season for the Flyers in 2009-10, as he started all 29 games at point guard. The Buffalo Grove, Ill., native led the squad with 14.1 points-per-game and shot a team-best 45.2% (66-for-146) from three-point range on his way to All-GLVC Third Team honors. McClellan, who stands 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, enters this season as the Flyers' all-time leading free throw shooter in school-history, as he has knocked down 89.6% (112-for-125) of his career attempts.
"Chris is the type of player where every time he shoots it, you think it has a chance to go in," Trost said. "He has gotten stronger and improved his ability to get to the basket and his understanding of how we play."
Now a junior, Trost is looking for McClellan to take charge on the court.
"We need (Chris) to be a `coach' on the floor and a vocal leader," Trost said. "That may not be part of his persona but as a point guard he needs to develop that.
"He was a really good player last year and we expect more of the same."
Guard David Bryant wasn't the least bit intimidated in his rookie campaign, as the 6-foot-4, 185 pound sophomore averaged 8.1 points-per-game and shot 44.6% (41-for-92) from three-point range as a freshman.
"David just knows how to play and I'm not sure there is a guy on our team that can guard him," Trost said. "He's going to be in the rotation because he is a tough competitor and isn't afraid to take the big shot."
Last season, as a team, Lewis knocked down 202 three-pointers, which was the third-best mark in school-history. The Flyers return 95.5% of their three-point offense from 2009-10, and it will only be bolstered by the addition of junior sharpshooter David Luster.
Luster, a 6-foot-1, 175 pound guard, comes to Lewis via Johnson County C.C., where he led the Jayhawk Conference in scoring with 20.3 points-per-game, while knocking down 67 trifectas as a sophomore All-Region and All-Conference performer last year.
"David can really score the basketball," Trost said. "He can shoot and if you crowd him, he can go by you and get to the rim.
"You don't lead the Kansas Jayhawk Conference in scoring by accident."
Other Flyers competing for time in the backcourt include sophomore Jordan Barnes (6-foot, 175 lbs), senior Dalonte Burns (6-foot-2, 185 lbs) and freshman Ben Potter (6-foot-3, 195 lbs).
The newfound depth that Lewis' boasts can be felt in the Flyer frontcourt, as Trost has added freshman Mantas Dubauskas and juniors Jeron Lee and Jerome Robinson to the mix, not to mention the return of Lawrence to the line-up.
One of the mainstays for the Flyers, has been 6-10 center Marty Strus. Strus, a junior, has started all 57 games that he has appeared in since 2008. In two seasons, Strus has twice broken the Lewis single-season records for blocks and is averaging 8.4 points and 6.9 rebounds-per-game for his career. As a sophomore, Strus led the Flyers with six double-doubles.
Trost believes that the added depth will help Strus in the long run.
"(Marty) works extremely hard and has a great basketball IQ," Trost said. He runs the floor well, he's a great passer, defender, and rebounder.
"I expect him to be one of the better big men in this league with his experience and intelligence,a big junior season."
Trost is looking to junior forward Matt Toth (6-foot-8, 245 pounds) to have a breakout year after the Orland Park, Ill., native rededicated himself following last season. In two seasons, Toth is averaging 6.2 points and 2.5 rebounds-per-game.
"I challenged (Matt) after last season," Trost said. "He's worked harder than he has before and understands the commitment it takes to be successful at this level.
"He has all the talent in the world," Trost continued. "(Matt) is big, strong, has a good skill level and most of all, he can score."
One of the biggest surprises of the 2009-10 season came in the form of junior forward Justin Jarosz (6-foot-6, 215 lbs). Following Lawrence's injury, Jarosz saw more action on the floor and the Homer Glen, Ill., native responded by averaging 8.6 points-per-game and hauling in 5.1 caroms-per-contest, which was second-best on the squad. Jarosz was equally as adept from three-point range, as he converted 46 trifectas, which was second-best on the team.
"Justin shot the ball well and had some big games for us last year," Trost said. "If he plays with the same sense of urgency and toughness all the time, he'll be a valuable asset to our team at the `3' or `4' spot.
"He's very difficult to defend at the `4' because he can shoot and can make some plays," Trost continued. "He'll be in our rotation and I expect him to be a significant contributor."
Lawrence returns to the Flyers after sitting out last season after suffering the second-season ending knee injury of his career. As a sophomore, Lawrence averaged 6.3 rebounds-per-game, which was the seventh-best in the GLVC.
"It will be good to have (Lonnie) back," Trost said. "He's very athletic and needs to be focused all the time and play with a high energy and positive mindset.
"There's no doubt he can be one of the better rebounders in this league," Trost continued. "His hustle and effort will get us some extra possessions and will be a big asset."
Trost is looking forward to seeing Lee, a 6-foot-5, 170 pound wing, in action. Lee earned Second Team All-Region XI honors as a sophomore, as he averaged 13 points and 7.0 rebounds-per-game to help Southeastern C.C. advance to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. In high school, Lee helped Chicago Marshall win the 2008 3A state championship.
"Jeron is very talented offensively and he has good length and size," Trost said. "He has that scorer's mentality, he can get to the rim and shoot it from three-point range."
Robinson, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound post player, was a key factor in helping Morton College finish 11th overall in the final NJCAA Division I Poll with a school-record 26 victories. As a sophomore, Robinson averaged 12.9 points-per-game and shot 60.0% from the field on his way to First Team All-Skyway Conference honors. As a freshman, Robinson chipped in 12.0 points and 8.1 rebounds-per-contest and was named the Region IV NJCAA Tournament MVP.
"Jerome is a tremendous competitor and has a great work ethic," Trost said. "He gives us another athletic `4' man and he's good at finishing around the basket.
"He gives us something we didn't have last year."
Dubauskas, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward, comes to Lewis from St. Joseph's where he was coached by the legendary Gene Pingatore. A two-time, First Team All-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection, Dubauskas averaged 13 points and six rebounds-per-game for the Chargers on his way to All-State 3A/4A Special Mention accolades as a senior.
"Mantas plays as hard and with as much urgency as anyone around," Trost said. "He doesn't care who is in his way.
"He'll chase down rebounds and he shoots the ball well from 14 to 16 feet," Trost continued. "He has a chance to be a really good player in this league."
Trost knows that there is a fine line between winning and losing, but he knows that his squad needs to do three things in order to be successful. Defend, rebound and don't turn the ball over.
"We need to take that next step from being competitive to being a contender," Trost said. "We need to win the games were supposed to win and defend our home court.
"We have a great chance to be very good the next couple of years," Trost continued. "We know what we have to do."
Why not us?
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