MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – New coach. New conference. New season.
It's safe to say that there is a newness surrounding the upcoming men's basketball season at Penn State Harrisburg. The 2013-14 campaign sees a new face take the reins of the men's team in former Division I head coach Don Friday. Friday is a two-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year and his experience will be invaluable as the Lions make the jump from the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) to the highly-competitive Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) this winter.
With the likes of St. Mary's (Md.) and Christopher Newport waiting in the wings, the Blue & White will look to team captains Will Doyle (Franklin, Va. / Tidewater Academy) and Kenny Stone (Philadelphia, Pa. / Scotland) for senior leadership against some of the best competition in the nation. Doyle returns an 11.2 points-per-game scoring average from a year ago and Stone will add his defensive prowess on the other end of the court this season.
Also back are junior starters Joey Farthing (Lancaster, Pa. / Hempfield) and Alberto De Los Santos (Enola, Pa. / East Pennsboro). Both should see expanded roles this season. Junior Joshua Johnson (Franklin, Va. / Southampton), along with sophomores Jamaal Dubose (Bowie, Md. / Bowie) and Kieran Kelley (Coal Township, Pa. / Shamokin Area) add depth at the guard spots while big men in sophomores Jared Deibler (Middletown, Pa. / Middletown Area), Malcolm Sudler (Dover, Del. / Dover) and Adam Williams (Lancaster, Pa. / Hempfield) return to hold things down inside the paint.
The Lions should also get an immediate contribution from a group of youngsters that includes freshman forward Winton Lyle (Washington, D.C. / Bullis School), freshman point guard Marquese Daniels (Wynconte, Pa. / Philadelphia Electric & Technology Charter) and another frosh in Logan Stovall (Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra Area).
Coach? Check. Conference. Uh-huh. Attitude? No doubt. Just about everything regarding Penn State Harrisburg's men's basketball program is new…and who doesn't like new things?
Penn State Harrisburg Men's Basketball:
Head Coach: Don Friday (first season)
2012-13 Record: 12-15, season ended in the NEAC championship tournament semifinal round…
Key Returners: senior Will Doyle, senior Kenny Stone, junior Joey Farthing, junior Alberto De Los Santos, junior Kevin Icker…
Key Newcomers: freshman Winton Lyle, freshman Marquese Daniels, freshman Logan Stovall…
Team Captains: Doyle, Stone…
Circle the date: Take your pick…
- It's a cop out answer for sure but there's not a contest on the schedule worth overlooking this year. The Blue & White hosts some of the best competition in the mid-state when Messiah and Lebanon Valley pay visits to the Capital Union Building on Wednesday, Nov. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 1 for non-conference action. For their CAC home opener, the Lions host nationally-ranked St. Mary's (Md.) (10th according to d3hoops.com) on Saturday, Dec. 7 and you definitely don't want to miss Wednesday, Jan. 29 when Penn State Harrisburg welcomes York (Pa.) to town for the second-annual "Costume Night In the CUB." So, seriously…take your pick.
Friday, the Lions' first-year head coach, was asked about his squad's upcoming 2013-14 season. His responses are below.
PENN STATE HARRISBURG: Who do you think will be this year's impact players?
DON FRIDAY: Will Doyle and Kenny Stone have been fantastic in the way they've conducted themselves as student-athletes. Will is a capable scorer who has great imagination in the half-court. His ability to pass the basketball makes those playing around him better. Kenny Stone plays with a high motor. His ability to guard multiple positions will be relied on heavily. Look for Joey Farthing's production to improve this year. He's had a great preseason camp.
This season marks your first as head coach at Penn State Harrisburg. How would you define your role this year?
My daily activities center around one simple concept: earning each and every one of my player's trust. Their well-being as student-athletes is my number one priority.
What are your personal goals for the team as coach?
I want our team to improve each and every day. We are focusing our efforts so we are playing our best basketball come February. We will do everything possible to have our players in a position so that this program can compete for a postseason playoff berth.
What are your team goals for the upcoming season?
Contributing to the overall betterment of Penn State Harrisburg, securing a CAC playoff berth, conducting ourselves as leaders in the classroom and developing an identity of toughness on the defensive end of the floor.
What are some of the team's strengths you can identify now that the preseason is coming to an end?
I'm pleased with our guard play to date. As we head into our season opener our guard play will have to be consistent every night in order for us to have any type of success.
What have you guys been focusing on during preseason practices?
Building a foundation with our man-to-man principles and giving our player's a comfort level on the offensive end. We've committed a great deal of time and preparation to mastering the fundamentals both defensively and offensively. I'm excited about our squad as they have an appreciation for the small details necessary to win.
Which teams do you expect to be your toughest competition this season?
The entire CAC will test us throughout. As we move throughout the conference schedule, our players will be learning on the fly. As this occurs they must embrace their experience and utilize it as a driving force to improve themselves and our program. At the current time, everyone in our program is a freshman as it pertains to my system and relationship as the head coach, along with it being their inaugural year in the CAC.
What are your expectations for the upcoming season?
To make the CAC postseason tournament while creating a brand of basketball that is exciting for our players and fans and one that draws top recruits into our family.