With its top two scorers and a pair of All-Liberty League performers returning,
Ithaca College has been selected as the preseason favorite in men’s basketball in a vote of the league’s head coaches. The Bombers, who received five of a possible nine first-place votes and 76 points, were selected ahead of defending league champion Skidmore (70 points, two first-place votes) for the top spot. Hobart (66 points, three first-place votes) was picked third in what promises to be a competitive race. Other teams rounding out the top six were Union (57), St. Lawrence (50) and RPI (41).
Ithaca (16-11, 11-7 Liberty League), entering its third Liberty League season, is poised for a strong campaign with its top two scorers returning. The Bombers went 11-7 in league play last season with four of those losses coming by three points or less. Senior guards and All-Liberty League performers Riley Thompson (17.5 ppg, All-Liberty League second team) and Sebastian Alderete (16.5 ppg, All-Liberty League honorable mention) lead a talented backcourt that also includes sophomore guard Skylar Sinon (8.9 ppg, team-leading 76 assists as a rookie). Ithaca will need to replace graduated senior Peter Ezema, the 2019 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, who averaged 14.1 points and a team-leading 8.7 rebounds per game. The Bombers often featured a small lineup last season and were out-rebounded by 7.3 rebounds per game. If Ithaca can combine its strong shooting with improved rebounding, the team will be a contender for the Liberty League championship.
Skidmore (19-8, 15-3 Liberty League) won its third Liberty League championship in five years and fifth in nine years last season. The Thoroughbreds will need to replace a pair of All-Liberty League first-team players in Edvinas Rupkus and Noah Meren. Rupkus (17.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg), perhaps the top player in program history, was a four-time All-Liberty League selection and two-time Player of the Year. Meren (21.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) led the league in scoring and finished eighth in rebounding. Steady senior point guard Chase Ta (7.7 ppg, 4.7 apg) also graduated. Look for a number of younger players to step forward into key roles this season. Sophomore center Greg Skoric (7.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) had a solid rookie season and may be one of the league’s top big men this season. Fellow sophomore Ryan Murunge (3.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg) joined the starting lineup midway through last season and may also be poised for a big leap forward. Senior guard Pat Gallagher (4.3 ppg) and junior guard Ty Lamport (2.0 ppg) were regular contributors off the bench and will also see increased roles.
Hobart (17-11, 12-6 Liberty League) will have a much different look this season with three new starters and a new head coach. On the bench, Stefan Thompson, a 2013 Hobart graduate and former Liberty League Player of the Year takes over as head coach following the departure of Tim Sweeney to Connecticut College. Thompson, an assistant with the Statesmen the past two seasons, will need to replace three senior starters from last year’s team – Colin Dougherty, Jamal Lucas and Sean McKinless. Dougherty (17.9 ppg) and Lucas (14.9 ppg) depart as 1,000-point scorers while earning first- and second-team All-Liberty League respectively. Thompson will look to senior guard Tucker Lescoe (13.0 ppg, 71 3-pointers) and senior forward Edens Fleurizard (10.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg) for leadership. Sophomore guard Dan Masino, the 2018 Liberty League Rookie of the Year, also returns after missing the 2018-19 season as a medical redshirt. As a freshman, Masino averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He could be in for a breakout campaign in 2019-20.
Union (10-14, 6-12) won back-to-back Liberty League titles in 2017 and 2018, but featured a young team last season. The Dutchmen were competitive with eight of their Liberty League losses coming by eight points or less. With three returning starters including the top two scorers back from a year ago, Union is poised to return to the Liberty League tournament. Junior forward Jackson Mannix (12.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 49 3-pointers) emerged as Union’s top scorer last season and should be one of the league’s top shooters this season. Sophomore Mike Concannon (10.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) jumped into the starting lineup as a freshman last season and also made an immediate impact. Kevin Jefferson (7.9 ppg, 52 3-pointers) is the team’s lone senior starter while emerging junior Rhona Eseyade (4.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) should continue to develop into steady contributor.
St. Lawrence (16-10, 13-5 Liberty League) advanced to the Liberty League semifinals last season on the strength of a strong senior class. All-Liberty League forward Riley Naclerio (14.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg) graduated after a strong senior campaign and a career in which he scored 1,502 points and pulled down 709 rebounds. Also graduated are senior starters Ben Crawford (11.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and Chris Miner (6.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and key reserve Dom DeRegis (7.5 ppg). The Saints will be young this season - likely without a senior starter - but expect several key returning players to step into leadership roles. Sophomore guard Luke Hicks (10.4 ppg, 94 assists), the Liberty League Rookie of the Year last season, should be one of the league’s best backcourt players after starting 25 games a year ago. Junior guard Brandon Arnold (5.3 ppg, 43 assists) also returns to the starting lineup, providing the Saints with an experienced backcourt. Sophomores Cale Sargent, Jordan Huntley, Ade Karera and junior Chris Jeffery each averaged more than 10 minutes off the bench last season and will compete for playing time along with seven freshmen.
RPI (15-11, 10-8 Liberty League) qualified for the Liberty League tournament last season on the strength of a productive senior class. The Engineers graduated All-Liberty League first-team guard Tom Horvat (16.2 ppg, 3.0 apg) along with three-year starters in forward Andreas Kontopidis (13.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and center Marcus Giese (9.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Junior forward Patrick Mahoney (14.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is the team’s top returning scorer. Mahoney made a big jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons, increasing his point total from 88 (3.7 ppg) his first year to 352 last season. He is on a trajectory for a strong season. Sophomore guard Dom Black (6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) was a starter in 14 games as a rookie and will also assume a larger role this season. Seniors Kevin Davis and Mitch Wayand were key reserves last season and will step into leadership roles this year. RPI also has a large freshman class that will compete for playing time.
Clarkson (6-19, 5-13 Liberty League) is one of the league’s more experienced teams as four player with starting experience return from last season. The Golden Knights got off to a slow start last season before going 6-9 in the second half of the season. With the team’s top three scorers back from a year ago, Clarkson is looking to return to the Liberty League tournament. Senior guard Matt Higgins, who averaged 13.6 points last year, is the top returning scorer for the Golden Knights. Higgins also led the team with 47 3-pointers while finishing second with and 4.2 rebounds. Sophomore guard Chris Hulbert (10.1 ppg) was a double-digit scorer in his rookie season and figures to be a regular contributor. Junior guard Jason Phelps (7.5 ppg) and sophomore forward Reese Swedberg (5.2 ppg, team-leading 5.0 rpg) are part of a young, but experienced unit.
Vassar (11-14, 7-11 Liberty League) graduated its top two scorers in guard Alex Seff (15.3 ppg, 64 3-pointers) and center Paul Grinde (14.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg), both of whom recorded more than 1,000 career points. The Brewers will look to build around a trio of juniors in forward Zach Bromfeld and guards Lance Tebay and Hugh Durham. The 6-7 Bromfeld (11.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg) came off the bench in all 25 games last season, but was the team’s third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. Tebay (9.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg) missed the first six games due to injury, but came on late in the season, finishing in double figures in scoring in Vassar’s final six games. Durham (6.6 ppg, 33 3-pointers) started the first 12 games before coming off the bench over the second half of the season. The Brewers also welcome nine freshmen in what will be one of the league’s youngest squads.
RIT (5-20, 2-16 Liberty League) will be looking for a bounce-back season in 2019-20 as the Tigers return the majority of key players from last season. RIT graduated guard/forward Jayme Rosser (9.2 ppg), the team’s second-leading scorer. Senior Will Atkinson (9.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) was the leading scorer for a team that had seven players average between 5.0 and 9.4 points per game a year ago. Senior Chuck Okehie (7.2 ppg) and junior Matt Anderson (5.5 ppg) were among the group of regular contributors. The Tigers held their own on the glass last season, out-rebounding their opponents by a margin of 37.8 to 36.4. Look for a number of newcomers to challenge for immediate playing time.
Bard earned its first Liberty League tournament bid in 2019 since joining the league in 2011. After going 13-12 in the regular season and 9-9 in Liberty League play, the Raptors fell to Hobart in the opening round of the league tournament. Gone from last year’s team are Bard’s top five scorers that accounted for 80.4 percent of the team’s offensive production, including All-Liberty League second-team selections Justyn Rogers and Alijah Rue. Sophomore forward Stamatis Koulouris, a starter in 22 games as a rookie last season, will look to increase his production from 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last season. Junior guard Zack Jacobs (4.8 ppg, 2.2 apg) and sophomore guard/forward Avgoustinos Sofroniou (2.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) will also seek increased roles while competing for starting spots. Look for several newcomers to challenge for immediate playing time.
2019-20 LIBERTY LEAGUE MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Ithaca, 76 (5)
2. Skidmore, 70 (2)
3. Hobart, 66 (3)
4. Union, 57
5. St. Lawrence, 50
6. RPI, 41
7. Clarkson, 33
8. Vassar, 26
9. RIT, 22
10. Bard, 9
(First-place votes are in parentheses)