Wheaton Wire

Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Sports

Another season of Lyon's basketball has come roaring around the corner.

Expectations are high for the team this year. They ended last season with a 13-12 record, and made it to the semi-final round of the NEWMAC tournament.

Coach Brian Walmsley is entering his twelfth season coaching the Wheaton men's basketball team. His said that, "our expectations are to challenge for the NEWMAC title and our goal would be to make the NCAA Tournament." He also realizes that, "We have five returning starters so expectations are higher, but we need to improve defensively and become a smarter and more mature team on the court" Accomplishing this will lead the team to success in the playoffs.

The team is going through a drastic change according to captain Patrick Youreneff '09. He said, "We rarely have trouble scoring as our team is filled with great offensive talent, but we've lacked on the defensive end. This year the coaches have made defense a major point of emphasis." He believes that this will help the team become more balanced and well rounded, which will give them a good shot at winning.

Yourenoff and Mark Sullivan '09 captain the team, both entering their fourth seasons playing for Wheaton. On the court, star sophomore guard Anthony Coppola does his best to help the team rise to excellence. Last year, Coppola scored 500 points, averaging 20 points per a game and is on pace to break the Wheaton record for most points scored in a career. However, in order to prosper this season they are going to have to really work together as a team. Both captains agree that freshmen Anthony Weeks and Brendan Degnan are crucial additions and will fill much needed positions on the team.

The squad has started off strong this year with a 4-1 record. They managed to win out the tip-off tournament at Plymouth State University. This was a great way for them to start off the season. Coppola was named MVP for his performance in the games. Also, the team played on the road on Nov. 8 against Salve Regina and won by 8 points.
Their first loss was on Nov. 20 against Emerson in double overtime. These games show that Wheaton clearly is a force to be reckoned with, but they are going to have to overcome major obstacles and play even stronger than they are now in order to win the NEWMAC tournament.

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