Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team will open up the 2009-10 season with a home non-conference game against Trinity University tomorrow night at the Mayborn Campus Center on the UMHB campus. The Cru will have a new look despite having nine returners on the roster this season. Those nine players have combined for just 46 career starts for UMHB and guard
Zane Johnston has 40 of those 46 starts.
Johnston (Sr., Albany) is the most experienced returner for the Cru and he averaged 7.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last season while shooting 39 % from three-point range. Sterling Phillips (So., Austin) played in 21 games as a freshman last season and will have the first shot at the starting point guard job after averaging 3.8 points per game and dishing off 28 assists last season. Reshaud Jackson (Sr., Fort Worth) also returns after playing well in limited opportunities last season. Jackson will also compete for time at point guard. Mark Jones (So., Mineral Wells) and Cory Meals (Fr., Whitesboro) both missed all of last season, but both seem healthy and ready to contribute this season. The Cru will also count on backcourt contributions from a trio of newcomers. Dean Pele (Jr., Austin) is a transfer from Dallas Baptist and he will challenge for a starting job after averaging 11.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for DBU last season. Roderick Gunter (Jr., Houston) joins the Cru from Sul Ross State, where he averaged 8.6 points and 1.6 rebounds per game for the Lobos last season. Gunter was also an Honorable Mention ASC All-West Division selection, joining Johnston on that team. Kevin Neal (So., Axtell) sat out last season, but he is a talented and athletic player who will also be in the mix for the starting job at point guard.
The front court will also build around a trio of returners at forward, at least early in the season. Rich Moore (Sr., Boerne) has missed much of the last two seasons with injuries, but he is healthy now and looking to regain the form that made him an All-West Division selection at Schreiner University as a freshman. Greg Wiernas (So., Arlington) was a key reserve last season and averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Colby Waller (Jr., Katy) also played well in a reserve role in the front court. All three of those players will compete for larger roles this season. Ervin Johnson (Sr., Valley Mills) and John Magnani (So., Great Mills, MD) will rejoin the team at the semester break and both players will be counted on to provide quality minutes. Johnson is playing football for UMHB right now after averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 21 games last season. Magnani is sitting out the fall semester and he continued to develop in limited minutes as a freshman. A talented group of newcomers will also have a chance to play their way into the rotation at forward. Theo Ard (Jr., Houston) is a transfer from McLennan Community College and he averaged 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game for the Highlanders the past two seasons. Dorian Purnell (Fr., Pearland), Brian Todd (Fr., Pflugerville) and Zachary Mims (Fr., Killeen) are all athletic and versatile freshmen who will have their chances to step into the starting line-up for the Cru this season. A pair of players will be competing for the starting post position for UMHB this year. Sheldon Jones (So., Missouri City) played well in a limited role last season and seems ready to step up to a larger role. Michael Archa (So., Clyde) is a big, strong player who is looking to rebound from injuries that have kept him away from the game for the past season.
Following Wednesday night's game, the Cru will go 10 days without a game before opening American Southwest Conference play. UMHB will face defending ASC Champion U.T.-Dallas in a 3:30 PM start in Richardson on Saturday, November 28th. The Cru will then face University of the Ozarks in a 7:30 PM start on Monday, November 30th before returning to home action with ASC games against LeTourneau University and East Texas Baptist University the first weekend in December.
The Cru went 19-8 overall and finished 16-5 in ASC play last season. UMHB was second in the ASC West Division and advanced to the semifinals of the ASC Championship Tournament before falling to eventual league champion U.T.-Dallas 65-60. UMHB was picked to win the ASC West Division in the league's annual Preseason Coaches and Media Poll this season.
