Nov 17, 2016 5 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Waynesburg University men’s basketball team begins its season Saturday looking to improve on its 10-16 record of last season.

Though the Yellow Jackets have graduated 13 players in the last two seasons, head coach Mark Christner said a strength of his young team will be its athleticism.

“I think we have some athleticism, and we have some strength,” Christner said. “I think we’re more athletic than we’ve ever been since I’ve been here.”

Junior wing Jon Knab said the team isn’t big, as no player on the team is taller than 6-6, but the team is “long” and athletic at nearly every position.

“We have (a lot of ) guys who can run and jump,” Knab said. “I think our athleticism will be a tool for us this year.”

After finishing below .500 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play in seven straight seasons, the Yellow Jackets have been above .500 in each of the last three years. Christner thinks a reason Waynesburg has established itself as a top-four team in the PAC is its depth. He has used a 10-man system with recent squads.

“That’s kind of how programs stay consistent, and so I think for us the challenge in the next couple of years is to do that,” Christner said. “We’ve been an upper-half team in the last (three) years, and we want to stay an upper-half team. I think replacement of guys, promoting within, is vital to that.”

A significant chunk of the team’s depth from last season is gone, as the only returning starter is Knab, who started all 26 games and ranked first on the team in field-goal percentage, second in steals and third in points and rebounds.

As the Yellow Jackets try to replace BJ Durham and DJ Ritchie, who finished seventh and eighth in the PAC in scoring, respectively, Christner said Knab’s strength isn’t in pure scoring, but rather in his versatility.

“Some guys need to shoot it a lot to affect the game,” Christner said. “Don’t get me wrong, we’re going to need him to score, but I think his ability to rebound, defend multiple positions, make plays for other guys – all those things have grown immensely. I think the most important thing is that because of his confidence, he’s able to just play.”

Christner said the team will still utilize a 10-man system. The starting five has yet to be determined, outside of Knab’s wing spot, but the Jackets return four players who were key parts of last year’s team off the bench and in occasional starting roles.

The only seniors are point guard Timmy Kaiser and guard Christian Koroly. Kaiser led the team in assists per game last season (2.7) while playing about 17 minutes per game, and Koroly, a Trinity graduate, averaged 6.1 points and 16 minutes per game.

Koroly led the conference in three-point field goal percentage (49.4) his freshman season, and after taking his sophomore season off for personal reasons, came off the bench in 17 games last year.

“It’s great to have Christian back for another year, and he and Timmy both have the good urgency of seniors,” Christner said. “They’ve done a good job of leading the group. We’re really pleased with that aspect.”

The other main returners are wings Kendall Paige and Brennan Smith. Paige, a junior, played in all 26 games last season and his length allows Christner to play him at guard or on the wing.

“Kendall is playing the best basketball he’s played since he’s been here,” Christner said.

Smith played 13 minutes a game last season, and he was the only Jacket to post a field goal and 3-point percentage of higher than 40 percent.

The Yellow Jackets also welcome two Division II transfers, Marcus Wallace from Notre Dame College in Ohio and Mike Nugent from Alderson Broaddus.

Knab is excited about how Wallace, a 6-5′ junior, has been playing in practice.

“Marcus has been standing out with his play,” Knab said. “He’s been really aggressive on offense. Even though he was new, I think he’s stepped up as one of our team leaders.”

Out of the six freshmen, Christner noted wing Nick Valentic, a Peters Township graduate, and guard Frank Bozicevic as players who could see playing time right away.

“He came in and you can’t really tell he’s a freshman,” Knab said of Valentic. “He plays like a senior. He’s really going to have a big impact.”

Christner said the team doesn’t have a back-to-the-basket presence, something that could be a liability.

“Our big challenge will be interior post defense, being able to do that without fouling and being able to be competitive on the boards,” he said.

He also thinks the team, despite its youth, has a “high ceiling,” but to reach it the Yellow Jackets will have to undergo some growing pains.

Waynesburg begins its season Saturday (3 p.m.) by hosting Muskingum at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.