Men's Basketball Preview
7/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
July 19, 2000
Pick up where it left off.
That's exactly what the Central Michigan University men's basketball team hopes to do during the 2000-2001 season.
It may sound strange coming from a team that was 6-23 overall and 2-16 in conference games last season, but the Chippewas went on a final run in the MAC tournament that saw them one shot away from being in the semifinals.
CMU defeated Akron (75-73) on the road in the first round of the tournament and then fell by two to Marshall (58-56) in a back-and-forth game in Cleveland's Gund Arena. Central had the last two shots in the game but both fell short, ending CMU's run.
"Ending on a high note last year was a positive for us," fourth-year coach Jay Smith said. "It gave us a lot of momentum and enthusiasm coming into this year.
"We kept clawing and digging last year and to our players' credit they persevered through the tough times together. Guys stepped up and made some big plays which gave us confidence. It took off, and we were a shot away from being in the conference semifinals after being the 13th seed. We made some strides and the team grew together and learned what it took to get there."
The MAC tourney win was CMU's first since 1990 and it could prove to be a turning point in the program's history. Now that the team has learned what it takes to get there, Smith is counting on this year's senior class (his first recruiting class) to lead them back for another extended postseason run.
"We have an excellent core of seniors who will do a great job of providing leadership for our younger players," Smith said. "This senior class will start to reap the dividends for their hard work over the last three years. They took a big step in coming here and helping build the program. We've taken some steps and done a major overhaul."
The class includes guards Tim Kisner (Hopkins) and Luke Johnson (Gaylord), guard/forward Jon Borovich (Bloomfield Hills) and forward Todd Schrotenboer (Wayland).
Kisner is a three-year starter who was third on the team in scoring last season with 8.4 points and 4.7 assists per game. The 6-2 senior ranks among the CMU career leaders in assists, and he can always be turned to when the game is on the line.
"Kisner struggled at the end of last season a little," Smith said. "He's been working extremely hard on his game in the offseason and getting himself in great physical shape. This is his last push and he knows and understands that."
Borovich filled a utility role last season while playing a number of positions, including forward, despite his 6-1 size. He averaged 3.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
"Jon ended up playing the point for us at the end of last season and really distributed the ball well in crucial situations," Smith said. "Jon's a blue collar worker who wants to win games. We need him to knock down open jumpers when they present themselves and that will really complete his game."
Johnson had his season shortened by a wrist injury last year. He averaged 4.4 points in the 10 games he played.
"Luke is coming off a difficult injury," Smith said. "He was playing well right before the injury and then, unfortunately, it set him back. Luke's had a great outlook and worked hard to get himself back to where he was."
Rounding out the senior class is the 6-7 Schrotenboer. He averaged 5.9 points in his first season at CMU after transferring from Grand Valley State.
"Todd will be competing for a starting position," Smith said. "It's always difficult when you take a year off and then try to play up a level. Todd remained positive and gave us some great minutes off the bench. Hopefully he can come in with his perimeter shooting and provide more of a spark for us."
While the seniors are being counted on for leadership, it is some younger players who are being relied on for scoring.
Junior David Webber (Farmington Hills) emerged as a big scoring threat last season in the absence of high school teammate Mike Manciel (Detroit) who was sidelined for the year with a broken foot.
Webber averaged 19.2 points per game and hit 67 three-pointers on the year. He poured in a Rose Arena record 51 against Ball State, breaking Larry Bird's old mark of 45. Webber's 51 was two away from the school record of 53 set by Tommie Johnson in 1987.
The return of Manciel, the 1999 MAC Freshman of the Year, will bolster the Chippewa frontline with added scoring and rebounding.
"Mike will be cast in a little different role this year," Smith said. "We hope to have him facing the basket which he did not do a lot his freshman year. It will be interesting to see how he takes to it."
The loss of Manciel last season hurt the Chippewas but Smith thinks it will work out better in the end.
"Even though we had all the injuries last season, in the long run it will pay off for us because David had to assert himself more," he said. "If Mike was there he may have taken a little bit of a backseat but now they will be on the same plane.
"They are a double-edged sword. When one is being stopped you can rely on the other. They both played well together in high school and it's carried over to college where they've both won games for us."
Also providing a scoring threat is throw-back forward Chad Pleiness (Scottville/So.) who averaged 9.4 points per game last season. The two-sport athlete walked on to the squad and ended up earning MAC all-freshmen team honors. An intelligent, physical player, Pleiness can play with his back to the basket or square up for a 17-foot jumper.
Another sophomore looking to make contributions is 6-0 guard J.R. Wallace (Muskegon). Wallace saw action in 23 games and averaged 4.3 points per game. Redshirt freshman T.J. Meerman (Coopersville) also will add depth in the backcourt after missing last season because of injury.
The returners have leadership, experience and scoring ability, but lack size. A big frontline is what Smith went after with the incoming recruiting class and the Chippewas should match up better size wise in the post this season.
Central added 7-0 Chris Kaman (Wyoming/Tri-unity Christian), 6-8 Gerrit Brigitha (Niles) and 6-7 Adam Dentlinger (Arcadia, Iowa/Carroll Kemper Catholic) along with 6-3 guard Tony Bowne (Hastings). Seven-foot walk-on Jonathan Woods (Midland/Delta CC) also will protect the basket.
"We lack game experience around the basket and that will be something we will test and evaluate in the preseason," Smith said. "Size was a big factor for us in the past because we could never match up. We always had to make adjustments. Now we have the ability to go toe to toe with people and slug it out beneath the basket."
Also looking to contribute are walk-ons Tom Pantlind, a 6-8 forward from East Grand Rapids (East Grand Rapids HS) and Andrew White, a 6-4 forward from South Bend, Ind. (Mishawaka Penn HS).
Smith hopes the added height will help defensively and in the rebounding department where CMU was last in the MAC last season. Other areas Smith hopes the Chippewas improve on are free throw shooting (.683) and playing on the road (2-12).
He cites perimeter play as a strength with a strong core of returnees in the backcourt. Central was third in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio last season. The stronger frontline and the ability to be flexible with the lineup also should help the Chippewas this season.
The Maroon and Gold face a nine-game non-conference schedule before moving into MAC play. The season opener is a home contest against Spring Arbor on Nov. 18. The Chippewas also host Illinois-Chicago (Nov. 25), Illinois State (Dec. 3), Northern Iowa (Dec. 9) and Tri-State (Dec. 21). Central faces a tough road schedule with games at Purdue (Nov. 21), Drake (Nov. 29), Loyola-Chicago (Dec. 6) and Detroit (Dec. 18).
"It's always been a struggle for us to get an equal balance of home and away games," Smith said. "What we tried to do was get a good balance of mid-major opponents that will be good tests. I like the way we alternate home and away games, and our schedule matches our team right now. We want these games to get us ready for the MAC season."
Smith thinks the MAC race will be close as always, and he points to Toledo and Ball State to be tough in the West Division.
"Toledo returns one of the top players in Greg Stempin, and Ball State has its frontline coming back," Smith said. "Where we fit I'm not sure. How well we play on the road and how well our freshmen come along will determine where we finish in the division.
"Marshall has to be an early favorite in the East along with Bowling Green and Kent. They all have a solid nucleus of players that return."
The MAC tournament will once again include all 13 teams and be held in Cleveland with first round games at campus sites.
"It's critical that all 13 teams are involved in the MAC tournament and have the chance to go to Gund Arena," Smith said. "It was a great experience for us last year. Commissioner Rick Chryst has done a great job of building up the MAC tournament and now moving it to the weekend will make it a featured event."
First round games will take place on Monday, March 5, at campus sites. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday, March 8, semifinals on Friday, March 9, and the championship on Saturday, March 10. The championship will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Position Breakdown
Point Guard -- Senior Tim Kisner (6-2) returns at the point where he's averaged 10.5 points per game over his career. Kisner is a gamer who gives the position a three-point shooting threat. Sophomore J.R. Wallace and freshman Tony Bowne bring speed to the position and both will push for playing time. The 6-0 Wallace shined early last season before being slowed by injuries. At 6-3, the newcomer Bowne is the tallest of the point guards.
Shooting Guard -- Junior David Webber (6-2) returns as one of the MAC's top scorers after averaging 19.2 points per game. On the other end of the court he's also one of the team's top defenders. Senior Luke Johnson (6-1) provides a solid backup along with freshmen T.J. Meerman (6-3) and Andrew White (6-4). Johnson has battled through injuries during his career but has played his role when healthy. Meerman was redshirted last season with a back injury, and he's looking to get into the mix after improving his strength in the off-season. White is a walk-on who has scoring ability.
Small Forward --Sophomore Mike Manciel (6-5) returns from injury along with his 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds from 1998-99. He moves from power forward to small forward where he'll face the basket more. Senior Jon Borovich (6-1) is a utility man who is undersized at this position but he'll see plenty of playing time, including some at the point. Freshman walk-on Tom Pantlind (6-8) could play either small or power forward.
Power Forward -- Sophomore Chad Pleiness (6-6) is an all-around athlete who averaged 9.4 points last year on his way to MAC all-freshmen team honors. He's a crafty player who can create his own shots. At 6-7, senior Todd Schrotenboer is counted on for scoring and rebounding, and he also provides a three-point threat. Rugged freshman Adam Dentlinger (6-7) is a physical player like Pleiness who can score and defend.
Center -- The Chippewas lack experience underneath with three newcomers in the mix for playing time. Freshmen Gerrit Brigitha (6-8) and Chris Kaman (7-0) will battle for the starting job. Brigitha is a thick body who can bang in the paint. Kaman will be a defensive presence with his lengthy wingspan. The seven-footer also is an offensive threat who can step outside and hit shots from the perimeter. Junior walk-on Jon Woods (7-0) also gives CMU size in the post.