Improved Chippewa Men Look to Make Strides

Oct. 8, 2014

Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - More steps, more building blocks. More success?

That remains to be seen. But clearly, Central Michigan men's basketball coach Keno Davis has more of everything - size, scholarship players, experience - as the Chippewas embark on the 2014-15 season.

"Many people might look at this roster and see just one senior (Austin Keel), but we've got some guys who have been through some battles and we've added some interior strength this year," said Davis, who begins his third season at CMU.

The Chippewas, who have finished a combined 21-41 in Davis' first two seasons, return all five starters, two key reserves, and have added some major size in the likes of freshmen DaRohn Scott and Luke Meyer.

Scott and Meyer, along with 7-foot redshirt freshman Milos Cabarkapa, will help beef up the post.

"They're young, but they give us something that we haven't had here for a couple years," Davis said.

Scott, who is 6-8 1/2, averaged a double-double along with 5.2 blocks per game at Grand Rapids Christian High School. He was ranked as the eighth-best player in Michigan by ESPN. Meyer, who is listed at 6-11, also averaged a double-double as a senior at Addison High School and was a two-time Class C All-Stater.

Also in the freshman class is 6-3 guard Filip Medjo who, like Cabarkapa, hails from Belgrade, Serbia. Both prepped at Impact Academy in Florida. As a senior, Medjo averaged 20 points, six rebounds and six assists per game.

"It's an exciting time, I think, for the coaches and the players and the fans too," Davis said. "I think it's starting to get around that we're going to be a program definitely on the rise."

The newcomers join a now-veteran lineup led by junior guard Chris Fowler who has displayed steady growth and established himself as one of the top talents in the Mid-American Conference.

Fowler led CMU in scoring (17.4 points per game) and assists (5.3) a year ago, and was third in the MAC in both categories. He earned third team all-conference honors.

Also back are 6-8 junior John Simons and sophomore guard Braylon Rayson, both of whom averaged more than 10 points per game. Simons was CMU's top rebounder (5.7) a year ago. Other returning starters are 6-7 Blake Hibbitts and 6-6 Austin Stewart.

Keel and junior guard Rayshawn Simmons also return, and both averaged double-digit minutes last season.

"Not enough coaches in the country can talk about the high quality of the individuals on their team as being as high as we have here at Central Michigan," Davis said. "I wouldn't trade the guys that we have as far as the characteristics and the integrity that they possess.

"And they don't just bring that great attitude to the court, but they bring it to the classroom and have been doing the right things. It's nice to be able to come in and have a group like that.

"Very coachable, great attitudes. Our guys love being here, and that's important. I think it shows to our fans that they want to be here at Central Michigan and it's important to continue to recruit those kinds of players who bring energy and who really want to be here."

Except for Keel, all of those players have at least two years of eligibility remaining. Clearly, it's a process that will be measured day to day, week to week, game to game and, eventually, year to year.

"When you look around the MAC, year in and year out, and you look at the top 10, 15 scorers or rebounders, it's almost all seniors," Davis said. "We didn't build this program so that we have one really good year. We're building this program so we should be better each year, and each year thereafter."

The Chippewas will play a home exhibition games with Saginaw Valley State (Nov. 9) and then open the season in McGuirk Arena versus Alma (Nov. 14). After a match-up against Youngstown State (Nov. 18), they then welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Maine and Valparaiso for a tournament Nov. 21-23.

"We want to be playing better in the middle of November than we are now," Davis said. "We want to continue to improve. I think by the time we get into conference play, by the time we get into the conference tournament, that we can't have a goal to be the best team in the MAC.

"We've got a lot of guys who are going to be doing things for the first time, but I like the progress we've made, and I'm excited to see what this team's going to be. Not just in the non-conference or the conference, but I'm excited to see what they're going to be tomorrow because this team's improving rapidly."