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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2007 |
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Young Petrels Look to Surprise
The 2007-08 Stormy Petrel squad is coming off of it’s most wins and best record in eight years, but if they are to continue their ascension up the SCAC standings, they are going to have to do so with a plethora of new faces. This year’s edition of the Stormy Petrels begins without 69% of the scoring from last season’s conference leading offense. In addition, the Petrels lost 75% of their rebounds and 71% of their minutes played. On paper, it would look like a rebuilding year, but Head Coach Philip Ponder thinks this year’s squad could surprise some people. “We are extremely young and inexperienced, but we’ve been working hard and the guys have had great attitudes. I think we have the potential to be the surprise team in the conference if our effort and attitudes stay at a high level.”
The young squad does have one returning starter in 6’6 post Ahmad Kareem Shaheed. Shaheed led the conference in rebounding (9.8) and field goal percentage last year, while scoring at a 15.3 ppg clip. Having come into the season in the best shape of his career, Shaheed has the chance to be one of the top players in the conference this year. Two other seniors that both averaged about 11 minutes and three points per game are 6’5 forward Nick Watterson and 5’11 guard Craig Jackson. The will be looked upon for an increased role this season. The only other returning player that saw any meaningful action last season is 5’9 junior guard Eric Palmer (2.2 ppg), who averaged six minutes per game. With his explosive athletic ability, Palmer looks to increase his role this year, as well.
The rest of the team either didn’t play much last season or are new faces altogether. With nine of the fifteen players being freshmen or sophomores, the Petrels are going to be counting on some young guys to step up this season in a big way. Returning sophomore guards David Allison, Eddie Buckley, and Wade Weldon have an opportunity to break into the rotation, and 6’9 post Alex Kirillov provides depth at the post position. New faces include transfers Joe Kennedy and Chaz Smith, as well as senior Gwinn Nixon and true freshmen John Block, Sloan Collins, Bryan Hamer, and Alex Richey. Transfer Robertas Kleiva suffered an ACL tear and will be out for the season.
The Petrels have scored more points than any team in the conference over the past four years, and challenged the all-time conference and school record for points per game for most of the year last season. Despite all of the new faces, don’t be surprised to see the Petrels high-octane offense near the top of the conference again this year, and their full-court pressure defense looks to lead the league in steals for the third consecutive year. With a new cast of characters, it is a year of transition for the Stormy Petrels, but that doesn’t mean expectations are any lower. “I want to shock a lot of people this year,” notes Ponder, “and there’s no one on our schedule that we can’t beat. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
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