Men's Basketball Preview, Part 8: Green Bay
Nov. 2, 2007
There are plenty of schools in NCAA Division I who would be happy with an 18-win year. Especially when the victory total marked the school's winningest season since 1999. Don't count Green Bay among those schools.
The Phoenix finished the 2006-07 campaign with an 18-15 mark, but went just 7-9 in Horizon League play. However, Green Bay still finished in the League's top four, and is the only team in the conference to do so each of the past four years.
Green Bay fielded the youngest team in the League last year, as freshmen and sophomores combined to average more than 130 minutes, out of a possible 200, of action per game. That fact led to some consistency issues, something that the Phoenix is determined to overcome.
"We're getting back to Green Bay basketball," sixth-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk simply states.
The Phoenix has the core group to do just that, as Green Bay returns four of the top five scorers from last year's squad. In addition, Green Bay has three more letterwinners who return, as well as seven players suiting up for the first time.
Junior Mike Schachtner, a preseason first-team all-league selection, headlines the list of returning players. The 6-foot-9 forward was a second-team All-Horizon League pick as well as an Academic All-American last year after averaging 14.9 points per contest. In 2006-07, he was the only player to finish in the league's top five in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. After his breakout season, he should draw more attention on the offensive end, thereby freeing up his teammates.
Fellow junior Terry Evans, a two-time All-Horizon All-Defensive Team honoree, is another key cog back in the Phoenix lineup. The 6-foot-5 Evans is one of the league's most athletic players and is capable of playing nearly anywhere on the floor. He averaged 7.7 points to go along with a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest last year. In addition, he ranks among the school's all-time best in blocked shots and steals. His floor energy will be crucial for a Phoenix team looking to score easy baskets in transition.
Another top returnee is junior Ryan Tillema, who has added 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason. The swing man missed six games early on during the 2006-07 campaign while battling mononucleosis, but is now back at full strength. The 6-foot-8 player still averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds over 27 outings and regained the confidence in his jump shot in the latter stages of the season. Tillema is another Phoenix player who gives the team flexibility, as he is someone who has played everywhere but at point guard.
Green Bay's other returning starter is guard Troy Cotton, who had a fine freshman season offensively last year. He shot 46 percent from 3-point range en route to a scoring average of 7.6 points per game. A deadly shooter, Cotton has improved defensively and also is better working away from the ball. After his strong rookie campaign, the 6-1 Cotton will need to get his shot off quickly, as he will be a focal point on the scouting report.
Randy Berry, a sophomore forward, started 10 games last year for the Phoenix and averaged 5.0 rebounds over those outings. He played in 31 contests last year, the fourth-most ever by a Green Bay freshman, and rates as the squad's top low-post defender. A workhorse, he figures to see plenty of playing time in the paint.
The lone senior on the 2007-08 squad is forward Tevah Morris. Morris is the veteran of the team, having played in a team-high 80 games over his first three years. He provides depth and energy, as well as a big body (6-9, 245) in the low post. A hard worker both on and off the floor, he has taken on a leadership role for the Phoenix in his final year in Green Bay.
Junior wing Cordero Barkley is a two-year letterman who has played in 62 games, and is one of seven Phoenix players with Division I starting experience. An athletic player, he has shown the capability of being an impact player off the bench. In addition to playing on the wing, he can also play down low, giving Green Bay another look to its lineup.
Among the seven players who will suit up on game days for the first time are a trio of transfers who sat out last year.
Pat Nelson is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward who played the 2005-06 season as a freshman at Ball State. He is a big man who features a nice offensive skill set and may be the team's best scorer on the block. After practicing with the team all of last year, Nelson figures to be a vital member of the frontcourt rotation this season.
The other eligible first-semester transfer is Eric Van Cleave, a Wisconsin high school product. Van Cleave (6-1) is a junior in eligibility after playing two seasons at Division II Minnesota State. He is a heady player who is battling for playing time at the wide open point guard spot.
Another player looking for time in the backcourt is 6-footer D'Angalo Jackson, who will be eligible to play on Dec. 22 after joining the team following the fall semester. He attended Creighton, but did not play. Jackson is a Milwaukee native, who was highly regarded as a prep.
The Phoenix also has four true freshmen vying for roles, with three contending for time running the point guard spot.
Rahmon Fletcher is a lightning quick guard, who at 5-foot-10 is the squad's smallest player. The left-handed playmaker, who can score from the outside as well as get into the lane, hails from Kansas City, Mo., where he was all-state.
Bryquis Perine, another top-flight rookie, is the team's third Milwaukee product. He is a combo-guard, who can also play the three spot. Another lefty, Perine is long at 6-foot-3 and has a smooth stroke from deep.
Six-foot-3 Uriel Segura is a pass-first point guard who was born in Mexico and has two years of prep basketball experience in the United States. With his skill set, he has drawn comparisons to former Phoenix standout Javier Mendiburu.
The final member of the freshman class is 6-foot-7 forward J.J. Henley. Henley is a physical presence who joins a loaded front line. He will have the opportunity to learn from an experienced group of players down low and is likely to redshirt this season.
Green Bay has been picked to finish third in the Horizon League according to the preseason league vote, behind last year's Sweet 16 participant Butler and League champion Wright State.
Despite the fact that the Horizon League looks to continue its impressive run as one of the nation's top conferences, Kowalczyk did not schedule lightly in the non-conference. For the first time in school history, the Phoenix will face a trio of Big Ten teams in the same season. The three foes, Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin, each advanced to at least the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, and the Buckeyes finished as the national runner up.
Story provided by Green Bay Office of Sports Information
