Monday, November 10, 2003
GREYHOUND MEN’S BASKETBALL SQUAD PICKED TO FINISH SECOND
IN COMMONWEALTH
CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
ANNVILLE, PA --- The 2003-04 Moravian College men’s basketball team has been selected
to finish second in the Commonwealth Conference this season in a poll of the conference’s
head coaches released Monday.
Susquehanna University claimed the top spot with 64 points and received all eight first
place votes while the Greyhounds were second with 51 points. Elizabethtown College was
selected third with 45 points while Widener University and Lebanon Valley College tied
for fourth with 35 points. Rounding out the conference poll were Juniata College in sixth
place at 25 points, Messiah College in seventh place with 17 points and Albright College
in eighth place with 16 points.
Head coach Jim Walker enters his 24th season at Moravian with 12 letterwinners
and three starters back from last season’s 16-11 squad that played in the Commonwealth
Conference semifinals and reached the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Tournament
for the first time since 1984.
Leading the returnees will by junior forward Brandon Zaleski (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown
HS), who was the Commonwealth’s Player of the Year last winter. Zaleski has
already become one of the most prolific scorers in school history, needing just 31 points
to reach 1,000 in his career. In his first two years, Zaleski have averaged
18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the floor and 84
percent at the foul line. Street & Smith and DIII News have named Zaleski a
2003-04 Preseason All-American.
Also back in the Greyhounds starting line-up this winter will be senior guard Steve
Weiler (Edgewater Park, NJ/Burlington City HS) and Lucas Malishchak
(Wanamie, PA/Nanticoke HS). Weiler has been third on the Moravian
squad the last two years in scoring, averaging over 11.0 points per game each season,
and he has led the team with 80 three-pointers over the last two winters. Malishchak has
been the Greyhounds main ball handle since his freshman season. He has dished out 191
assists the last two years while committing just 140 turnovers, and Malishchak has
made 80 steals while scoring 5.0 points per game over the last two campaigns.
Moravian will have a bench full of experienced players this winter led by senior guard Kevin
Wyers (Hamilton Square, NJ/Notre Dame HS), who averaged 7.1 points per contest
last winter. Wyers started six games a year ago and is a threat behind
the three-point line after making 27 treys last winter. Senior guard Kevin Burke
(Turnersville, NJ/St. Augustine Prep HS) was Malishchak’s back-up
last season, and he had 26 assists against just 20 turnovers to go along with 40 points
and 13 steals while playing in all 27 games.
Also returning to the guard positions will be sophomore Chris Betley (Lenape,
NJ/Lenape HS), who averaged 4.0 points per game last season, junior Andy
Fisher (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham HS), who will be another back-up behind Malishchak and Burke,
had 12 assists and 11 turnover last winter, and sophomore Adam Kaucher (Kintersville,
PA/Palisades HS).
The Greyhounds have three forwards returning in addition to Zaleski.
Junior Mike Howell (Floral Park, NY/Holy Cross HS) and sophomore Steve
Wenderfer (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS) both had their seasons cut short last year
due to injuries with Howell limited to 11 games and Wenderfer playing
in just six contests. The pair will challenge each other for the open starting forward
position. Sophomore Zach Zsilavecz (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) is also
back and looking for playing time.
Moravian will begin the 2003-04 season on Friday, November 21st versus Elms College in
the first round of the Scotty Wood Tournament at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m. The Greyhounds first home game of the year will be on Tuesday,
December 2nd when the squad hosts Muhlenberg at 8:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
2003-04 Commonwealth Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason
Poll
Rank |
School (first place votes) |
Points |
1. |
Susquehanna University (8) |
64 |
2. |
Moravian College |
51 |
3. |
Elizabethtown College |
45 |
T4. |
Widener University |
35 |
T4. |
Lebanon Valley College |
35 |
6. |
Juniata College |
25 |
7. |
Messiah College |
17 |
8. |
Albright College |
16 |
|