Sports News: Fall 2003

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