Wednesday, November 9, 2005

MORAVIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL SQUAD PICKED SEVENTH IN COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL

ANNVILLE, PA --- The Moravian College men’s basketball team has been selected to finish seventh in the Commonwealth Conference in the 2005-06 Commonwealth Conference Preseason Poll conducted by the conference coaches. Defending Commonwealth champion Albright College was selected to repeat as champions.

Head coach Jim Walker, who enters his 26th season at the school, has 18 letterwinners and four starters back from last year's 7-18 squad.

Leading the returning players will be junior forward Steve Wenderfer (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS), who led the team in rebounding with an average of 7.5 per game and was second on the team in scoring with 13.1 points per game. He also added 32 assist, 30 steals, seven blocked shots and eight three-pointers. Senior forward Zach Zsilavecz (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) averaged 8.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and contributed 30 steals, 27 assists, five blocked shots and 28 three-pointers.

Senior guard Ed Reid (Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl HS) contributed 7.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, along with 23 assists, nine steals, three blocked shots, and 23 three-pointers a year ago.

Sophomore guard Ryan Miller (Easton, PA/Easton HS) averaged 5.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in his debut season. He also contributed 21 steals, 13 three-pointers, and led the team with 60 assists. Sophomore guard Justin Chestnut (Willow Grove, PA/Upper Moreland HS) added 4.5 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game along with 58 assists, 18 steals, and 11 three-pointers. Junior guard Mike Clemente (Toms River, NJ/Central Regional HS) contributed 5.4 points per game. He also had 38 rebounds, 33 assists, 16 steals, one block, and led the team with 30 three-pointers.

Junior forward Matt Devlin (Sadsburyville, PA/Coatesville HS) put up 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last winter to go along with five assists, six steals, nine three-pointers and 20 blocked shots. Sophomore forward Chris Earley (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan HS) had 28 points, 34 rebounds, 10 assists, six steals, seven blocked shots and one three-pointer in his debut season.

Senior guard Joe Depasquale (Forked River, NJ/Lacey HS) contributed 24 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four steals and six three’s while senior forward Tyler Tripucka (Glen Ridge, NJ/Glen Ridge HS) added ten points, eight rebounds, three assists, one three-pointer and two steals. Sophomore forward Mark Franzyshen (Somerset, NJ/Immaculata HS) had 12 points and three rebounds. Sophomore forward Eric Whitman (Blairstown, NJ/Notre Dame HS) had nine points, two rebounds, and two steals. Sophomore guard Chris Bays (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown HS) had two points, two rebounds, and one assist.

Junior guard Kyle Hatfield (Boca Rotan, FL/St. Andrews School) put up five points, three rebounds, and one assist while sophomore guard Greg Jones (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael Academy) had four points, three rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Sophomore forward Stephen Buynovsky (West Lawn, PA/Wyomissing HS) had one rebound and one steal while junior guard Jeremy Walker (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) had one steal.

Coach Walker has a strong recruiting class headed to Moravian to help fill the scoring void left by all-time leading scorer Brandon Zaleski.

The Greyhounds will begin their 2005-06 season at the Gettysburg College Tournament, playing the host Bullets at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 18th.

2005-06 Commonwealth Conference Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll