Men’s Basketball Preview: Coyotes look to continue success of 2006-07 into 2007-08
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

First year coach Mike Davert talks about the team during KCAC Media Day on October 17 in Wichita.

The Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes are coming off of a record setting year in 2006-07, finishing 28-4 and capturing the school’s first KCAC Championship since the 1999-2000 season and making Wesleyan’s first-ever appearance in the NAIA Division II National Championships.

The 28 wins set a new school record, and the Coyotes set a new standard in the conference, finishing 17-1 during the regular season, a feat not yet accomplished since the Kansas Conference went back to ten teams when Saint Mary joined the conference.

Continuing the trend that was started last season will be a difficult task for the Coyotes as Wesleyan lost six seniors to graduation, including three starters, two of which went on to earn NAIA All-American honors in Marcus Faubion (Third Team) and Jeff Baron (Honorable Mention).

Only two returning players saw significant playing time last season in Trey Sims (6-1, G, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. / Sterling (Kan.)) and Tony Boone (5-10, G, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz. / Phoenix (Ariz.)). However, those two only accounted for 17.24 points of Wesleyan’s 69.9 point per game scoring average last year.

First year head coach Mike Davert sees a difficult road ahead for the Coyotes, but also feels if the players will buy into his system, they have a chance to be extermely successful again this seaon.

“This year’s team MUST buy in to how we want to play,” Davert said. “That is probably our biggest key heading into the season.”

Davert says the Coyotes will get back to basics when it comes implementing the new system.

“Because we have a lot of new guys and new coaches and a new system, we will really emphasize the basics of our offensive and defensive philosophies, and just try to add to it as we go.”

One thing will remain a constant from last season, and that is the emphasis on defense, something that Davert has stressed as a key point when he was hired in early August.

COYOTES RETURN ONLY TWO WITH MAJOR EXPERIENCE
The Coyotes only return two players with significant playing experience from the last years team in Trey Sims and Tony Boone. The Coyotes do return five others with varsity experience last season, including Chris Gold (6-2, G, Sr., Denver, Colo. / Regis Jesuit), Clay DuBois (6-4, F, Jr., Idaho Springs, Colo. / Weskan), Robert Brown (6-4, G/F, Sr., Topeka, Kan. / Neosho County (Kan.)), Dupre Richardson (6-8, F, Sr., Peoria, Ariz. / Phoenix (Ariz.)) and Dane Baxa (6-6, F, Jr., Salina, Kan. / Sacred Heart).

DAVERT EXPECTS NEW PLAYERS TO STEP INTO IMMEDIATE ROLES
Former coach Tommy DeSalme signed 13 players before his departure in Mid-July for Indepence Community College in Independence. Nine of the 13 are in pre-season camp and all look to fill in roles opened with the graduation of six seniors from last year’s team, as well as others that chose not to return.

Newcomers to the Coyotes include: DaRon Stafford (6-0, G, Jr., Phoenix, Ariz. / South Mountain (Ariz.)), Willie McCarty (6-2, G/F, So., Omaha, Neb. / Southeast (Neb.)), Mike Bartee (6-5, F, Jr., Bronx, N.Y. / Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.)), Romero Hood (6-1, G, So., Phoenix, Ariz. / Phoenix (Ariz.)), Eric Hammond (6-0, G, Jr., Wichita, Kan. / Cowley (Kan.)), Bruce Sexton (6-3, G, Fr., McKinney, Texas / McKinney), Mychal Henderson (6-6, F, Jr., Woodbridge, Va. / Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.)), Milen Brown (6-3, F, So., Springfield, Mo. / State Fair (Mo.)), Mike White (5-10, G, So., Salina, Kan. / McPherson (Kan.)), Brian Crittenden (6-3, F, Jr., Tribune, Kan. / Greeley County), and Melvin Underwood (5-11, G, Jr., Monroe, La. / Iowa Lakes (Iowa)).

STRENGTHS WILL BE AT PERIMETER POSITIONS
The Coyotes will again be strong at the perimeter positions according to Davert.

“Our strength is definitely at the guard and wing positions,” Davert said. “We have excellent depth at those position, and it will give us the flexibility to put some different looks on the floor at different times.”

Davert is concerned about the productivity out of the post position, saying that there are players capable of playing inside, but they have to go out and prove themselves.”

“We don’t have tremendous size, and that is a concern for us as far as what we can expect out of that position,” he said. “We do feel like we have the players at that position, but until they can prove to us as a coaching staff that they can produce at this level, we won’t be sure what we have.”

Davert is pleased with the mobility of the players that can step into the post, and sees that as a positive heading into preseason camp.

“A real positive for us is that we can go to a bigger lineup and still be a very quick team on the floor with the ability to move the ball and play strong defense.”

2007 - 2008 SCHEDULE WILL CHALLENGE COYOTES
Kansas Wesleyan’s 2007-08 schedule is arguably one of the most difficult in NAIA Division II. The Coyotes will face three NCAA Division II teams, and three NAIA teams that were qualifiers for the National Tournament at their respective levels, including Bellevue (Neb.), who finished last season as the No.1 ranked team in the nation in NAIA-II. 

The Coyotes also face another adversary for the first 15 games of the season -- the road. Due to the construction of Kansas Wesleyan’s new Student Activities Center, the Coyotes have moved all the home dates in the first half of the season to road games. The KWU Classic, scheduled for November 16 and 17, featuring the Coyotes, Bethany, Rogers State (Okla.) and Northwestern Oklahoma State, has been moved to Lindsborg. The home opener for Wesleyan is now scheduled for January 5, when the Coyotes host Bellevue (Neb.).

KWU opens the 2007-08 season in Sioux Falls, S.D., at the USF Classic on November 2. A return trip to Sioux Falls one week later is one of the games that was originally scheduled to be played in Salina. One week after the Sioux Falls contest is the KWU Classic, held in Lindsborg this season. The Coyotes will face NAIA-I National Tournament qualifier Northwestern Oklahoma State and Rogers State (Okla.) on consecutive nights. A road trip to Bellevue, Neb., to face the Bellevue Bruins is next for the Coyotes on November 20.

Wesleyan then heads to Topeka to play a pair of exhibition contests in the AM580/Premiere Mortgage Holiday Classic hosted by Washburn (Kan.). The Coyotes will open the classic against Missouri Western on November 23 and then face the host Ichabods the following night. The Coyotes took Washburn to double overtime last season, before falling 77-72 in exhibition action.

KWU opens KCAC play the next week with four games before the semester break. The Coyotes will open conference play at Ottawa on November 29. December 1 sees the Coyotes heading to Lindsborg to take on the Bethany Swedes. Wesleyan heads to Winfield to take on Southwestern on December 6, and will complete the fall portion of the KCAC schedule with a trip to McPherson on December 8. Wesleyan will then head to Hays to take on Fort Hays State on December 14, and will make the trip to Oklahoma to play Rogers State on December 29 and Northwestern Oklahoma State on New Year’s Eve.

“Our non-conference portion of the schedule is one of the toughest in school history,” Davert said. “Another challenge for us will be the first 15 games of the season on the road. For us to get through it, we must have a great team attitude and be mentally tough.”

The home opener for the Coyotes comes on January 5, when KWU faces the Bellevue Bruins. The Coyotes get back into KCAC play on January 10 at home against Bethel. Ten of KWU’s 15 games after the New Year will be at home, including a four-game stand beginning on January 26 against Ottawa.

Wesleyan will play three of its last five on the road, wrapping up the regular season on February 23 at home against Tabor.

The KCAC Tournament begins the following Monday with the Play-Ins, and the KCAC Tournament Championship is March 4. The 2008 NAIA Division II National Tournament begins on March 12 and is held at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo.

-- KWU SI --