Miami's Basketball 2005-06 Season Preview
Miami Picked to Tie for Third in MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Nov. 3, 2005
Many people talk about looking for light at the end of the tunnel, but Miami University head men's basketball coach Charlie Coles chooses to believe that there is light at the beginning of the tunnel for his 2005-06 Miami RedHawks.
"Despite the departure of (First-Team All-MAC and Second-Team All-District players) Danny Horace and Chet Mason, we feel like there is still light at the beginning of the tunnel. Not at the end of the tunnel ... at the beginning of the tunnel," remarked Coles.
"We don't want to deal with light at the end of the tunnel," chuckled the always-jovial Coles. "How would we find the end of the tunnel? We'd get lost. We want light at the beginning of the tunnel."
Coming off the program's 21st Mid-American Conference title and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament--the first postseason appearance for Miami since 1998-99--the RedHawks return nine letterwinners, including three starters, from a year ago and add five newcomers to the mix, which Coles believes is significant fire power to illuminate the 2005-06 journey.
Seizing the regular-season MAC title amidst arguably the most balanced league the MAC has ever fielded in 2004-05 was a result of Miami's steady progression of improvement over the past few years, according to Coles, and he hopes those involved with last year's championship will be hungry to achieve more.
"I think last year's success gives us a confidence boost because most of our players were involved in winning the MAC Championship," said Coles. "Even though Chet and Danny led us and Tim Schenke pitched in, a lot of our returning guys served as catalysts for our fine season. We still have a nucleus returning that is very capable of having another good season, and I think having the success we had last season motivates them to have that same type of success or better it."
A big part of that returning nucleus is senior guard William Hatcher, junior center Monty St. Clair and junior forward Nathan Peavy. Hatcher and St. Clair started all 30 games for the RedHawks last season, along with the departed Horace and Mason, which tied for ninth on Miami's single-season list. Peavy played in all 30 games, making 29 starts, sitting out the beginning of the Eastern Michigan game due to illness.
While it will be a big undertaking to replace nearly 55 percent of its scoring and 48 percent of its rebounding lost from a year ago, mostly in the form of Horace and Mason, who averaged 15.4 ppg/9.5 rpg and 13.4 ppg/7.6 rpg, respectively, Coles believes it is a perfect opportunity for current RedHawks to step into new roles.
"Last year, we lost Juby Johnson, and in my mind, I was wondering how we were going to replace him," said Coles. "This year, we are asking the same thing about Danny and Chet. But we have Monty St. Clair, Nathan Peavy and William Hatcher, who are more than capable of filling in those spots and providing that great leadership we've had the past two years and that we are looking to have for a third straight year."
Coles believes this year's edition of the Miami RedHawks brings to the table experience, depth, a winning attitude and a group of individuals who work very hard together. And while there will be much that they miss from the graduation of Mason, Horace and Schenke, especially in terms of rebounding and half-court defense, this year's squad already is forming a new identity.
"The thing I think we are going to miss most from Danny and Chet are the 17 rebounds a game those guys took with them when they left this campus. The other thing would be the strong defensive play they exhibited in our system," commented Coles. "When you lose players, there are always negatives in losing them, especially where they figured into the stats. We lose a bunch, but we gain some things, too. Every team has its own identity, and I think part of this team's identity will be that we'll shoot the ball well and score. We already know we have some guys who are going to be able to step in and score for us."
In addition to the three returning starters, Miami has a host of players who played key roles at critical times last year en route to a championship season. Among those are senior guard Josh Hausfeld, senior center Nate VanderSluis, junior guard Doug Penno, sophomore guard Chad Troyer and sophomore forward Tim Pollitz.
Miami also adds five newcomers who will challenge the upperclassmen and are anxious to start adding their names to the Miami annals in redshirt freshman guard Lawrence Ross, redshirt freshman forward Eric Pollitz, freshmen forwards Michael Bramos and Tyler Dierkers and freshman center Adam Fletcher.
"I feel very good about what we have returning. Instead of having one to two players who could fill in like last year, we should have four to five players this year, which gives us much more depth," said Coles. "And, if you look at it, we've got a lot of experience with several players who have been able to play significant minutes over the past few years, which I hope will be an asset."
GUARDS
While the guard position was probably one of Miami's greatest strengths a year ago, Coles believes this is the position with the biggest question mark behind it. There is great potential among the players at the two guard positions, but it will not be until some questions are answered that it will be known exactly how strong the position is.
"This will be the question mark for us," said Coles. "We've got William Hatcher, who has developed into a good guard. He's strong, he's good off the dribble and he's a good leader. After we get past William is where we have some question marks, but I will say that with our question marks, we have a bunch of potential at the position.
"Chad Troyer, I think, will have a good year this year," added Coles. "Doug Penno was very steady for us last year. In each of his first two years, Doug has improved and we hope he gets even better this year. Then, there's Josh Hausfeld, who was injured about half the season last year, and who we hope can come off of his injury and play a strong role for us. Also, there's Lawrence Ross, who redshirted last year and is a guy who has good potential but hasn't been able to show it yet on the floor in games for us.
"It's kind of a big question mark as to what's going to happen with them," continued Coles. "Can Penno be a regular on the floor? Can Troyer get on the floor and get some playing time? Is Hausfeld going to be healthy? Can Ross, as a newcomer, have a good year? Each of those guys has a question behind him but also has great potential."
Averaging 10.0 ppg as a junior, Hatcher is Miami's top returning scorer and has a knack for hitting critical 3-pointers in clutch situations. One of his most memorable games during his junior campaign was his 5-of-6 3-point shooting performance against Buffalo on Feb. 5. With the RedHawks trailing late in the game, Hatcher spurred Miami to a 17-point come-from-behind win, scoring 11 points over the final 3:03 of regulation and hitting the game-tying trey to send the contest into overtime.
Hausfeld, who was a regular in the Miami lineup his first two seasons, making 48 starts, is a game-tested veteran for the RedHawks but was hampered by injuries throughout much of his junior season. Hausfeld also is a sharp perimeter shooter, who enters his senior campaign already ranked 10th among Miami's career 3-point leaders with 121 treys.
With Hausfeld's injuries, Penno made the most of the opportunity presented him and emerged as a pivotal player for the RedHawks. Penno, who went 30-of-65 from 3-point range last season, boasted a .462 shooting percentage, which ties for fourth on Miami's single-season list. At Eastern Michigan, with Hausfeld sidelined and Peavy ailing from illness, Penno saw the first significant minutes of his career and delivered, going 6-for-9 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line en route to a career-high 21 points.
Troyer opened his Miami career by scoring 11 points against Purdue--one of six RedHawks to score in double figures for the first time since the 2001-02 season--and is yet another possible deep scoring threat for the RedHawks.
Ross, who is a redshirt freshman, is a player who has good physical tools according to Coles, while senior Tyler Ford was a walk-on to the squad three years ago. Both bolster the guard position and add quality depth.
FORWARDS
When talking about Miami's forwards for 2005-06, Coles was very emphatic with his response.
"I feel very good about our forwards. Nathan Peavy, Michael Bramos, Tim Pollitz, Eric Pollitz, Tyler Dierkers. I think that is the strength of our ball club right there," replied Coles. "I'd be very disappointed at the end of the year if it wasn't."
Peavy is Miami's top returning rebounder, averaging 3.9 rpg a year ago and will be counted on to bolster Miami in that area in 2005-06. He had some big games for the RedHawks as a sophomore, including tossing in the game-winning bucket at the buzzer in a thrilling 54-52 win at Ball State. Peavy also was Miami's most accurate shooter, knocking down 50.4 percent of his shots, and figures to be a key to Miami's success this season.
"Peavy's a guy who's got good ability," said Coles. "He had some great games for us last year, and we're just hoping that he can have a great season. He has worked hard, and he's easy to coach. All signs point toward him having a great year, but we are really going to have to rely on him to get some rebounds."
Also returning at the forward positions is sophomore Tim Pollitz. Although he saw limited time behind Danny Horace, playing in 20 games, he often provided a spark off the bench for the RedHawks.
"I feel very strongly about Tim Pollitz, and I'm really looking forward to his season this year," remarked Coles. "I think he has the potential to be a tough player to play against because he is so unorthodox. He's not tall, but he's a guy who can score, score, score.
"Last year, with Danny Horace in front of him, there were times when Tim just didn't get to play," added Coles. "Now that Danny is gone, this is a perfect chance for Tim to start a new era around here. He runs the floor like Ira Newble, and that's saying something, because Ira could get down the floor as fast as anyone I've ever seen."
A runner up for Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan and a two-time all-state selection, Bramos is a highly-touted newcomer who could figure into the mix early.
"If we didn't have Michael Bramos, I wouldn't feel as confident about our forward position as I do now. He not only adds depth, but he adds quality depth," said Coles. "He affords us the luxury of playing the same position as Nathan Peavy and Tim Pollitz, and they can get some relief from this guy who has good ability. If he doesn't start at the beginning of the season, he will be a guy I will be very comfortable putting into the game. We expect him to have a great year this year."
Coming off a redshirt season, Eric Pollitz looks to make an impact on the floor this season for the RedHawks. Pollitz was named the 2004 Player of the Game at the Ohio High School State Tournament Championship and is another scoring threat for the RedHawks.
"Eric, too, is a little unorthodox for a forward, but is a guy who knows how to score," said Coles. "I expect Eric to be able to step in and make some contributions on the floor this season."
Another newcomer who should help strengthen Miami at the forward position is Dierkers. Coming from a very successful program at Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Dierkers is described as a savvy player whom the Miami staff is expecting contributions from this season.
"If someone would ask me what kind of player Tyler Dierkers is, I would say he's a very smart player, who is really unselfish," said Coles. "He passes the ball very well and knows the game. He's not a muscle man, but he's a guy who we think can add to the value of our team this year."
CENTERS
While Coles is enthusiastic about the RedHawks' strength at the forward position, it is safe to say that he is equally as excited about his centers.
"This is the deepest we've been at center for a while," said Coles. "Monty St. Clair is looking better than he ever has before. Nate VanderSluis' career has depended upon how healthy he is, and he made some awful big strides last year. There were some games where Nate came in and played very well. Then, there's Adam Fletcher, who is a hard-working freshman."
St. Clair is a two-year starter for the RedHawks, making 38 consecutive starts over his first two seasons. A versatile player, who has been known to lead Miami in steals or assists, St. Clair's signature is being able to step out and drill the outside shot. He has hit 58 treys during his career and put together a 5-for-5 3-point shooting effort against Liberty on Dec. 21 on his way to a career-high 18-point outing.
VanderSluis played in 28 of Miami's 30 games and showed glimpses of the type of impact he can make. On a national stage against Wichita State as part of ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday, VanderSluis went 3-for-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, while hauling in four rebounds. He also played significant minutes in Miami's Postseason NIT game with TCU and was a big inside presence for the RedHawks.
Fletcher was a two-time all-state selection at St. Albans High School in West Virginia and averaged 22.5 ppg, 13.0 rpg and 5.0 bpg for the Red Dragons a year ago. He gives Miami a solid third option at center.
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