Lehigh looks to build upon last season's success
9/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
After an impressive campaign in 2002-03, which saw the second best turnaround in Division I, Billy Taylor and the men’s basketball program are set to begin this season and meet the high expectations that have been set out for them. Taylor explains, "I want to build upon last year’s success and continue to move in the right direction. We had a very good season a year ago, but there is always room for improvement, and we want to strive towards getting better each and every day." This year’s team has many positives, including athleticism and some good size up front. Coach Taylor is also very pleased with the basketball IQ of his players and the fact that they are very hard working. "The guys are excited about this season, as am I, but we all know and understand that this is a new year and without hard work, we will not accomplish any of our goals." The Mountain Hawks have several key players that logged major minutes a season ago and many younger ones who are ready to step in and contribute. Senior co-captains Ra Tiah and Austen Rowland will be the leaders of this year’s squad and appear to be more than ready to handle the assignment. THE GUARDS This will be the deepest and most talented group on the team. The two seniors, Ra Tiah and Austen Rowland, are both very athletic, talented, and are tremendous competitors. Tiah has fought through several injuries in his career, but is now ready to shine in this his senior season. He appeared in 18 games a season ago and averaged over eight points and almost four assists a contest, before separating his shoulder against Navy. Tiah is exceptionally quick and one of the best defenders on the team. His tough-minded leadership skills will undoubtedly help the Mountain Hawks this season. Rowland is set to begin his first season with Lehigh after transferring from Delaware and sitting last year out. The former Blue Hen brings an impressive set of credentials to South Bethlehem. Rowland started over fifty games during his three-year stint in Newark, scored 750 points, dished out almost 300 assists and had over 100 steals. Coach Taylor gives his view on Rowland, "Austen is very talented and an extreme competitor. He will be a welcome addition to our basketball team." After a freshman season that saw him named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team, sophomore Mitch Gilfillan will look to build upon what he accomplished last year. Gilfillan averaged 17 minutes a game and led the Patriot League in three-point shooting at just under 52 percent. He is a hard-nosed defender who does not shy away from taking, and usually making the big shot. Sophomores Kevin Tempest and Chris Stephenson also return. Tempest saw time late last season and made the most of his opportunity by shooting 50 percent from three-point range. His size and shooting ability will be tough to match up against for any opponent. Stephenson missed the end of last season due to injury, but is fully recovered and ready to make some noise. Arguably one of the most athletic players on the team, Stephenson will use his leaping ability and speed to his advantage and should contribute mightily. Incoming freshmen Kyle Neptune and Jose Olivero both have a great opportunity to step in right away and contribute. Neptune, who is 6-5 and comes to Lehigh from Brooklyn, New York, is an explosive wing player who scored over 1,000 points in high school, including 50 in one game, and was named MSG Athlete of the Week during his senior season. Olivero, a 6-1 point guard arrives by way of Fairfax, Virginia and the coaching staff is excited about his leadership skills, as well as his speed and ball-handling abilities. Olivero averaged just less than 25 points a game in his senior season and was named to the All-State and All-Region teams. THE FORWARDS Athleticism and strength come to mind when discussing this year’s crop of forwards for the Mountain Hawks. Leading the way at the three-spot will be junior Nick Monserez, who appeared in all 28 games a season ago, making 12 starts. He gained valuable minutes and was exposed to many new situations, which will only help him this year. At 6-6 with long arms and good leaping ability, Monserez is extremely versatile and can do many different things on the court. Senior Steve Callahan is a tremendous leader and hard worker who will contribute to the team in many ways. Last season, Callahan saw limited action, but he will battle for more playing time in 2003-04. Junior Kevin Murawinski is a very skilled player, and with his shooting ability and size, is a potential mismatch for opposing teams. At the power forward spot, Coach Taylor has two great options to choose from in junior Earl Nurse and freshman Sheldon Stewart. Nurse is a very strong and athletic player who saw a good deal of playing time last season, averaging just over 18 minutes and grabbing three rebounds per game. At 6’7" and 230 pounds, Nurse is an imposing figure under the boards and should have a solid year, both scoring and rebounding-wise. Stewart comes to Lehigh from Orleans, Ontario and has the size and strength to contribute right away. He has good quickness and ball skills, which make him a very good all-around player. Stewart averaged 23 points per game as a senior at St. Matthew’s High School and was ranked within the Top 25 in Canada by the Nike All-Canada Camp. THE CENTERS This is easily the youngest group of players with no seniors in the trio. Junior Dayne Mickelson will be looked upon to contribute on the boards and with interior defense. He is a big body at 6’8", 245 pounds, has great strength and a great feel for the game. Mickelson appeared in 21 games a season ago and will be looked upon to be a force in the middle. Joining Mickelson in the pivot is sophomore Mike Fischman who saw a good deal of action in his freshman campaign and shot 50 percent from the field. Fischman is athletic and has great size at 6’9" to control the paint for the Mountain Hawks. Freshman Jason Mgebroff is a 6’10", 270-pound post player from Kent, Washington. He should be an interior presence on the defensive side and on the other end, has very solid post moves to go along with a nice jump shot. While in high school, Mgebroff set the school record for free-throw percentage, shot 60 percent from the floor, and was a first team All-South Puget League selection. THE SCHEDULE This will be one of the most challenging schedules in years for Lehigh, as it will face several big-name opponents. The toughest test will come in a trip to Storrs, Connecticut where the Mountain Hawks take on the pre-season national champion favorite Connecticut Huskies. The schedule also includes a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, to take on Southeastern Conference foe Vanderbilt and a date with 2003 NCAA Tournament participant, Wagner. In addition, Lehigh will take on four Ivy League opponents. Stabler Arena will be the host to 13 home contests, including seven Patriot League and six non-league games. Lehigh won 11 of 13 games last year at home.
