Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh men’s basketball: competing for championships
6/21/2017 2:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Over the last eight seasons, Lehigh men's basketball has advanced to four Patriot League Championship Games, winning two titles. Year in and year out, the Mountain Hawks continually find themselves near the top of the league, in a position to compete for championships.
The 2016-17 season was no different.
For all the ups and downs the season brought, the Mountain Hawks found themselves where they wanted to be, the Patriot League Championship Game and 40 minutes from an NCAA Tournament berth. Lehigh led Bucknell for much of the first half, but the Bison took a lead as the first half expired and wouldn't relinquish the advantage. For a second straight season, the Mountain Hawks came ever so close to another NCAA Tournament berth.
After the loss, the message from head coach Brett Reed to his players remained consistent.
"Our messaging, whether it was going into that game, during the game, after the game, or even as we move forward, remains consistent," he said. "Lehigh Basketball is a program that values teamwork, and we strive to promote it as much as we possibly can. In addition, we value the toughness that comes with playing really competitive basketball.
"We also want to promote a true family atmosphere within our program, where graduates feel connected with us and those in our program feel connected to each other. Hopefully, that continues to enhance as we progress through the years."
The Mountain Hawks finished this past season 20-12, their sixth 20-win season in school history and fourth in the last eight years. Lehigh went 4-2 against NCAA Tournament teams while also capturing its first-ever win over the SEC (87-73 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 25).
"Obviously, anytime a program at the mid-major level has a chance to hit 20 wins, there's significant on-court success," said Reed. "The program has also been in a position to peak during the later months of league play. This is not easily done, so I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish. There were times when our team was really running on all cylinders and really in sync with each other. When we played that type of basketball, it looked great and it was a lot of fun. There were other times when we needed to refocus and reassess where we were."
Against Mississippi State, Lehigh led for the game's final 29:16, taking as much as a 21-point advantage with five minutes remaining. Just five days earlier, the Mountain Hawks topped a strong Princeton program in their home opener.
"Picking up a road win at Mississippi State on the floor of an SEC opponent with great athleticism and potential was really gratifying," said Reed. "Our players played well together, everybody was aggressive and confident, and I thought we played an excellent brand of basketball.
"It was also a lot of fun to play against a quality opponent (Princeton) in our home opener. The community and students were out supporting, and they had an opportunity to see a pretty strong product of Lehigh Basketball, even in the early phases of our season."
In nonleague play, Lehigh also faced eventual Elite Eight team Xavier, challenging itself throughout the early season. That experience paid off as the year progressed, as the Mountain Hawks played their best when it mattered most - going 6-2 in February, one year after a perfect 9-0 mark.
"Competing against good teams has been our philosophy when we build our schedule," said Reed. "There are a lot of ebbs and flows in a college basketball season, being as long as it is. Evidence has shown that a challenging schedule has prepared us well, particularly towards the end of league play.
"What we've been able to do in the last two Februaries (15-2) is an indication that our guys were still energized and eager for the chance to play," Reed continued. "To that end, I credit the fact that they were able to build on relationships, enjoy playing together and with pride for Lehigh Basketball."
That pride was especially evident in the postseason as the Mountain Hawks defeated Colgate in the Patriot League Quarterfinals before picking up a gritty double overtime victory at Boston University.
After a strong Lehigh start, the Terriers came back from a 16-point deficit midway through the second half to force overtime, but the Mountain Hawks bounced back and had an answer every time it looked like Boston University would prevail.
"One of the major things we talk about within Lehigh Basketball is toughness," said Reed. "When you're in that type of environment and you have to consistently show resiliency, whether it's through fatigue or having to rise to multiple moments in order to pull out a tough victory, one of the things I will appreciate the most is the fact that our team was able to demonstrate a strong level of toughness."
The Boston University Patriot League Semifinal victory was just one of several quality wins. The Mountain Hawks proved they could compete with, and beat, anyone. Lehigh's season opener featured a slim three-point loss to Xavier in which the Mountain Hawks took a second-half lead and had a chance to tie at the buzzer. The team also earned convincing league road wins at Bucknell, Lafayette, Colgate, Army West Point and American.
"There were two things that seemed to happen when we played well," said Reed. "Number one is we had a higher level of commitment to teamwork - just trusting each other and playing unselfishly. The other thing that happened was our discipline improved during those stretches. The teamwork, unselfishness and discipline to do what we said we were going to do, created a team that was pretty powerful. That's what we had been striving for and preaching the entire season."
Even though there was obvious disappointment for falling short of the ultimate goal, the Mountain Hawks accomplished a great deal, continuing the expectation of competing for championships and setting the stage for continued success of the program.
"The last decade plus of Lehigh Basketball has been a high watermark in the history of the program," said Reed. "Fortunately, our program is strong, it's stable and hungry for continued success. We are aware of the areas in which we could improve and there's a tremendous commitment to try and strengthen our program for lasting success, irrespective of the players who put on our Lehigh uniform from year-to-year."
The Mountain Hawks lose plenty of talented players, including two-time Patriot League Player of the Year Tim Kempton and two-time All-League honoree Austin Price, who combined for 3,496 career points. It won't be easy to replace their production, but the program has plenty of talented returnees, along with newcomers looking to make an impact.
Leading the group of returnees is rising senior and three-time All-League point guard Kahron Ross, along with rising junior Kyle Leufroy, who is averaging 11.0 points per game through his first two seasons. Other key returnees include rising sophomores Pat Andree and Jordan Cohen, who combined to average 11.9 points over their freshmen campaigns.
"There are some very good players within our program who are going to be poised for even greater roles on the floor, and that's enough to bring excitement. I'm looking forward to watching their growth and development," said Reed. "We also have a core nucleus of guys who are really growing in the ways in which they touch the intangibles of the game. That, combined with greater opportunities and another season of experience, can hopefully be a catalyst for some great things next season."
There's a lot to be excited about with Lehigh Basketball as the program looks to continue its success heading into 2017-18.
"Honestly, I'm proud that our program has accomplished what it has on the court, but I'm also hungry for us to grow in the ways in our on-court performance and possibly even take another step," said Reed. "I'm also excited about the growth that can take place internally as these young men prepare for their futures.
"I have so much care and appreciation for those players who play in our program," Reed continued. "We really want to promote a family within Lehigh Basketball and having the chance to share in their lives during their college years is something I don't take lightly. I appreciate the opportunity to work with them as my profession."
Over the last eight seasons, Lehigh men's basketball has advanced to four Patriot League Championship Games, winning two titles. Year in and year out, the Mountain Hawks continually find themselves near the top of the league, in a position to compete for championships.
The 2016-17 season was no different.
For all the ups and downs the season brought, the Mountain Hawks found themselves where they wanted to be, the Patriot League Championship Game and 40 minutes from an NCAA Tournament berth. Lehigh led Bucknell for much of the first half, but the Bison took a lead as the first half expired and wouldn't relinquish the advantage. For a second straight season, the Mountain Hawks came ever so close to another NCAA Tournament berth.
After the loss, the message from head coach Brett Reed to his players remained consistent.
"Our messaging, whether it was going into that game, during the game, after the game, or even as we move forward, remains consistent," he said. "Lehigh Basketball is a program that values teamwork, and we strive to promote it as much as we possibly can. In addition, we value the toughness that comes with playing really competitive basketball.
"We also want to promote a true family atmosphere within our program, where graduates feel connected with us and those in our program feel connected to each other. Hopefully, that continues to enhance as we progress through the years."
The Mountain Hawks finished this past season 20-12, their sixth 20-win season in school history and fourth in the last eight years. Lehigh went 4-2 against NCAA Tournament teams while also capturing its first-ever win over the SEC (87-73 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 25).
"Obviously, anytime a program at the mid-major level has a chance to hit 20 wins, there's significant on-court success," said Reed. "The program has also been in a position to peak during the later months of league play. This is not easily done, so I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish. There were times when our team was really running on all cylinders and really in sync with each other. When we played that type of basketball, it looked great and it was a lot of fun. There were other times when we needed to refocus and reassess where we were."
Against Mississippi State, Lehigh led for the game's final 29:16, taking as much as a 21-point advantage with five minutes remaining. Just five days earlier, the Mountain Hawks topped a strong Princeton program in their home opener.
"Picking up a road win at Mississippi State on the floor of an SEC opponent with great athleticism and potential was really gratifying," said Reed. "Our players played well together, everybody was aggressive and confident, and I thought we played an excellent brand of basketball.
"It was also a lot of fun to play against a quality opponent (Princeton) in our home opener. The community and students were out supporting, and they had an opportunity to see a pretty strong product of Lehigh Basketball, even in the early phases of our season."
In nonleague play, Lehigh also faced eventual Elite Eight team Xavier, challenging itself throughout the early season. That experience paid off as the year progressed, as the Mountain Hawks played their best when it mattered most - going 6-2 in February, one year after a perfect 9-0 mark.
"Competing against good teams has been our philosophy when we build our schedule," said Reed. "There are a lot of ebbs and flows in a college basketball season, being as long as it is. Evidence has shown that a challenging schedule has prepared us well, particularly towards the end of league play.
"What we've been able to do in the last two Februaries (15-2) is an indication that our guys were still energized and eager for the chance to play," Reed continued. "To that end, I credit the fact that they were able to build on relationships, enjoy playing together and with pride for Lehigh Basketball."
That pride was especially evident in the postseason as the Mountain Hawks defeated Colgate in the Patriot League Quarterfinals before picking up a gritty double overtime victory at Boston University.
After a strong Lehigh start, the Terriers came back from a 16-point deficit midway through the second half to force overtime, but the Mountain Hawks bounced back and had an answer every time it looked like Boston University would prevail.
"One of the major things we talk about within Lehigh Basketball is toughness," said Reed. "When you're in that type of environment and you have to consistently show resiliency, whether it's through fatigue or having to rise to multiple moments in order to pull out a tough victory, one of the things I will appreciate the most is the fact that our team was able to demonstrate a strong level of toughness."
The Boston University Patriot League Semifinal victory was just one of several quality wins. The Mountain Hawks proved they could compete with, and beat, anyone. Lehigh's season opener featured a slim three-point loss to Xavier in which the Mountain Hawks took a second-half lead and had a chance to tie at the buzzer. The team also earned convincing league road wins at Bucknell, Lafayette, Colgate, Army West Point and American.
"There were two things that seemed to happen when we played well," said Reed. "Number one is we had a higher level of commitment to teamwork - just trusting each other and playing unselfishly. The other thing that happened was our discipline improved during those stretches. The teamwork, unselfishness and discipline to do what we said we were going to do, created a team that was pretty powerful. That's what we had been striving for and preaching the entire season."
Even though there was obvious disappointment for falling short of the ultimate goal, the Mountain Hawks accomplished a great deal, continuing the expectation of competing for championships and setting the stage for continued success of the program.
"The last decade plus of Lehigh Basketball has been a high watermark in the history of the program," said Reed. "Fortunately, our program is strong, it's stable and hungry for continued success. We are aware of the areas in which we could improve and there's a tremendous commitment to try and strengthen our program for lasting success, irrespective of the players who put on our Lehigh uniform from year-to-year."
The Mountain Hawks lose plenty of talented players, including two-time Patriot League Player of the Year Tim Kempton and two-time All-League honoree Austin Price, who combined for 3,496 career points. It won't be easy to replace their production, but the program has plenty of talented returnees, along with newcomers looking to make an impact.
Leading the group of returnees is rising senior and three-time All-League point guard Kahron Ross, along with rising junior Kyle Leufroy, who is averaging 11.0 points per game through his first two seasons. Other key returnees include rising sophomores Pat Andree and Jordan Cohen, who combined to average 11.9 points over their freshmen campaigns.
"There are some very good players within our program who are going to be poised for even greater roles on the floor, and that's enough to bring excitement. I'm looking forward to watching their growth and development," said Reed. "We also have a core nucleus of guys who are really growing in the ways in which they touch the intangibles of the game. That, combined with greater opportunities and another season of experience, can hopefully be a catalyst for some great things next season."
There's a lot to be excited about with Lehigh Basketball as the program looks to continue its success heading into 2017-18.
"Honestly, I'm proud that our program has accomplished what it has on the court, but I'm also hungry for us to grow in the ways in our on-court performance and possibly even take another step," said Reed. "I'm also excited about the growth that can take place internally as these young men prepare for their futures.
"I have so much care and appreciation for those players who play in our program," Reed continued. "We really want to promote a family within Lehigh Basketball and having the chance to share in their lives during their college years is something I don't take lightly. I appreciate the opportunity to work with them as my profession."
Players Mentioned
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