Lehigh men's basketball team knows winning. Last season, after losing more than 4,000 points and 1,600 rebounds off its roster, the Mountain Hawks still finished the year right back where they're accustomed – near the top of the Patriot League standings competing for a championship.
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This season, the trend should continue. Lehigh was recently picked No. 1 in the preseason poll for the third time in the last four years. Each of the previous two times, the Mountain Hawks reached the championship game. This time, they hope to get over the hump.
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Lehigh knows a championship isn't won in March. March is the compilation of hard work that spans months, and even years.
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So far, head coach Brett Reed has liked what he's seen.
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"This 2018-19 team has a great deal of camaraderie and there is a strong appreciation for each other, while deep friendships have already formed across multiple classes and multiple positions," he said. "I also see a higher commitment to the intangibles that make teams successful. We have a guy like James Karnik, who is enthusiastic about giving up his body and taking a charge. We have other players who have the ability to bring energy and embrace important roles. There are others, who are focused and tough.
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"It's an exciting dynamic when you have people who really can embrace qualities that make up a successful team."
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There's no doubt, the Mountain Hawks are a team.
 GUARDS
The biggest question heading into the season is undoubtedly how Lehigh will replace Kahron Ross, who graduated as the school and Patriot League record holder for career assists. Ross won't easily be replaced, but the Mountain Hawks enter the season with multiple options, led by senior Lance Tejada and junior Jordan Cohen.
Senior Lance Tejada
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Both Tejada and Cohen should make an impact on the roster. Who settles into the traditional "point guard" role – whether it's Tejada, Cohen or both – will be determined as the season progresses.
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"One of the goals that I have is putting our best combination of players out on the floor," said Reed. "We have traditionally played two guards together. If that proves to be our best lineup and best combination, then I'm more than happy to play both LT and Jordan together. They would complement each other very well, with both of them having an opportunity to create for our offense and provide leadership for our program, but we will give consideration to what allows each of their respective games to flourish the most."
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In his first season on the floor for Lehigh, Tejada led the Mountain Hawks in scoring (14.7 points per game) and finished 10th nationally in three-point shooting percentage (45.3). He was named second team All-Patriot League after last season, and garnered preseason All-League accolades this year.
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"A lifelong point guard, Lance morphed into what the team needed. He showed the ability to make plays and demonstrate his vision, but it wasn't the primary thing we asked him to do," said Reed. "This year, there will be more opportunities for him to create with the ball in his hands, whether it's through the pick-and-roll game or through transition decision-making. I believe he's well prepared for any of those opportunities that would be presented to him. One of the biggest keys for LT is the continued growth of his defensive presence on the floor."
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Meanwhile, Cohen made an immediate mark at Lehigh when he scored 20 points vs. Princeton in the 2016-17 home opener. Since, he has only continued to improve leading into this, his junior campaign, which should see his minutes continue to increase. Cohen averaged 9.3 points and 3.6 rebounds last season, serving as Ross' backup at point guard while also playing a fair share of minutes alongside Ross.
Junior Jordan Cohen
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"Jordan at times has been one of the top guards in the Patriot League," said Reed. "He has a smooth shot and an uncanny ability to finish and create out of individual matchups. Increased consistency going into his junior year is one of the primary things we'll be looking for. We believe that he is most consistent when he is assertive and aggressive."
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Freshman Joe Foley out of Atherton, California gives Lehigh multiple options at the guard position.
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"Joe has been very impressive in all of our interactions with him," said Reed. "He is one of the top defenders guarding dribble penetration in our entire program. His combination of being a strong floor athlete with lateral quickness and the fact that he has length (at 6-foot-3) makes him a valuable defensive weapon. He also has innate vision, something that can't be taught and something that not a lot of players have; he has a bit of a sixth sense when he's out on the floor and can see plays develop and materialize."
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Two individuals in their first year in the program round out Lehigh's guards.
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"Zed Farrell and David Roelke joined our team out of the student population and have worked hard in practice and so far, have really fulfilled their role of bringing energy, a servant attitude and depth in our practice setting," said Reed.
 WINGS
A theme of the 2018-19 Mountain Hawks is undeniably depth. Look no further than the wing position, with plenty of viable options.
 Kyle Leufroy returns with the most experience, having started on two teams who advanced to Patriot League Championship games. He enters his senior campaign needing just 10 points for 1,000 in his career.
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"Kyle played as a freshman, sophomore and junior, and all of those experiences allow him to understand what's required for a championship-contending run," said Reed. "He shoots the ball very well and has historically done that over the course of his career. He spends a great deal of time on the court working on his skills, and I fully anticipate that his shooting percentage and offensive efficiency will increase his senior year to mirror more of what we saw of him in his underclassman seasons."
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Sophomore Marques Wilson emerged towards the end of last season, starting the final 10 games of the year (which saw the Mountain Hawks post an 8-2 record). He served as a key part of Lehigh's efforts, both offensively and defensively, highlighted by scoring a career-high 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting at Colgate.
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"Marques' 2017-18 season is a testament to the type of character and work ethic that he brings to our program," said Reed. "He can score the basketball and because of his determination and toughness, he found strong ways to contribute to our team. Marques can shoot the basketball, he's got an excellent feel for the game and he reads situations offensively and defensively very well. That puts him in a high regard for a wing because he can be entrusted to be secure with the basketball but also create for other people. When you have a combination of trustworthiness as well as a strong skill level, you have an opportunity to be out on the court contributing."
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Another sophomore, Caleb Bennett, has shown plenty of flashes. Fans got a glimpse of Bennett's upside last season, highlighted by a 23-point effort last February vs. Boston University.Â
Sophomore Caleb Bennett
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"Everyone who follows our program can see where Caleb's potential lies," said Reed. "He's a strong athlete who has good shooting ability, and also the ability to finish. He is one of our stronger on-the-ball defenders and could consistently bring energy for us because of his athleticism. He's a good passer, a good finisher, a good shooter and should take another successful step this year with added experience."
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Meanwhile, freshman Jeameril Wilson is a 6-foot-7 forward who could see time at the wing, or the power forward spot.
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"Jeameril comes into our program with great potential because of his athleticism and length," said Reed. "He has a serious focus about the game of basketball. He's willing to spend the time, he has demonstrated toughness and that combination of physical attributes, plus a strong mental approach leads me to believe he'll continue to grow. He can be an energy player who provides a strong defensive presence for us. He is also one of our more effective finishers, using his length, size and athleticism. Also, his perimeter shooting ability has improved significantly in the short period of time that he's been with our program."
 FRONTCOURT
Junior Pat Andree emerged last season, averaging 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range, including 48.7 percent (55-of-113) in Patriot League play, tops in the league. Â
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"Pat was a catalyst for tremendous offensive production, particularly late in league play, that helped contribute to an impressive win streak (eight-game win streak to end the regular season)," said Reed. "He is a weapon from the perimeter with an excellent shooting touch and extended range. Defenses have to be aware of where Pat is when they scheme and when they look at the spacing on the floor. It allows him to be a weapon, but it also opens up the court for other playmaking perimeter players and scoring post players, because he is a constant presence. Pat has rebounded the ball fairly well for us, and that's something we will count on. As he's gained more experience, we also expect his defensive ability will improve. He's shown growth and development throughout the course of his career and now that he is an upperclassman, he's poised to influence winning even more."
Junior Pat Andree
Jeameril Wilson is an option in the frontcourt, while junior Ed Porter is in the mix after serving as a catalyst off the bench while he was on the court last season. Porter missed all but one Patriot League game due to academic ineligibility.
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"Ed will miss the beginning of this season due to injury and he is working hard in his rehabilitation and focused on his books where we hope he can get healthy and establish himself and compete in the classroom at a high level," said Reed. "Ed has changed his major and has a focus on his new course of study, which has invigorated his academic pursuits.
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"On the court, Ed has been an energy player, someone who understands how the game is played and is willing to do the small things," Reed continued. "From setting a great screen to blocking out, he can add a new element to our team with his depth and frontcourt versatility, provided healthy and available."
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Sophomore Shane Acoveno is another option at forward after a freshman campaign which saw impressive growth.
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"Shane's initial role for our program was making his teammates better in practice, but the game slowed down for him and he was able to contribute in his role at a higher level," said Reed. "Due to some injuries and a lack of depth last year, he answered the call extremely well when he was asked to compete and contribute in contests with some notable performances. That should create a better foundation and higher beginning point for this season."
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At center, Karnik averaged 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds during a strong rookie campaign, showing plenty of strong signs on the offensive and defensive ends. He posted four double-doubles, the first being a 14-point, 10-rebound effort at Pitt.
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"James played a pivotal role for our program and really answered the call for a young big guy thrusted into a major role," said Reed. "He started all but one game and throughout the season, added an intensity and a rebounding presence. He is someone who can run and also be able to utilize his athleticism for catch-and-finish opportunities, running the floor in transition and also being an effective weapon in our pick-and-roll attack. As we move forward with James, we're looking for him to refine his offensive skills so he can become a more effective one-on-one scorer and give us an interior presence that can stabilize our offense and complement the perimeter shooting that our program has been known for."
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Karnik and freshman Nic Lynch form an extremely formidable duo in the middle. Lynch comes in from Seattle Prep, the same school that produced former Lehigh captain Jordan Hamilton.
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"Nic has the physical size and strength to compete at the collegiate level, which is often a difficult transition for any freshman, but being 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, he commands space and does a good job establishing position," said Reed. "He also rebounds within his area very well and has good hands. We knew that he would have size and be one of the strongest and biggest players at his position in the Patriot League, but what's been a pleasant surprise is his athleticism; he is making plays above the rim and running the floor extremely well."
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Juniors Jack Lieb and Josh Wolf are two other centers on the roster, who have made an impact in various ways.
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"Unfortunately, Jack continues to be hampered by injury," said Reed. "He's been a model of mental toughness and determination and has really spent a great deal of time focusing on the things in which he can control and maximizing every opportunity and experience while at Lehigh. I give him a great deal of credit for his fortitude and his optimistic spirit. He's morphed into somebody who, although he can't participate out on the court, has influence amongst his teammates because they know his determined approach for the game.
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"Josh's commitment level to the game has increased over the course of his career," Reed continued. "He is part of a roster to support and make players better in practice and live up to the standards of wearing a Lehigh basketball uniform."
 OUTLOOK
The Mountain Hawks define success by competing for championships year after year. It's something they've done just about every season in Coach Reed's tenure and this year shouldn't be any different.
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"Our program continuously aspires to win championships," said Reed. "This 2018-19 team is the benefit of gained experience from the previous season and increased depth. I would use last season as an indicator of our growing strength in consistency as a program. Despite graduating so much and only having one senior, which would normally be a major rebuild season for a typical mid-major program, for us to finish tied for third in our league, it's a tell-tale sign that even in some of our lower points, we can still compete at a high level." Â
Last season, the Mountain Hawks developed depth, which is only expected to increase this year with the addition of talented freshmen. Every single player plays a role in where Lehigh men's basketball wants to go.
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"We cannot have a successful team unless we have all of our team members fully bought in and engaged," said Reed. "That engagement can take different forms. For some, it's simply supporting and bringing energy in practice. For others, it is playing a more prominent role within games. But regardless of the role, in order for us to be consistent and for us to be strong, we will have to play a full and complete 40 minutes.
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"It means that even for anyone asked to play spot minutes, we have to win those possessions for our team to be the best version of itself. I believe we have stronger depth than we've had in the past, provided everyone continues to remain healthy, and that is a wonderful thing for the success of our team."
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