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McPherson, Kan. – McPherson basketball has kicked off their season with Haskell Indian Nations University four out of the past five years and the 2014-15 season is no different as the 'Dogs travel to Lawrence, Kansas for a 7:30 p.m. (CT) matchup with the Indians on November 1st
MC has a very athletic team this season and will look to prove doubters wrong; the team was picked sixth by the coaches and seventh by the media in the annual KCAC polls. Though they lost some key pieces from last season, McPherson returns some big names in TJ Grant, Kenny Berry Jr., and Darius Hill. Grant is the top returner in terms of minutes played as the senior logged nearly 600 minutes in 2013-14. He comes back with fellow point guards Berry and Kyle Lakin; the trio of guards will split duties at point for the 'Dogs this year.
A player that came on late last season but is still relatively new is guard/forward DeAndre Henson; he should be a big contributor for MC this season. Hill is a name that if you're new to McPherson basketball won't recognize much. Hill was injured midway through the 2012-13 season and redshirted last year but brings some very valuable leadership to a roster with some new faces.
Among the new players for Mac this year are transfers Page Beeler and Latron Jolly as well as freshmen Aaron Bachura and Lewis Parker III. Beeler and Hill will anchor the front court for McPherson. Bachura is a shooter and both Jolly and Parker III will create matchup problems for opposing teams.
The Bulldogs travel to Manhattan for a November 4th contest with the Manhattan Christian College Crusaders; the game tips off at 7:00 p.m.
Scouting Haskell
The Indians finished 2013-14 with a 7-22 overall record and fell to the Bulldogs twice; in the opening game they lost 75-74 and then dropped a double overtime battle in January 112-105. Saturday's contest will be the first of the year for HINU.
Last season, Haskell averaged just over 80 points a night but gave up 90 which led to some very tight contests; they had 10 games where they lost by 10 points or fewer. The squad out-rebounded their opponents on average, hauling in 42.4 rebounds a night compared to 39.9 for the opposing team.
The team lost some key pieces from last years' team but do return their top scorer in Stand Lovato; the senior averaged 14.8 in 2013-14 and made a team-high 69 three pointers. Tsalidi Sequoyah nearly averaged double figures last year but stopped at 9.5 point per game; he is the top rebounder that's back as he pulled down 5.7 boards as a freshman. The team has seven new faces on their 12-man roster and will lean on contributions from their underclassman early and often.
Haskell will hit the road next week with a game at Midland University on the 4th and Ottawa University on the 7th
