2007-08 Men's Basketball Season Preview

With one season under his belt, head coach John Sanow says he has one goal in mind; making the PSAC playoffs. In his first season, Sanow and the Huskies saw great improvement (from six wins to 13 wins) from the year before and want to continue the upward climb this season. "We missed the playoffs by one game last season, so our focus this year is getting into the PSAC playoffs," said Sanow. "We know once we get in the post-season anything can happen. We're looking forward to stepping up our game."

After nearly making the playoffs, the Huskies are back this season working harder than ever to overcome the obstacles in their way to a playoff berth. "Coming back from last year, what we've been most excited about is how well our guys have worked and conditioned themselves to be ready for this year," added Sanow. "We've seen a tremendous amount of improvement in our strength and conditioning program and in our overall work ethic."

Returning to the frontcourt for the Huskies will be seniors Jeremiah Long and John Allen. "Long really worked on his low post game," Sanow said. "His skills have gotten better and he's improved his offensive game on the block." Allen will also be looking to contribute to the Huskies' run to the playoffs. "John is a very hard worker and brings a lot of energy to the game," added Sanow. Allen, named one of the team captains for 2007-08, played well down the stretch last season.

Also returning to the frontcourt is Bryson Mills, a junior who saw limited time last year. He is looking to get more court time this season. Junior Marko Vucajnk is also looking to make an impact in the frontcourt. "We're looking for him to be able to be more of a post presence this year both offensively and defensively," Sanow said of Vucajnk.

Adon El is a new face in the program that will be making an impact this season. "He is new to our program this year. He is a player that has a lot of offensive ability down in the box," said Sanow of newcomer El. "We're looking for him to be able to score for us inside this year."

Nick Jones returns for his senior season in the backcourt. Jones came on strong at the end of last season averging over 19 points in the final six games and is looking to pick up where he left off. "He really played well at the end of the season and had some big games for us," added Sanow. "He has the capability of scoring and putting up points in a hurry." Jones, who transferred to Bloomsburg from St. Francis (NY), scored 31 points in the season finale with Mansfield last year.

Also, returning will be seniors Buddy Rose and Niko Traykov. "Rose is a guy who has always been able to hit big baskets and key shots for us," said Sanow. "Niko is a player we're looking to open things up from the outside. He's a good three point shooter, who also has the ability to drive the basketball."

Senior Jon DeJesus and junior Drew Jerry will also be contributing to the Huskies' backcourt. Jerry led the Huskies in assists last year with 3.4 a game. Newcomers Jason Green, a transfer from the University of Vermont, sophomore Odell Jones, and freshmen Jesse Betar, Anthony Talley, and Mark Wartman will join the backcourt and help make a difference for this season.

The key to this season is experience. "Our strength this year is our experience. We have six seniors coming back and we're really looking for those guys to step up in their leadership," said Sanow. The Huskies will look to the experience of their roster to help propel them into playoff contention.

Before they jump into their PSAC East games, the Huskies will be matched up against some difficult non-conference games such as Pitt-Johnstown, as well as some tough PSAC cross-over games against California and Edinboro. Last season, California advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while Pitt-Johnstown ended its season with 21 wins for the second straight season.

The PSAC East is filled with strong teams this year. Millersville, the defending PSAC champs, will look to be back at the top along with Kutztown, Cheyney, and East Stroudsburg. Look for Bloomsburg to be right there fighting for one of those playoff spots. "Making playoffs is something that hasn't been accomplished here in a long time and we talk with our guys about stepping up to that challenge," said Sanow. "This year we are looking to mix it up with the top teams and take one of the playoff spots."