Steve Finkernagel

WILKES MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS 2011-12 SEASON AT HOME AGAINST PSU-HAZLETON TUESDAY

11/15/2011 2:27:00 PM

COLONELS OPEN 2011-12 SEASON AT HOME AGAINST PSU HAZLETON

Wilkes (0-0) vs. Penn State Hazleton (0-0)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 / 7:00 p.m.
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Marts Center

Live Stats

Live Audio (ESPN Williamsport: Trevor Turner)

AT A GLANCE
The Colonels open their 2011-12 season as they host the Nittany Lions of the Penn State Hazleton branch campus. Wilkes has won each of the last three meetings, outscoring PSU-Hazleton by an average of nearly 30 points per contest.

LAST TIME OUT
The Colonels finished 2010-11 with a loss to second seeded and eventual Freedom Champions Delaware Valley, 69-66 in the semifinals of the Freedom Conference Tournament.

Wilkes went 15-10 during the season, including an 8-6 Freedom record and number three seed. Sr. C Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) is the top returning scorer for the Colonels averaging 13.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg while shooting a conference-best 61.4 percent (129-210). Hinze returns as the premier post player in the conference starting in all 25 contests last year for the Colonels.

Sr. G Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) is the top returning guard as the senior was one of three Colonels to average double figures last season pouring in 12.0 ppg and 3.3 rpg. He connected on 27 three-pointers while shooting 76.2 percent (48-63) from the charity stripe. Sr. F Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) is back for his senior campaign after posting 9.9 ppg and a team-high 8.3 rpg last season.

The Colonels had a five-game winning streak during the season taking five straight in Freedom pla, including a 77-64 victory over Misericordia at home.

WHO'S GONE
Chris DeRojas (Dallas/Bishop O'Reilly), who finished sixth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,535 points, has graduated. He led the team in scoring (17.7 ppg), made three-pointers (54), and assists (73).

WHO'S BACK
The Colonels return 12 players, including four starters, from last year's squad. Three of those will return as starters, Sr. G Matt Mullins (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley), Sr. F Paul Huch (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional), and Sr. C Kendall Hinze (Lewisberry, PA/Red Land) as Wilkes will prove to be a very deep team in 2011-12.

Sr. G M. Mullins     Jr. G T. Breznitsky         So. F P. Furst
Sr. F P. Huch         Jr. G S. Blish               So. G C. Thomas
Sr. C K. Hinze        Jr. G C. Richardson       So. G M. Boylan
So.G M. Hayes      So.F B. Sheldon             So. F N. Wilkins

THE CAPTAINS
The trio of captains for the Colonels this season will be Mullins, Huch and Hinze. The top three returning scorers for Wilkes, Mullins, Huch, and Hinze are the senior leaders of this year's squad. Stepping up their leadership roles for the team this season are Huch and Hinze, who have both earned valuable playing time during their three years on campus. Starting all 25 games last season, Huch was 4th on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg) and 1st in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and added 26 steals and 47 blocks.

Hinze started all 25 contests last season and 19 times scored in double-figures, including a team-high six double-doubles. Mullins in his third full season after transferring from Binghamton, will lead the backcourt after averaging 12.0 ppg and connecting on 27 treys last season.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Hinze enters his second year as a full-time starter in 2011-12 and will anchor a Colonels frontcourt loaded with experience and depth at all positions. Hinze topped the conference in field goal percentage (61.4 %) last season, and figures to be the premier big man in Freedom play. His best game in a Wilkes uniform came last year in a loss against Delaware Valley last year whenh he poured in a career-high 32 points and grabbed five rebounds and three assists. He went 9-of-12 from the floor and 14-of-18 from the charty stripe in the contest.

VERSATILITY RULES
At 6-5, Huch is a matchup problem for opposing defenses every night as the senior guard-forward can play on the perimeter as well as with his back to the basket. He provides productivity in three different categories for Wilkes scoring points, grabbing rebounds, and blocking shots. Huch averaged 9.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg (team-best), and 1.8 bpg as a junior last season.

BACKCOURT RESERVES
Jr. G Tyler Breznitsky (Freeland, PA/MMI Prep) saw his minutes increase as last season went on, providing a spark off the bench. He averaged 6.3 ppg, hitting on 47.5 percent (19-40) of his three-point attempts. Fellow Jr. G Cliff Richardson (Bernville, PA/Tulpehocken) will continue to add depth to the Wilkes backcourt. Richardson played 10.7 mpg averaging 1.3 ppg and 1.2 rpg.

THE FRESHMEN
The Colonels welcome in seven true freshmen this season, including G Jourdon Wilson (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley), G Trevor Gilliam (Powhatan, VA/Blessed Sacrament Huguenot), G Cameron Hinkel (Millerstown, PA/Greenwood), F Mike Sharpe (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley), F Jeremy Hartman (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional), C Rodney Hill, and C Lee Strause (Port Carbon, PA/Pottsville Nativity). Wilson is penciled in as the starter at point-guard while Hartman is an Albright transfer that will enter the mix in the lineup.

THE HEAD MAN
Wilkes head coach Jerry Rickrode enters his 20th season at the helm, compiling a 346-152 (.694) career record. He has taken the Colonels to the conference playoffs 16 times, including 10 straight from 1992-93-2001-02. He has also led Wilkes to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1994-95-1998-99), including four Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and one Final Four appearance. He's also a four-time NABC Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and a three-time Freedom/MAC Coach of the year.

Wilkes Under Rickrode:
1992-93             16-9      MAC Playoffs
1993-94             20-6      MAC Playoffs/ECAC South Playoffs
1994-95             25-5      MAC Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
1995-96             28-2      MAC Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
1996-97             20-6      MAC Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
1997-98             26-5      MAC Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
1998-99             25-4      MAC Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
1999-00             16-9      MAC Playoffs
2000-01             23-3      Freedom Playoffs/NCAA Tournament
2001-02             15-11    Freedom Playoffs
2002-03             17-7
2003-04             18-9      Freedom Playoffs
2004-05             15-10    Freedom Playoffs
2005-06             14-10    Freedom Playoffs
2006-07             12-11
2007-08             13-12    Freedom Playoffs
2008-09             15-11    Freedom Playoffs
2009-10             13-12
2010-11             15-10    Freedom Playoffs
                          346-152

THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF MARTS
The Colonels have been very successful playing at home under Rickrode, putting together a 201-52 (.794) record. In 1997-98, when the Colonels advanced to the Final Four, they went 17-0 and the next year went 14-0, moving on to the Elite Eight. Last season Wilkes went 10-3, including wins over cross-town rival King's and Misericordia University.

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