WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's basketball team is set to begin its 2021-2022 season tonight with a trip to Clarks Summit University at 8:00 p.m. The Colonels will take the court under head coach Izzi Metz who is beginning his eighth season at Wilkes with a 91-77 overall record.

Last season the Colonels went 4-5 overall and 2-4 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) contests in what was an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are just excited to play, hopefully 25 games and hopefully some postseason play as well," Metz said of getting back to a full season of games.

Eight upperclassmen make up the Wilkes roster this season including senior guard Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot) who was named First Team All-MAC Freedom last year when he ranked third in the conference in scoring at 14.8 points-per-game (ppg). He also ranked ninth with 5.8 rebounds-per-game (rpg) and eighth with 2.3 assists-per-game (apg).

"He can really score the ball, that's no secret," Metz said of Marshall. "He is a guy we are going to count on for that as well as excellent defense both individually and in the team concepts."

Senior guards Sean Coller (Hershey, PA/Hershey) and Donovan Breeding (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) along with forward Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) also return with a lot of playing experience over their first three seasons within the program.

Coller led the team with 16 three-point field goals last season as he shot .500 from behind the arc.

"Sean is a shooting guard and is just a very mature leader on and off the court," Metz said.

Breeding was third on the team a season ago with 9.8 ppg.

"Breeding can really shoot the ball at 6' 4" and he is strong," Metz remarked.

Robel averaged 9.4 points and 5.7 rebounds back in 2019-20 after sitting out last year due to an injury.

"Jake will give us athleticism around the rim and versatility," Metz said.

Graduate seniors forward Derek Heiserman (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) and guard Trystan Griffith (Fairfield, PA/Fairfield) also return for the Colonels. Heiserman has played in 47 career games with 26 starts over his career.

"We are going to rely on Derek's leadership," Metz said of the fifth-year player.

Guards Nickerson DeMelfi (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) and Bradley Anacreon (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) make up the Wilkes junior class. DeMelfi has played in 33 games with 21 starts and Metz is looking forward to his continued long distance shooting ability. Anacreon has played in 18 with four starts and plays great on-ball defense.

Six sophomores return for their first full season with the Colonels. Forward Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) was named the MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year and Honorable Mention All-MAC Freedom last season when he was second on the team with 13.4 ppg and led the team with 7.7 rpg. Guards Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) and Zachary Gula (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) were fifth and sixth on the team last season with 6.7 and 4.8 ppg respectively. Davidheiser was second on the team with 12 made three-pointers. Guard Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) and forward Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) return after seeing 12.7 and 9.9 minutes-per-game last season. Guard Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) looks to make his Colonels debut after not playing last season.

"Even though we did play nine games last year, in a lot of ways our current sophomore class are still first year players from the standpoint they have never been through the rigors of a full season," Metz commented about his talented group.

Three first year student-athletes round out the roster as guards Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), Michael Rickert (Moosic, PA/Riverside), and Colin Post (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) look to make an immediate impact.

"All come from good programs where they were all well coached and played integral roles in their team's success," Metz said of the first-year players.

Merrifield was a 1,000-point scorer at West Scranton while Rickert, from Riverside, is an excellent athlete and shooter according to Metz. Post is from the same high school, Pennridge, that produced Fisher a year ago and is a big strong wing player who can guard.

Wilkes begins the season with four road non-conference games before opening its home slate by hosting Marywood University in a non-conference tilt on Tuesday, November 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Marts Center. The Colonels then open MAC Freedom play at home against DeSales University on Wednesday, December 1 at 8:00 p.m., the first of consecutive December conference games.

The Colonels were picked to finish fifth in the nine-team league when the Coaches' Preseason Poll was released.

"There is not a night off in this conference," Metz said of the competitiveness of the MAC Freedom. "You have to bring it every night."

Wilkes will play four more non-conference games in late December and early January including two games at the Franklin and Marshall Tournament before getting into the heart of MAC Freedom play the remainder of the season.

"Our expectation is to go out and play extremely hard, we play for one another, and we really want to be playing our best ball come that second half of the year in January and February," Metz said.