WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's basketball team looks to return to the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) tournament after making the postseason for the first time since 2019. Coach Izzi Metz enters his ninth season for the Navy and Gold, holding a 99-94 record.
 
The Colonels finished 8-17 last season, holding a 5-11 conference record, good enough to finish seventh in the standings and playing in the MAC Freedom tournament.
 
He explains how the energy level for the men has been great, getting themselves ready for November 8 and how quickly it approaches. Metz talks about how the players are given the offensive and defensive concepts to them each practice, drilling the point into a repetitive mindset for the team.
 
"The group's energy has been great," Metz said. "They're receptive to learning and wanting to get better. Definitely excited for a great season."
 
The Colonels bring back 10 upperclassmen, including First Team All-MAC Freedom junior Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) and Second Team All-MAC Freedom graduate student Drake Marshall (Gainesville, VA/Patriot). Fisher led the MAC Freedom in scoring last year, averaging 16.2 points-per-game (ppg) while ranking fourth in rebounds with 9.6 a game. He had a .482 field goal percentage, ninth in the conference, while ranking fourth in blocked shots (1.7) and sixth in steals (1.5). Marshall finished second with 14.9 ppg and tenth in rebounding at 6.0 per-game. He finished eighth in field goal percentage (48.5) and fifth in assists (3.4).
 
"We have a good amount of scoring coming back from last year," Metz added. "Trent led the conference in scoring, Drake was in the top five. Those guys have proven they can put the ball in the basket. Davidheiser had a good year shooting the ball. We've got a number of returning players we think can put the ball in the basket and defend."
 
He discusses how he hopes to see the upperclassmen bring leadership to the table, as he wants the younger core to emulate what the players that have been doing for the past few years.
 
Senior guards Bradley Anacreon (Nesconset, NY/Sachem North) and Nickerson DeMelfi (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park) alongside forward Jake Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) return to bring out their experience throughout the three years they've been within the program. Anacreon had 16 rebounds and 13 steals on the season during his junior campaign. DeMelfi shot .377 percent from the 3 point line while also making 17-22 free throws to have a .773 free throw percentage. Robel had 25 points and 16 rebounds from last season.
 
Juniors Matthew Davidheiser (Reading, PA/Exeter Township), Joey Zvorsky (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff), and Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) come back in the guard spot as Jason Eberhart (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) joins Fisher in the forward position. 
 
Davidheiser returns finishing third on the team with 9.5 ppg, adding 34 assists and 17 steals on the year. Zvorsky went 6-10 from the free throw line, while getting 21 rebounds on the season. Shafer returns shooting .425 (17-40) from the three-point line and 39 rebounds while Eberhart had 42 rebounds and 19 assists on the season. Guard Zachary Gula (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) rounds out the junior class.
 
Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) and Colin Post (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) return for their sophomore campaign in the guard spot for the Colonels. Merrifield finished fourth on the team with a 6.5 ppg, finishing second on the team with 61 assists while recording 19 steals. Post had 12 assists and went 3-4 on the free throw line in his 15 appearances for the Navy and Gold.
 
Wilkes brings in five first years to gain experience and learn how to help the team continue their success as a program. Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township), Elias Walker (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham), and Jack Argento (Hershey, PA/Hershey) fill out the guard position while Elias Walker (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham) and Matthew Prociak (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) look to help out in the forward spot.
 
"I think what were excited for those five first year players is that they all won at the high school level." Metz said. "I think winning gets undervalued in recruiting. Those guys that come from winning programs have been in big games, been coached hard. There's a standard they want to play at, so hopefully that's rubbing off in our program now."
 
Metz wanted to have a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare for a difficult season in the MAC Freedom, as it will be their last year in the division. Gettysburg was a top three team in the Centennial, and both Wilson and Eastern competed in the NCAA Tournament. Then competing against Scranton at home, who will be an opponent in the Landmark, and traveling to preseason top pick in MAC Commonwealth Alvernia
 
"We feel the non-conference schedule challenges us well to get ready for the MAC, and we know we're going to have our hands full," Matz said. "It's a great stretch coming up for us for sure."
 
Wilkes will begin their season at home in the Marts Center on Tuesday, November 8 when they host Clarks Summit University at 8:00 p.m. They will then go to Gettysburg to compete in the Tip-Off Tournament on November 11-12 against Gettysburg College and either Eastern University or Wilson College. The Colonels will begin MAC Freedom action when they host Lycoming College on Wednesday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. to finish their final season in the conference.