2012-13 IWU Season Preview

2012-13 Titans Finding New Voice, Putting Pieces Together

2012-13 IWUhoops.com Preview

Jordan Foltice, Holland Sentinel

Victor Davis with a tip dunk last season vs Hope as Andrew Ziemnik looks on

Past IWUhoops.com previews

Setting the Stage

Projected 2012-13 Depth Chart (*IWUhoops.com projection as of Nov 12)

Ron Rose comments

Paxton, IL/Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS

High-character young man that is really a pleasure to coach…respected by his teammates because he is all about the team…really good size for a point guard and good court vision…showed dramatic improvement throughout last season by going up against Eliud Gonzalez in practice every day.

Arlington Heights, IL/Rolling Meadows HS

True point guard…a coach on the floor who picks things up very quickly…does things the way you want them to be done…quick with the basketball…a strong on-ball defender…has a little bulldog in him in terms of getting through screens and getting the job done…very strong, has a college-ready body.

Wildwood, Mo/Lafayette HS

Quality young man that we’re happy to have in the program…solid and steady…lefty that can shoot the ball…very intelligent and just a good basketball player…as he gets more accustomed to how we play we have seen his confidence improve…starting to play the way we know he’s capable of.

Wheaton, IL/Wheaton Warrenville So HS

Came in as a walk-on with no promises other than you can participate in the Fall but you have to prove you can compete…comes highly recommended from his HS coach and has not disappointed…he is a worker who is not intimidated by anything…very smart young man studying pre-med…has won everyone over with his work ethic.

Peoria, IL/Peoria Notre Dame HS

Very talented point guard…has the ability to create offense for others and himself…strong on-ball defender…a very competitive kid. We really hope to get him healthy and back in practice because we know he can help this team.

Point Guard (1)

Ron Rose comments

Evanston, IL/Evanston Township HS

Terrific athlete…team-first attitude…best defender in our program…brings size, strength, and athleticism to the perimeter that is unique at our level…this year he is letting the game come to him more…looking for him to take another step up this season.

LaGrange Park, IL/Riverside Brookfield HS

One of our co-captains…has really struggled with severe knee pain his entire college career…when healthy a knock-down 3-point shooter and a really good player…found ways to contribute last year despite injuries and we expect him to do the same this year….can really stretch the defense and is a crafty veteran player.

Washington, Mo/St. Francis Borgia HS

A freshman with a lot of game…can handle it, is shifty, can pass it, and just a fantastic shooter with range…getting acclimated to the physical nature of the college game…is a “yes sir, no sir” kind of guy who is a winner…we are very excited to have Bryce in the program and are excited about his future.

Des Plaines, IL/Maine West HS

Very strong, athletic, explosive wing player…plays very hard, has the ability to get to the basket…we’re looking forward to watching him develop as he adjusts to the college game…very talented young man.

Delavan, IL/Delavan HS

Excited that he got to practice last week…we know what he’s capable of and are excited to get him back on the court…I know basketball is something that he really missed last year, but I think he gained a better understanding of the game by watching things from more of a coaching perspective…need to get his timing, rhythm, and conditioning where they need to be.

Chesterfield, Mo (Parkway West HS)

Comes from a basketball family, has a very high basketball IQ…one of those “get it done”-type players…can shoot the ball…not a traditional point guard but is a good enough ball handler and crafty enough to play that position…just understands the game from being around it so long…a natural leader.

Shooting Guard (2)

Ron Rose comments

Oswego, IL/Oswego HS

A winner and a competitor…will fool you with his basketball ability…will do what it takes to help his team win, whether diving for a loose ball, taking a charge, setting a screen…does all the things that make your team better…also an understated basketball player with an ability to shoot the ball, great court vision…high motor guy who is just tough.

Chesterfield, Mo/St. Louis University HS

High quality young man…hard worker…has a very mature game about him that you usually don’t develop until you’re in your rec league years…just knows all the little tricks…good, solid skill set…moving much better from dealing with severe tendonitis a year ago…brings great size to the perimeter…just a very sharp, intelligent kid.

Lisle, IL/St. Francis HS

Rock-solid young man…named IHSA Sports Person of the Year…has all the intangibles of a stellar leader…works hard, is confident, guys listen to him…comes to practice every day, works hard and get a little better every day…physical player but also has a nice shot and can handle the ball…could find his way in the mix…listed at 6-5, might be 6-6.

Scottsdale, AZ (Desert Mountain HS)

Has shown consistent improvement in his time at Illinois Wesleyan…good athlete who can pressure the basketball on the defensive end…a consistent shooter.

Small Forward (3)

Ron Rose comments

Galesburg, IL/Galesburg HS

Last year as he got more comfortable and confident was able to assert himself on the floor more…very hard working young man…cares about the program and his teammates…a unique athletic specimen at the D3 level in terms of his strength and power, combined with his perimeter skills…is ready to take another step forward as a junior…our desire is for Victor to be a feared offensive rebounder.

Bloomington, IL/Normal Community HS

Very skilled post player…plays the game one step ahead of his man, always seeming to know where the ball is supposed to go…can stretch the defense from the post position, can really shoot the ball…is developing a back-to-the-basket game to complement that…a tremendous passer…with his size could be a very difficult matchup.

Downers Grove, IL/Dowers Grove North HS

Deceptively athletic…intelligent young man that plays very hard…has shown significant improvement each week during practice…can step out and shoot, has a nice 3-point shot, will dunk it on you…competes really hard…legit 6-7.

Paxton, Il/Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS

Hard working young man that loves to play…great length…when healthy has an explosiveness to the basket and can get to the rim quickly…has really good natural instincts on the floor…we need to get Brandon healthy and back in practice so he can continue his development.

Power Forward (4)

Ron Rose comments

Arlington Heights, IL/Prospect HS

Co-captain…really had a breakout season last year…runs the floor, works hard in the post, has great feet, very agile for a post guy, hits the offensive boards consistently, nice instincts for moving to the right spots on penetration, great at slipping screens and flashing to open areas, sees the floor really well…just does all of the fundamental post things very well.

Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville HS

Continues to improve each year as he’s gotten stronger and gained experience…has developed into a guy that can really score in the low post…soft touch, tremendous jump hook…can play above most people not just because of his height and length but also his leaping ability…gives us great rim protection on the defensive end…as confidence grows will become more and more of a concern for opposing coaches.

Frankfort, IL/Providence Catholic HS

With the departure of Eliud (Gonzalez) and John (Koschnitzky) brings our new south side toughness…hard working, blue collar, energetic player that will play physical…goes to the glass every time…soft shot, can step out and shoot the basketball…is going to be a very good player at Illinois Wesleyan.

Forward/Center (5)

Projected Rotations

Keep an eye on...

David Molinari (6-1/185, So) -- dealing with concussion in preseason

Brady Zimmer (6-4/180, Jr) -- projected starter heading into the practice season, dealing with back spasms in early going, Pat Sodemann (6-3/190, So) -- safe bet for the rotation when healthy.

Ryan Coyle (6-5/205, Fr) -- not far from getting in the mix

Mike Marietti (6-8/240, Fr) -- big-bodied freshman who is not far away.

Junior Varsity

Non-conference Schedule

IWUhoops.com ranking of opponents (2011-12 record noted)...

1. UW-Whitewater (29-4, 13-3 WIAC), 11/27 @ Shirk Center - defending national champions, ranked #3 in D3hoops.com preseason poll, WIAC favorite

2. Hope (27-2, 14-2 MIAA), 12/22 in Orlando - ranked #7 in D3hoops.com preseason poll, MIAA favorite

3. Washington U.# (20-7, 11-3 UAA), 12/1 @ Wash U - ranked #21 in D3hoops.com preseason poll, UAA favorite

4. Coe (19-8, 12-4 IIAC), 11/16 @ Shirk Center - IIAC favorite

5. Wabash (18-8, 10-6 NCAC), 11/24 @ Wabash - picked 5th in NCAC

6. Tufts (16-9, 6-4 NESCAC), 11/30 @ Wash U

7. Chicago (14-11, 7-7 UAA), 12/15 @ Shirk Center - picked 5th in UAA

8. Mississippi College (9-16, 7-13 ASC), 12/21 in Orlando - picked 3rd in ASC East

9. Franklin (11-14/8-10 HCAC), 12/30 @ Franklin - picked 5th in HCAC

10. Loras (7-18, 4-12 IIAC), 11/17 @ Shirk Center - picked 5th in IIAC

11. Illinois College (6-17, 4-14 MWC), 12/20 @ Shirk Center - picked 5th in MWC

#assumes IWU and Wash U meet in the Lopata...otherwise will be Wilmington

It was Illinois Wesleyan's fifth trip to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Salem, VA. But it was the first for head coach Ron Rose and the players he recruited to his alma mater.

“It’s really nice to add to the great tradition of Wesleyan basketball,” said Rose of IWU's 2012 NCAA tournament run. "I'm very proud of what we accomplished. It was special."

The Titans snuck into the field as an at-large selection, and then proceeded to knock off Division III powerhouse programs UW-Stevens Point, Hope, Wooster, and Wittenberg on the way to Salem. The double overtime victory at #1-ranked Hope will go down as one of the most memorable wins in program history, at a program with plenty of memorable wins to choose from.

Leading up to the 2012-13 season opener, Rose hopes last season's tournament experience gives his 2012-13 squad and edge.

“For our team this year, I think it is a confidence builder,” said Rose. “It’s also a motivator to put ourselves in a position to get back because of what a terrific experience Salem was. I hope we take the floor Friday (against Coe) with confidence and that we also understand of the level of play it takes to get to back there.”

Big Losses

When the Titans tip the season off at the Shirk Center Friday, they will be without four players who were pivotal in IWU's 2011-12 success -- 6-5 SG Jordan Zimmer, 5-9 PG Eliud Gonzalez, 6-6 SF John Koschnitzky, and 6-3 G Stephen Rudnicki. Rose, now in his 7th season at the helm of the Titans, believes the contribution from IWU's class of 2012 extends well beyond points, rebounds, and assists.

“Every team will only care as much as it’s seniors care, and those four cared deeply about Wesleyan basketball and about each other,” said Rose. “Kids come to Wesleyan and want to be part of something bigger than themselves -- they want to be part of the Wesleyan tradition, they want to leave a legacy and continue the tradition. Those four guys really took pride in that and were great examples for the players that are still here this season. As a program, we can't thank Eliud, Jordan, John, and Stephen enough.”

Moving Forward

After the dust settled on the 2011-12 season, and before students went their separate ways for the summer, Rose and his staff addressed the issue of success with the returning players.

“Success can do one of two things to individuals on a team,” said Rose. “Either it’s motivation, and you get a taste and want to work for it even more, or you can become complacent and forget what it took to get you there. So that was our message – that we need to make a decision on how we’re going to react to that success we experienced.”

Now five weeks into practice for the 2012-13 season, Rose seems pleased with the response from his squad.

“The thing I am so thankful for being the coach at Illinois Wesleyan is the type of young man I get to coach – they are intelligent and they are hard-working,” said Rose. “From what we are seeing so far this year, our guys have really handled it the proper way. Guys that were sophomores and juniors last year know it’s now their turn and they are taking pride in their time as upper class leaders. The guys who were not in the rotation last year are feeling like this is their opportunity to be a part of things and take the next step.”

Rose seems especially happy with the work ethic and attitude of his team during the preseason.

“It’s a hard working group,” said Rose. “They just lace it up and put their hard helmets on and go to work."

He added, "We are a very good practice team. There are not too many teams that have been championship-caliber teams that are not good practice teams. I’m pleased with our effort and I’m pleased with the coachability. It’s been really positive.” said Rose

Finding a new voice

Throughout the preseason, it's clear that Rose has been looking to identify leaders to replace Rudnicki, Koschnitzky, Zimmer, and Gonzalez.

“Last year Eliud, Stephen, Jordan and John were the voice of the team,” said Rose. “They were the ones that were speaking up in team huddles and team meetings and in practice when things weren’t going well. As a coach it’s always more effective when that voice comes from within the team. That was one of the special things about last year’s group. One of the big questions for me coming into the season was, who is going to have the voice?”

So far so good.

“When seniors graduate there is a void that needs to be filled and I’ve just been really pleased with the junior and senior classes, and how they have filled that void,” said Rose. “They have done a great job leading in the early going. Once again, we have players holding players accountable.”

2012-13 Cast

Rose told IWUhoops.com that his Titans will take the floor in 2012-13 with a blend of veterans and newcomers. Let's take a good look at the new cast...

Brady Zimmer (back) – torn labrum last year, repaired at Christmas time, fully healed, no worries at all about that…late-summer started developing back pain, has taken a long time to figure out the right treatment…practiced full-time last week…conditioning and timing to work on.

David Molinari (concussion) – got hit in the head a week into practice…given concussion last year, very cautious…seeing doctor this week to determine when he can return to practice.

Pat Sodemann (groin) – MRI this week to determine severity of injury…range anywhere from 3-12 weeks…encouraged that he can walk on it without discomfort now.

Brandon Heyen (ankle) – hasn’t practiced in almost 2 weeks

College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin

1. North Central (7), 49

1. North Central, 12-2

2. Illinois Wesleyan (1), 39

3. Illinois Wesleyan, 10-4

When asked about the "keys to the season", Ron Rose pointed to the need to blend his returning frontcourt and his new backcourt.

"A year ago the key was getting our post players to mesh with the returning perimeter players," said Rose. "This year it’s just reversed – the key is getting our perimeter players in sync with the returning post players. How quickly we do that so we can have that inside/outside game again that puts opponets in a quandary is the key. We have very capable perimeter players, we just don’t have a lot of experience there. We’re also moving some guys to different positions to what they played a year ago."

Rose feels that process won't be complete until game action begins, however.

"We have to gain that experience of playing together, of being put in tough games," he said. "Our non-conference schedule is unforgiving in the sense that we play some really outstanding teams, and every night out we will be challenged. We need to learn how to win as a team. We need to make sure we learn to play with a purpose on both ends of the floor. We need to do that soon because of the difficulty of our non-conf schedule."

On a personal note, I would like to thank David Steinbrueck for his many years of loyal support to Illinois Wesleyan and the men's basketball program. Coach Stein decided it was time to hang up the Assistant Coach whistle so he could spend more time with his lovely wife Mary Liz and children Kyle and Jordan. While all IWU fans are excited about that decision, and respect the heck out of it, the fact is it's hard for this particular fan to imagine Titan basketball without him. Stein, your countless hours of dedication to developing boys into men, and to helping Illinois Wesleyan produce championship teams will not be forgotten. While I know you're a proud William Jewel (NAIA) grad, I've never met a truer Titan.

The Titans get after it starting Friday, November 16. It promises to be another exciting journey with one of the premier small college basketball teams in the nation. Enjoy the ride, Titan fans!

Preseason Photos

(courtesy of Keith Anderson)

Depth Chart*	Name	Pos	Year	Height/Weight	Hometown/H.S.	Ron Rose comments
1	Victor Davis	PF	Jr	6-5/235	Galesburg, IL/Galesburg HS	Last year as he got more comfortable and confident was able to assert himself on the floor more…very hard working young man…cares about the program and his teammates…a unique athletic specimen at the D3 level in terms of his strength and power, combined with his perimeter skills…is ready to take another step forward as a junior…our desire is for Victor to be a feared offensive rebounder.
2	Parker Musselman	F/C	So	6-8/250	Bloomington, IL/Normal Community HS	Very skilled post player…plays the game one step ahead of his man, always seeming to know where the ball is supposed to go…can stretch the defense from the post position, can really shoot the ball…is developing a back-to-the-basket game to complement that…a tremendous passer…with his size could be a very difficult matchup.
3	Rob Mahlke	PF	Fr	6-7/210	Downers Grove, IL/Dowers Grove North HS	Deceptively athletic…intelligent young man that plays very hard…has shown significant improvement each week during practice…can step out and shoot, has a nice 3-point shot, will dunk it on you…competes really hard…legit 6-7.
(Injured)	Brandon Heyen	SF/PF	So	6-8/200	Paxton, Il/Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS	Hard working young man that loves to play…great length…when healthy has an explosiveness to the basket and can get to the rim quickly…has really good natural instincts on the floor…we need to get Brandon healthy and back in practice so he can continue his development.

Depth Chart*	Name	Pos	Year	Height/Weight	Hometown/H.S.	Ron Rose comments
1	Kevin Reed (co-captain)	F/C	Sr	6-6/230	Arlington Heights, IL/Prospect HS	Co-captain…really had a breakout season last year…runs the floor, works hard in the post, has great feet, very agile for a post guy, hits the offensive boards consistently, nice instincts for moving to the right spots on penetration, great at slipping screens and flashing to open areas, sees the floor really well…just does all of the fundamental post things very well.
2	Nick Anderson	C	Jr	6-9/230	Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville HS	Continues to improve each year as he’s gotten stronger and gained experience…has developed into a guy that can really score in the low post…soft touch, tremendous jump hook…can play above most people not just because of his height and length but also his leaping ability…gives us great rim protection on the defensive end…as confidence grows will become more and more of a concern for opposing coaches.
3	Mike Marietti	C	Fr	6-8/240	Frankfort, IL/Providence Catholic HS	With the departure of Eliud (Gonzalez) and John (Koschnitzky) brings our new south side toughness…hard working, blue collar, energetic player that will play physical…goes to the glass every time…soft shot, can step out and shoot the basketball…is going to be a very good player at Illinois Wesleyan.

Position	Starter	Backup	Keep an eye on...
PG	Dylan Overstreet (6-3/180, So)	Brian Nelms (5-11/175, Fr)	David Molinari (6-1/185, So) -- dealing with concussion in preseason
SG	Eric Dortch (6-3/210, Jr)	Dan Oswald (6-2/190, Sr)	Brady Zimmer (6-4/180, Jr) -- projected starter heading into the practice season, dealing with back spasms in early going, Pat Sodemann (6-3/190, So) -- safe bet for the rotation when healthy.
SF	Andrew Ziemnik (6-4/230, Jr)	Mike Mayberger (6-6/220, Jr)	Ryan Coyle (6-5/205, Fr) -- not far from getting in the mix
PF	Victor Davis (6-5/235, Jr)	Parker Musselman (6-8/250, So)	(see below)
F/C	Kevin Reed (6-6/230, Sr)	Nick Anderson (6-9/220, Jr)	Mike Marietti (6-8/240, Fr) -- big-bodied freshman who is not far away.

Position	Starter	Backup
PG	Joel Pennington (5-11/165, Fr)	Bryce Dolan (6-0/155, Fr)
SG	Bryce Dolan (6-0/155, Fr)	Conor Hart (6-0/190, Fr)
SF	Ryan Coyle (6-5/205, Fr)	Randy Azuogu (6-2/192, So)
PF	Brandon Heyen (6-8/200, So)	Rob Mahlke (6-7/210, Fr)
F/C	Mike Marietti (6-8/240, Fr)	Rob Mahlke (6-7/210 Fr)

2012-13 Poll	2011-12 Finish
1. North Central (7), 49	1. North Central, 12-2
2. Illinois Wesleyan (1), 39	2. Wheaton, 11-3
3. Carthage, 36	3. Illinois Wesleyan, 10-4
4. Augustana, 31	4. Augustana, 9-5
5. Wheaton, 29	5. Carthage, 6-8
6. Elmhurst, 19	5. Elmhurst, 6-8
7. North Park, 11	7. North Park, 2-12
8. Millikin, 10	8. Millikin, 0-14