The college basketball season is right around the corner and if there is going to be a year in which Loyola basketball wins the Patriot League, the 2015-16 season is definitely that year. This team has a perfect mixture of veteran leadership and young talent.
The Greyhounds have four seniors on the team and they are all expected to play pivotal roles this year. Loyola gets big man Jarred Jones back after playing in only two games last year due to injury. The men in green also return Franz Rassman who started every game last season, Eric Laster who was the team MVP last year, and Tyler Hubbard who is the only member of the team who was on the 2012 team that won the MAAC championship.
This year’s team also features stand out sophomores Cam Gregory, Andre Walker, and Chancellor Barnard. The trio had outstanding freshman campaigns and they look to continue their success into their sophomore seasons.
There will be a couple of new faces wearing the green and grey this winter as the Greyhounds have brought in three incoming freshman. Nevell Provo, Sam Norton, and James Fives are all looking to make an impact in their rookie season. Provo was a part of the Canadian U-19 basketball team this summer and competed at the FIBA U-19 World Championships in Greece. Provo is joined in the backcourt by Sam Norton and James Fives. There is already a lot of chemistry between Norton and Fives because they played on the same high school team at the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
The 2015-16 schedule features a bunch of games that you certainly do not want to miss. Loyola opens their season in Reitz Arena on November 13th against Tennessee State at 7:30 PM. Next, the Greyhounds play LIU Brooklyn at home on November 16th before getting their first taste of road action on November 18th against UMBC. The Hounds will also face St. Bonaventure, Stony Brook, Siena, Kansas, Fairfield, and Northwestern during out of conference play.
Loyola opens up the 2015-16 Patriot League campaign against American University on December 20th in Reitz Arena. The Hounds bring in the New Year against the defending Patriot League champion Lafayette Leopards on January 2nd.
After a couple of tough seasons for the Green and Grey, coach GG Smith is poised to turn this team around to being championship contenders again. Between the young talent and the veteran leadership, I think that the Greyhounds have a legitimate chance to dance when it comes time for March Madness.
