Following a 12-12 record last season, the 2023-2024 Charger men's basketball team is looking to take a big step forward. Gone are Third Team All-Conference player Maurice Russell, as well as Honorable Mention All-Conference selections KeAndre Nelson, Jo Coleman, and Zach Dutton. With that said, second year Head Coach Jeremy Herring welcomes back four key returnees who are expected to make significant contributions to this year's squad. Sophomores Ben Jones and Willie Reece, both 6-3 guards, return to the starting lineup, while redshirt Freshman forward Clayton Bubash and 6-1 Sophomore guard Aaron Clark also return. All three sophomores played key roles and gained valuable experience for the Chargers as rookies last season. Jones and Reece were fixtures in the starting lineup and figure to vie for similar roles this season. In his second year with the program, but first year on the court, the 6-7 Bubash should be able to provide leadership and frontcourt stability for a young group of talented Freshmen.
Coach Herring has high expectations for his returning group. "The four returnees know me, they have been around me, and they know what we expect. They know what it takes to win at this level and in this conference. Their experience is invaluable with such a young nucleus of players. We need their leadership and consistency if we are going to experience any success this season."
A number of Freshmen have stepped up early and will be expected to contribute right away. 6-4 guard Kameron Hordge, 6-2 guard Marcellous Boyd, and 6-1 guard Sean Kimble have stood out on the perimeter this preseason, while 6-5 forward Jayden Sanders and 6-7 forward Hunter Kline have been strong in the frontcourt thus far. Those five could potentially see prominent roles early this season. 6-5 Freshman forward Dante Porch is also expected to contribute at some point, as he works his way back from a preseason injury.
The strength of MUAC this season will be its depth, as they have a number of talented players who all figure to contribute early and often. Additional Chargers who could be in the rotation at the beginning of the season include: 6-2 Freshman guard Bryan Rush, 6-0 Freshman guard B.J. Isom, 6-2 Sophomore guard DeAndre Coleman, and 6-2 Freshman wing Tyshaun Grundy. They have each shown the potential to contribute any given night.
Coach Herring is also excited about this new group's potential while also being aware of the challenges that lie ahead. "I love that we have some experience. That has been the difference from last season to this season. We are ahead of where we were last season, and that's a testament to our returnees setting the tone early. This year's group is deeper and better at the defensive end. We will struggle scoring points on a consistent basis, but our defense will be there and I am optimistic about that. We will have a chance (to win) every night with this group, and that's really all you can ask."
Also excited about the direction of the program in his second year, Coach Herring stated, "we had an up and down season last year; (it was) a year in which we completely reset the program and brought in 20 new players. To that group's credit, however, they were able to put together a .500 season and helped lay the groundwork for the type of culture and program we want here at Marian Ancilla. This team needs to continue to build on that and take a big step forward. I am confident they will work to do that."
The Chargers open their season on Saturday, November 4th, when they travel to the Bosco Institute for a 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00p.m. CT tipoff. The game will be played at the Hammond Civic Center, located at 5825 Sohl Avenue, Hammond, Indiana, 46320. Good luck to the men's basketball team in 2023-2024!!
