PREVIEW
In men's basketball action, the Rollins College Tars travel across
town to take on the University of Central Florida Golden Knights.
This is Rollins first game of the 2006-07 season.
The 2006-2007 men's basketball team enters the year with high
expectations and they look to build upon their stellar 2005-06
season. After going 24-8 and finishing first in the Sunshine State
Conference last season, Tom Klusman's group is prepared to dominate
the conference and NCAA Division II. This season, the 26-year
veteran coach and reigning SSC Coach of the Year has a team of
experienced upperclassmen, with five seniors returning for the
Tars. Rollins will look to defeat UCF for the first time in five
meetings.
Rollins will be led by four seniors and one junior. Senior guard
Deon Troupe, senior forward Isaac Codrey, senior guard John
Thinnes, senior center Jordan Kolosey and junior point guard Jonny
Reibel will look to dominate for the Tars this season. In their
previous meeting on November 18, 2005, Rollins shot 36 percent from
the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 50 percent from
the free throw line. The Golden Knights defeated the Tars by
shooting 39 percent from the field, 32 percent from three-point
range and 55 percent from the charity stripe.
Starting for the Golden Knights will be forward Lavell Payne,
guard Dave Noel, guard Mike O'Donnell, forward Kenrick Zondervan
and forward Josh Peppers.
The Tars will be back in action at home on Saturday, November 18
against Flagler College at 4:00 p.m. Tune into the game on WPRK and
the Tars Sports Network.
ROLLINS PROBABLE STARTERS''
Pos.'No.'Player'GP-GS'PPG'RPG'APG'
G'4'Deon Troupe'13-13'8.2'4.4'2.5
G'11'John Thinnes'13-13'6.2'4.6'3.5'
C'21'Jordan Kolosey'13-13'13.9'5.8'1.1
G'22'Jonny Reibel'13-13'17.2'7.4'2.8
F'33'Isaac Codrey'13-11'7.5'4.8'0.8
UCF PROBABLE STARTERS
Pos.'No.'Player'GP-GS'' PPG'RPG'APG
F'2'Lavell Payne'' 15-15'11.4'2.5'5.7
G'3'Dave Noel'' 15-12'4.5'2.1'1.3'
G'4'Mike O'Donnell'' 15-13'6.7'7.9'2.0''
F'13'Kenrick Zondervan 15-15'9.2'9.0'1.3'
F'30'Josh Peppers'' 15-15'15.1'9.0'0.6
SSC PRESEASON VOTING...
Following a season in which they were picked to finish in seventh
place, but captured the Sunshine State Conference regular season
and tournament championships, Rollins College has been selected as
the preseason favorite to win the 2006-07 Sunshine State Conference
men's basketball championship, it was announced today by
Commissioner Michael J. Marcil. Voting for preseason polls was
conducted among the league's head coaches and sports information
directors.
Last season, the Tars posted an overall record of 24-8,
including a 12-4 mark in SSC play, eventually advancing to the
semifinals of the NCAA south region tournament. Tom Klusman, in his
27th season as the head coach at his alma mater, will have the
luxury of five returning starters plus an All-SSC first team
performer from last year's very balanced squad. Four players
averaged double figures in scoring, led by senior guard John
Thinnes, who averaged 12.4 points per game and shot 43 percent from
three-point range. Senior forward Isaac Codrey earned first-team
all-conference distinction for Rollins, coming off the bench to
average 11.9 points and 4.2 boards per game. Junior point guard
Jonny Reibel, the Tars' leader on the floor, was a second-team
all-SSC selection who added 11.4 points per game while senior guard
Deon Troupe added 10.8 points per contest.
School'Points (1st Place Votes)
'Rollins'25 (12)
'Nova Southeastern'37 (6)
'Eckerd'65
'Lynn'78
'Tampa'94
'Barry'101
'Florida Southern'117
'Saint Leo'141
'Florida Tech'152
REIBEL ON THE RUN'
Junior point guard Jonny Reibel played all 40 minutes in the
Rollins vs. UCF contest on November 18, 2005. He scored 14 points
and five assists in the Tars loss to the Golden Knights 68-58.
2005-06 SEASON HIGHS'
The Tars men's basketball team notched a season high 91 points
twice in 2005-06. Once was against Webber International on December
12, 2005 where they won the contest 91-71. The other was against
Palm Beach Atlantic on February 7, 2006 when they defeated the
sailfish 91-55.
KLUSMAN BY THE NUMBERS'
Coach Klusman is the second winningest active NCAA collegiate men's
basketball coach in Florida with 459 career victories. He ranks
46th among active Division II head coaches in total victories. He
was the 1991 & 2003 NABC South Region Coach of the Year.
Klusman is a five-time Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year
and he has participated in the NCAA Tournament as a player,
assistant coach and head coach.
ALL-SSC HONORS...
Last season, three Rollins' basketball players were named to the
All-Sunshine State Conference Honor Roll. Senior Isacc Codrey was
named to the All-SSC First Team, Junior Jonny Reibel was name to
the Second Team and Kevin Hogan was named to the All Freshmen Team.
Head Coach Tom Klusman was also named 2005-06 Coach of the
Year.
ROLLINS RECORD HOLDERS...
Seniors Jordan Kolosey and Deon Troupe have inscribed their names
in the Tar record books among the Rollins' greats. Kolosey is
eighth on Rollins All-Time Career Field Goal percentage list with
54 percent. Troupe is eighth on the All-Time Career Three-Point
Field Goal percentage with 41 percent.
