WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 10, 2011) -
Now in his 32nd year leading the program, Rollins
head coach Tom Klusman is faced will replacing one of the
most successful classes and one of the best players in team
history, as the Tars tip-off the 2011-12 season at Palm Beach
Atlantic Friday.
Rollins, picked to win the Sunshine State Conference for what
would be a school-record third-straight time, meets the Sailfish at
7 p.m. in West Palm Beach. The Tars have dropped two of their last
three trips to PBA, including a 68-63 loss a year ago.
The Tars are in the midst of an unprecedented run of success,
winning each of the last two SSC regular season and tournament
titles. They have also earned NCAA postseason bids six of the last
nine years, including three-straight.
The void left by last season's senior class is vast as Nick Wolf, Matt Robertson, Nikola Baran and Alex Castillo combined for 50.2 points a game last
season, representing more than 65 percent of Rollins' offensive
output. Wolf put together quite possibly the greatest career in
school history, becoming Rollins first three-time All-America
honoree and two-time Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year.
He is the only 2,000-1,000 player, netting 2,035 points and
grabbing 1,046 rebounds, both second all-time at Rollins. Last
season, he led the SSC with 21.2 points and 10.1 points a game
while also handing out 2.8 assists a night. Also graduated is
All-SSC forward Matt Robertson, who had a breakout senior year with
14.5 points and 6.1 boards a game. Nicola Baran (7.6 ppg) and Alex Castillo (6.9 ppg) also leave big shoes to fill
in Klusman's attack.
Senior Myk Brown, who was third in the team last season with
12 points a game, is back and will be looked upon to lead the Tars.
He has 63 starts in just two seasons with Rollins and posted 18
double-digit scoring nights last year. The VCU transfer can score
in bunches and is one of the program's all-time best free throw
shooters, hitting 86 percent (142-165) from the stripe last
season.
Fellow veteran Ian Scott will once again run the point for the Tars
after moving into the roll a year ago. The fifth-year player put up
6.5 points a game last year and led the team with 55 steals (1.7
spg). He is the most familiar with Rollins intricate offensive and
defensive sets and will be relied upon as the leader of the
squad.
Brett Chance played in all 32 games last season and
will be looking for a breakout senior season. He came off the bench
to play nearly 20 minutes a game, putting up 4.6 points and handing
out 1.2 assists a night.
In his first season with the Tars last year, Chris Malcolm battled injury but emerged as a serious
scoring threat and one of the top shot blockers in the nation. He
netted 3.7 points a game, but swatted 1.6 a game, including setting
the Tars single game record with nine against Saint Leo.
A familiar face making a return to the Tars is senior swingman
Jeremy Sharpe. The athletic guard played two seasons
with Rollins, 2007-08 and 2008-09, averaging 12.9 points a game
over the span. He was named to the SSC All-Freshman team and will
be a big impact player for Rollins in his final season for the Blue
and Gold.
David Diakite made the trek down University
Boulevard, transferring from UCF to give the Tars an exciting
scoring threat on the perimeter. Known for his up-tempo style of
play, Diakite played two years for the Knights, making 57
appearances and 21 starts. He emerged as a standout in the
preseason and worked his way into the starting line-up.
Big-man Jeff Dirkin, after redshirting last season, will suit
up and look to make an immediate impact for the Tars. The 6-8
forward benefits from spending a year in the system and should be a
key player this season.
The Tars will only dress nine this season with freshman Chris Uhle and Scott Schuette rounding out the line-up. Uhle is a
6-11 center from Ocala who takes up a lot of space in the paint and
will be a presence on the defensive end. Schuette is a
sharp-shooting guard from Kentucky who will look to work into the
rotation early.
Fans can follow the Rollins men's basketball team all season
long on the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com and locally on
91.5 FM, WPRK. The Tars home on the web also features links to
Facebook, Twitter, live stats and for home games, live streaming
video.