Roaring Lions Cagers Look to Improve on PSUAC Final Four Finish
Lemont Furnace, PA – For the first time in a decade, the Roaring Lion Men’s Basketball team reached the conference final four, losing to nationally ranked #1 Penn State York. The 2014-15 Roaring Lions began making strides immediately after their first round loss in 2013-14 USCAA Division II tournament. “Watching someone else play for a national championship on our court left us with a bad taste in our mouths,” said Senior Guard/Forward captain Matt McKenna (Pittsburgh, PA). McKenna and the rest of the Roaring Lion basketball team began weight training, conditioning, and getting into the gym the day after a heart-breaking overtime loss in the first round of the national tournament. Senior Dierre Jenkins (Uniontown, PA) was also a starter on the 2013-14 Lion basketball team. Jenkins nailed two three pointers and found 2 steals per game last season.
LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. -- All but two Lions return for fifth year coaches Mark John and Jajuan Davis. Headlining the returners are All-American McKenna and Senior Forward Jacob Bronder (Pittsburgh, PA), 2014 PSUAC Honorable Mention Award winner. McKenna burst onto the scene during the second semester in 2014, after transferring from the Community College of Allegheny County (Coach Bob Kessler). In his Debut in a Roaring Lion uniform, McKenna lit up the Point Park Pioneers for 32 points and 18 rebounds. He finished the semester averaging 26 points and 10 rebounds, shooting nearly 60% from the floor, earning him an Honorable Mention All-American award. Bronder finished the season averaging 13 points and 7 rebounds.
The Lions also return Junior starting guards Luke Williams (Lahaina, Hawaii) and CJ Gaddis (Brownsville, PA). Williams erupted onto the Fayette scene last year averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds per game. Running the point position for Fayette, Gaddis grew with every game, becoming the prototypical point guard under John's system. "He watched James (Pratt) and studied the art of not only taking care of the ball, but commanding and leading a team as well," says Head Assistant Coach Davis.
Sophomore guard Dominick Jackson (Minneapolis, MN) will be pushing Gaddis for time at the point guard spot. "Dom adjusted well to the speed of play at the collegiate level, and he learned very early the offensive and defensive strategies for which we look from the floor general position. His speed and quickness are unmatched at our level of competition, and for the most part, on any level we play," boasts John. Sophomore forward Sean Smoggie (Carmichaels, PA) will also look to fill a bigger role after adjusting to the collegiate game. Smoggie shared duties down low with Bronder, Jenkins, and McKenna for most of the year. "Sean has the heart of a lion, and will work tirelessly to improve his game to better the team. He is a hard-nosed, hard-hat wearing, lunch pail toting kind of guy," said assistant coach David Winns. Other returners include Junior guard Tony Bristol (Charleroi, PA) and Spencer Perieff (Lahaina, HI). Bristol is back from a year-long shoulder injury, and provides great depth at any of the guard positions. His speed, quickness, and unlimited gas tank will prove useful in the Roaring Lions' defensive scheme, which has consistently up tempo and tenacious. Perieff played a major role in the success of the Roaring Lions 13-14 campaign. "(Perieff) rebounds, he gets to the hoop, he's unselfish, he can shoot, and he's extremely deceptive," says John.
The most anticipated addition to the Lions this season is no stranger to the blue and white. Returning for his Senior season, Brandon Cunningham (Rancho Cucamunga, CA) passed up an NCAA DII and three NCAA DI scholarships to come back to his "family" for his last go-round at the collegiate level. As a Freshman, Cunningham was the PSUAC's new-comer of the year. During his Sophomore campaign, Cunningham was a key component of the 2012-13 Roaring Lion team that played for the USCAA National Title. Named to the USCAA All-American team and the PSUAC's all-conference team, Cunningham has come back to Fayette to take care of some "unfinished business". Mario Reeves (Pittsburgh, PA) also joins the team after taking a few years off of organized basketball. Reeves has the ability to play anywhere from the point position to power forward.
In-coming Freshman include Jeffery Waters from Florida, Zac Cooney from Berlin, PA, Laurel Highlands graduate Kody Thomas, Mapletown's Derrick Riggleman, and Donnie Henderson from Monongahela. "Our Freshman class has the unique opportunity to learn from a very experienced group of veterans. We brought them in because we expect them to contribute to such seasoned team," commented John.
The Roaring Lions open the season in Charlotte on November 7 against Warren Wilson, the team that beat Fayette in the 2013 USCAA National Title game. The Lions will play their first seven games on the road, highlighted by non-conference foe California University of Pennsylvania on November 17. Conference play begins November 29, when Fayette hosts last year's PSUAC champion Penn State York.