Men's Basketball voted sixth in preseason poll, open Friday at Southern Vermont
MCLA will expect big things from senior Khalil Paul when they open play Friday night at Southern Vermont. The Trailblazers were voted sixth in the MASCAC Preseason poll
North Adams, MA- New Trailblazer Men's Basketball coach Anthony Skiffington is eager to begin his first season leading the program. MCLA will welcome back their top three scorers and rebounders from last year's team that went 8-18 overall and 5-7 in conference play. Skiffington and his program will begin play on Friday night when they travel to Southern Vermont for a 7pm tipoff.
The Trailblazers were voted to finish sixth in the MASCAC preseason poll. Fitchburg State is the favorite to claim the conference crown.
MCLA will be led by the talented trio of Khalil Paul, Adam Conquest, and Paul Maurice. Combined they averaged about 30 ppg and once again will be counted on to lead the offense. Paul was a versatile slasher last season, his first in a Trailblazer uniform. The senior will see time at the point guard position as well as the off guard slot making him difficult to matchup with due to his 6'4 inch frame.
Conquest is a true back to the basket post presence and the program will try to establish him early in games. Conquest shot a solid 47% from the floor last season and started 22 games. He averaged 9 ppg and 5 rebounds for the Trailblazers during his initial sophomore season.
Paul Maurice is the lone four year senior on the roster. Maurice was the MASCAC rookie of the year as a first year player and has an outside chance to be a 1,000 point scorer. Maurice has been the team's leading three point shooter every season during his career. The senior drained 30 triples last season and is also a solid defender. He's led the team in steals in each of the last two seasons. He's 308 points away from joining the 1,000 point club.
Aside from the aforementioned trio, MCLA will return Careem Kirksey, Dakari Hannah-Wornum, Isshiah Coleman, and Anderson Dalmace. Kirksey is also a long distance threat who saw increased time as a sophomore last season. The duo of Hannah-Wornum and Coleman were a force inside as they combined to average 10.5 rebounds and 3.3 blocks a night. Dalmace also saw an increased role off the bench last season as a sophomore.
Three newcomers appear poised to contribute immediately to the program in 2015-16. Guards Collin Parrott and Ki-Shawn Monroe should see time off the bench for Skiffington. Parrott is a local product having played at Wahconah high school the past four years, while Monroe was a member of the Putnam high school program that won multiple state championships. Another key newcomer will be Joseph Wiggins from Pittsfield. Wiggins may appear undersized, but his athleticism will make him a threat to get to the basket.
The Trailblazers have perennially played a very difficult schedule and this season is no different. MCLA will opens play at Southern Vermont, the defending ECAC New England champions, before hosting Norwich on Sunday in the home opener. The non-conference slate during the fall semester features a difficult stretch that includes a brutal six game stretch against Castleton, Williams, New York U, Wesleyan, WPI, and SVC for a second time.
MCLA will open up MASCAC play in January when they face road tilts at Worcester State (1/6) and Westfield State (1/9). The Trailblazers close the regular season on Saturday, February 20th when they celebrate senior day against Bridgewater State University.