Everything Wrong With US Media Coverage

The Scoffayette

Everything Wrong With US Media Coverage

The Scoffayette

Everything Wrong With US Media Coverage

The Scoffayette

Men’s Basketball preparing to pick up the pace

By Michael Kelley

Police academies, military special operations units and champion martial artists are among the users of CrossFit, a training program designed to prepare individuals for the most grueling and challenging tasks.

Add the Lafayette Men’s Basketball Team to that list.

Although it’s only October, the Leopards are preparing for their upcoming season that includes a tough non-conference schedule and familiar Patriot League foes, highlighted by last year’s champion, Bucknell.

Initiated by the team’s seniors, the CrossFit program combines weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting,plyometrics and medicine ball training. The focus is on increasing speed, power, agility, coordination, flexibility, stamina and strength.

With the loss of starting forward Jared Mintz ‘11 to graduation, the Leopards are changing their style of play andCrossFit could make the transition easier.

“We’re going to run a lot more this year and try to push the tempo,” Co-captain Tony Johnson ‘13 said.

Those 13 men seen running, lifting weights and throwing medicine balls in the gym is most likely the men’s basketball team. This year’s team has a desire to work harder to win the Patriot League Championship, a goal that has eluded the team for the past two years.

“This is definitely the toughest team I have been a part of in my time here,” Jim Mower ‘12 wrote in an email.

With the loss of Mintz, the team loses size down low. However, forward Dan Trist ‘15 out of Sydney, Australia could help the team’s run-and-gun style.

“He’s going to make major contributions right away, and he has a bit more athleticism than Jared,” Johnson said.

With an explosive backcourt featuring Johnson, Mower and Co-captain Rob Delaney ‘12, the team believes that their ability to run and push the ball more will set up opportunities for others and make up for the lack of size down low.

The season begins on November 11 against La Salle in Philadelphia, Penn. Upcoming non-conference opponents include recent NCAA tournament participants Penn State and Vanderbilt.

“This is as challenging a non-conference schedule as we’ve had in recent years,” Head Coach Fran O’Hanlon said. “It will be a good test for our team and prepare us for Patriot League play.”

The team is hoping the new style of play will put them over the hump and propel the team to a Patriot League Championship.

“We have some unfinished business to take care of,” Johnson said. “We’ve let some big opportunities slip away and that alone has put a big chip on our shoulder.”

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