It seems the key for any successful team in the Horizon League is to defend the home court and play at least .500 ball on the road. Do that and the top of the standings is where you’ll most likely end up. The Phoenix played well at home, posting an 11-3 overall mark and a 7-2 conference record. Away from the Resch Center, though, the Phoenix posted just 3 wins all season and only one of those came in 2008. Add in a horrendous stretch run, losing 6 of 8 games, to end the season and it’s not very surprising that the Phoenix have been picked to finish fourth. This despite returning all five starters including an all-Horizon League performer in forward Mike Schachtner and the defensive player of the year in forward Terry Evans.
The Phoenix are an experienced and talented group loaded with junior and senior talent, yet have never made the Horizon League finals or won the regular season crown. This year is the last chance for seniors Schachtner, Evans and Ryan Tillema, the nucleus of an oft-underperforming squad.
The 6’9” Schachtner is among the best players in the league. He finished third in scoring last season with a 15.8 average and was among the league’s top three-point shooters. Putting him on the line is also a mistake; he led the Horizon League shooting better than 90% from the charity stripe. Not the bruiser you would expect for his size Schachtner can mix up it when he needs to, grabbing better than four rebounds per game.
Fellow senior Tillema is another oversized finesse player. At 6’8” Tillema is most comfortable in the guard position. He was among the league’s top three-point threats, knocking down nearly 45% of his triples and leading the club in three-pointers made and attempted. He’s coming off his best scoring season, posting better than 12 points a game.
Evans at 6’5” is the most physical player on the squad and maybe in all the Horizon League. A 195 pound ball of twitching muscle fiber, Evans can jump out of the building if need be and has been named to the league’s all defensive team three times. Evans led the Phoenix in rebounds, blocks and steals while chipping in nearly ten points a game. He is certainly not a player other teams enjoy suiting up against.
The last senior, Cordero Barkley, is another defense first type of player. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds, but off-season wrist surgery has forced him to red-shirt this season. The loss of Barkley opens a window for freshman sharpshooter Brent Eaton. The 6’5” guard from small town Indiana has been impressive in pre-season practice and could see minutes in a back-role in place of Barkley.
With all the experience in Green Bay it was a freshman who was given the keys to car last season. Rahmon Fletcher started 26 games after winning the point guard position in the pre-season and garnered plenty of experience. He averaged better than ten points a contest while leading the club in assists. Only problem was he also led the Phoenix in turnovers. If he can improve upon his 1.05 assist-to-turnover ratio look for the Phoenix to beat expectations.
Junior college transfer Jessie Childs will also get in the mix. The son of former NBA player Chris Childs could take over some point guard duties if Fletcher can’t control his turnovers.
Red-shirt junior Randy Berry is a 6’9” forward who plays like it. At 225 pounds he was second on the club in rebounding and blocked shots last season and chipped in better than seven points.
Junior Troy Cotton saw his averages take a tumble last season as he shot just 31% from beyond the three-point arc and managed just over four points a game. That was down from 46% three-point shooting and nearly eight points a game as a sophomore. He will need to get back on track to give the Phoenix another weapon in the backcourt.
Junior college transfer Chop Tang was a steal for head coach Tod Kowalczyk. A Sudanese native, the 6’6” 220 pound Tang will provide some muscle and scoring ability on the interior.
Junior Pat Nelson is another big man for Kowalczyk to use up front. He saw action in 18 games last season and put together a few nice games down the stretch.
Adding depth in the backcourt will be sophomore Bryquis Perine. He can play either guard spot and saw action in 29 games last season.
The pieces are in place for the Phoenix to make a run at the Horizon League title. The thing is those pieces have been there for three seasons previous and last year looked like a regression. The pressure will be on coach Kowalczyk to produce results this season because this squad will have a very different look next year. Hopefully the pressure won’t be too much to prevent the Phoenix from rising.
Contact Joe at joedlugosz@hotmail.com
