Oct. 5, 2001

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This is part two of a four part series previewing the men's basketball team as they prepare for the 2001-2002 season. The series will run until the start of the season with an exhibition game against Pro Hoops Australia on Nov. 2. This week - The Seniors and a Young Nucleus.

THE SENIORS
All seven of the returning seniors averaged more than 11 minutes per game. The group of seniors consists of Philipp Czernin (G/F, 6-6, 200, Sr., Pacific Palisades, Calif.), Robert Davis (G, 6-2, 200, Sr., Tempe, Ariz.), Greg Lakey (F, 6-8, 220, Sr., Lynwood, Calif), Tyler McClenahan (G, 6-0, 170, Sr., San Jose, Calif.), Sean Mollins (F, 6-7, 220, Sr., Redondo Beach, Calif.), Eurskine Robinson (G, 6-0, 180, Sr., Palmdale, Calif.) and Marcus Smith (G, 6-0, 185, Sr., Vacaville, Calif.).

The Team First concept was evident in the unselfish play and balanced scoring from last year's squad. Five players averaged more than eight points per game, seven players led the team in scoring for a single game, and the Lions finished 18 games with three or more scoring in double figures. With the balanced attack, it is no surprise that all seven seniors bring something different to this year's squad.

The Defender
Of the experienced core of players, Marcus Smith returns after earning honorable mention all-conference accolades and academic all-conference honors. He is the first player to achieve both feats in the same season since Peter Cornell in the 1997-98 season.

After starting non-conference play in his first season at LMU with a scoring average of under five points per game, Smith turned it up with a 10-point average in conference play. In addition, he drew some of the toughest defensive assignment last season and was a finalist for WCC Defensive Player of the Year. He was, however, voted defensive player of the year by his teammates. He led the team with 31 steals.

Offense
Robert Davis, who will be entering his third season of play for the Lions over the past four years (he played his sophomore season at Chandler Gilbert J.C.), led the Lions in scoring with 11.9 points per game. Despite standing only 6-2, Davis averaged 4.2 rebounds per game, fourth on the team. He was ranked 11th in the WCC in scoring.

Size
At 6-9, Greg Lakey is the tallest returning player for the Lions. His 29 points against Sacramento State earned him Player of the Week honors in the WCC, the first in over two years for the program. Lakey finished third on the team with 10.4 points per game and 4.6 rebounds. He finished 15th in the WCC in scoring and 8th in free throw percentage (.732).

The Point
Point guard Eurskine Robinson was fifth in the WCC in assists, averaging more than three per game. He also ranked fourth in assist/turnover ratio at 1.42. Robinson also averaged 29 minutes a game, second most behind Davis (29.9).

Little of Everything
Playing in all 28 games on the season, Philipp Czernin showed a little of everything. The best evidence of it was against Sacramento State. He finished the game close to a triple-double with nine points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He finished the season averaging 6.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

Most-Improved
Sean Mollins, who was a walk-on from DeAnza College, gave the Lions some much needed depth on the frontline. He finished the season scoring 4.4 points per game, increasing it in conference contests with a 6.8 average. He was voted as the most improved player by his teammates last season and hit the game winning shot with four seconds left in the Lion's first conference win since the 1998-99 season over WCC preseason favorite San Diego.

Surprise Walk-on
Tyler McClenahan was another walk-on that proved to give the Lions much needed depth and a solid backup for Robinson. He earned a pair of starts in playing in 11 minutes a game and finished fourth in the country hitting 50 percent of his three-pointers (17-34).

THE YOUNG NUCLEUS
Sophomores Kent Dennis (G, 6-4, 205, So., Los Angeles, Calif) and Keith Kincade (G/F, 6-6, 195, So., Norwalk, Calif.) will come off their required redshirt season with a year of practice in the "Team First" system. They are expected to have an instant impact. Dennis, who recorded 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals at Grover Cleveland High School, played 19 games for West Virginia his freshman season. He averaged 11 minutes and 3.7 points per game. Kincade, also heavily recruited, came out of Dominguez High School where he averaged 14 points a game for the 32-3 state champions, played in 20 games for the Mountaineers and averaged 3.2 points per game. As a senior at Dominguez he was named California Division 2 State Player of the Year on the state championship team.

Fellow sophomore Sherman Gay (F, 6-7, 200, So., Carson, Calif.) is also coming off a year of experience, his first on the collegiate level. He averaged only 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, but earned valuable playing time in conference play, including a career high 11-point effort against Gonzaga, who advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

After only returning two players with experience in his first year at the helm of the program, Aggers will have eight with playing experience and 10 who have been in his system for a year. Adding to those 10 players will be the first full recruiting class under coach Aggers, and the biggest need heading into the 2001-02 season seemed to be addressed: size.

Part three of the series will focus on the newcomers to the Lions' program. Part three will run on Friday, October 12.