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8 p.m.
Men's Basketball
vs Merrimack
South Dakota State University Athletics
Jackrabbit men open 2007-08 at home
11/9/2007 1:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BROOKINGS, S.D. ? South Dakota State kicks off the 2007-08 season on Monday in Frost Arena, when the Jackrabbits host the University of Mary (N.D.) at 7 p.m.
Before the Jacks take the floor for the first time in 2007-08, head coach Scott Nagy wants his Jackrabbits to put last season behind them and focus on the future, and as they look ahead, they see a bright one because the 2007-08 season marks the last in the five-year transition to Division I and the first in The Summit League.
This Jackrabbit squad looks forward to competing in The Summit League, and to prepare, they took action in the weight room by adding strength, agility and speed, breaking all six of the SDSU men's basketball strength and conditioning records in the process.
Coach Nagy knows how to win basketball games, and his 235-121 record (.660 winning percentage) in 12 years at South Dakota State proves it. Five players overall, including three starters, return to Nagy's squad in 2007-08, add to that a talented group of newcomers, and the Jackrabbits enter the season with their usual high expectations.
Series Notes vs. Mary ? The Marauders won the first and only meeting with the Jackrabbits 77-64 on Nov. 20, 1992 in Brookings.
RABBITS ON THE RADIO ? All Jackrabbit men's basketball games, home and on the road, can be heard on AM 570 WNAX, with Steve Imming doing the play-by-play. The pre-game show begins 15 minutes before tipoff.
THE JACKRABBIT EXTRA ON GoJacks.com ? Subscribers to the Jackrabbit Extra on GoJacks.com can listen to all SDSU men's basketball games, home and on the road, streaming live on the internet.
To learn more about the Jackrabbit Extra, or to subscribe, click on the link at the top of the page.
SUMMIT TV ON TheSummitLeague.org ? Subscribers to Summit TV on TheSummitLeague.org can watch all SDSU men's basketball games, home and on the road, streaming live on the internet.
To learn more about Summit TV, log onto TheSummitLeague.org or click on the link at the top of the page.
THE SUMMIT LEAGUE ? South Dakota State begins play in The Summit League in 2007-08. The Jackrabbits played their first three years in Division I as Independents.
Beran Closing in on 1,000-Point Club ? Senior Ben Beran enters the 2007-08 season with 928 career points, just 72 points shy of becoming the 38th member of the SDSU 1,000 Point Club.
2007-08 Season Preview ? Sophomore forward Kai Williams leads the group of talented Jackrabbit returning players. The 6-6 Regina Sask., native led the Jacks in scoring with 12.1 points per game and in rebounding with 6.5 per game last season on his way to earning Division I All-Independent Second-Team and D-I All-Independent Newcomer Team honors, the only freshman to make either of those squads.
Williams proved last season that he could contribute from anywhere on the floor, but he feels most comfortable at small forward, and coach Nagy expects big things from Kai this season when he gets most of his minutes at his natural position.
Williams also gained valuable experience over the summer playing at the Under-19 World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, where scored more than 20 points three times, including two double doubles and averaged 14 points and 5.8 rebounds per
game for Team Canada.
Sophomore Garrett Callahan returns to the point for the Jackrabbits following a solid freshman season. After sitting out the first six games of the season with an injury, Callahan improved as the season progressed and finished the season third on the team in scoring with 8.3 points per game and second on the team with 2.5 assists per game. Coach Nagy calls Garrett a “gym-rat” which paid off for Callahan, who added 20 pounds of muscle and a four-inches to his vertical jump in the off-season.
Like Williams and Callahan, Thomas Bassett comes into his sophomore season bigger, stronger and in better conditioned. Bassett played in all 30 games last season at power forward with six starts. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game for the season, but came on strong late, averaging 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game over the last five games. At 6-5, 220, Bassett can be physical on defense and rebounds well for his size.
Sophomore Mark Engen worked hard in the off-season by improving his conditioning and adding more than 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-10 frame. Engen's improved size and strength gives him the tools he needs to establish himself in the low post as a shot blocker and gives him the ability to change up opponent's shots in the paint. Engen can already show a variety of moves in the post, and he also brings the potential to become one of the best shooting big men in The Summit League and should challenge for playing time in the post.
Despite just one year of experience, Nagy and his staff expect big things from this sophomore class in 2007-08, not just statistically, but from a leadership standpoint as well.
The bulk of that leadership in 2007-08 falls on the shoulders of seniors Ben Beran, Mohamed Bert?, Michael Loney and Mackenzie Casey.
Beran returns to the team after sitting out last season and he returns bigger and stronger than ever. He played for coach Nagy for three years and rejoined the team for practice after the first semester last year, so he knows the dynamics of this system and of this team.
As a sophomore in 2004-05, Beran started all 28 games led the Jacks with 13.9 points per game to go along with his 5.9 rebounds per game. His junior season started with a 25-point effort against Kentucky, and he finished the season averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Jacks need Beran to utilize leadership skills and his ability to score in the low post, which should play a large part in the Jacks getting back to their winning ways and help develop strong work habits in the younger players in the program.
Bert?, who also sat out last year and rejoined the team at semester time, averaged 8.5 points per game in 2005-06 and led the Jacks with 7.2 rebounds per game. Bert? also led the Jacks with 25 blocks in 2005-06, despite playing in just 20 of the 29 games. Mo shows flashes of being one of the best rebounders in the conference and, along with Beran, brings a strong inside presence to the team, something the Jackrabbits lacked in 2006-07. He also added strength and a jump hook to his arsenal this off-season.
A mainstay in the Jackrabbit line-up the last three years, Michael Loney returns for his final season at SDSU. Loney averages 7.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game over his career, but his contributions to the team cannot always be seen in a box score. He brings loads of experience and compensates for his size with a variety of moves in the low post.
As the emotional leader of the team, Mackenzie Casey continues to get better every year, and like Loney, his efforts do not always show up in a box score, although he did score in double figures four times in 2006-07, including a career high 21 points in the home opener against Idaho. Mac comes to practice every day ready to challenge his teammates and brings an intense energy to every game that rest of the team feeds off of.
Junior Troy Wipf returns for his second season with the Jackrabbits in 2007-08 and like everyone else on the team, he worked hard to improve his game in the off-season. He saw limited action last year, but he pushes the guards every day in practice both offensively and defensively with his athletic ability, his conditioning and his steady jump shot.
A talented group of seven newcomers joins the Jackrabbit squad in 2007-08 and should make an immediate impact on the court.
A 6-4, 200lb guard and class 3A player-of-the-year from Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City, Iowa, Clint Sargent can play all three perimeter positions and can score from anywhere on the floor. Known for his smooth play, he needs to soak in as much information as possible, but Nagy already sees a great deal of potential in Sargent to become one of the premier players at SDSU.
Point guard Michael Palarca comes to South Dakota State from Chatsworth High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., where he earned numerous honors averaging 18.7 points per game and finished in the top-20 in the country in steals. Palarca comes with great ability to guard on the ball, slow down the opponent's transition game, and to utilize his speed to push the ball down the court quickly and get his teammates open shots.
A two-sport star at Brandon Valley (S.D.) High School and Gatorade Player-of-the-Year, Dale Moss may be the best all-around athlete on the team. At 6-4, he can score and rebound around the rim, on the perimeter or anywhere in between. His pure athletic ability and long arms allow him to effectively play all of the perimeter positions and coach Nagy expects him to become one of the better defensive players in The Summit League as he gains experience.
A gifted offensive player that can score and pass, Aurora, Colo., native Josh Cassaday may be the most versatile player on the team, The Centennial League Player-of-the-Year can play on the perimeter or slice his way through the paint. Josh can expect to see playing time at shooting guard and both forward positions.
Sioux Falls Roosevelt grad Anthony Cordova plays with the emotion that this team needs and, like Moss, can play inside or out and may cause some match-up problems for defenses. Anthony can score with his back to the basket, shoot the jump shot, rebound and pass, allowing him to quickly become a major contributor on this team. He can handle the ball in the post a great deal of quickness for his size.
Brandon DeBoer transferred to SDSU last fall from Jamestown (N.D.) and practiced with the team during the season. A Huron native, DeBoer significantly improved his game over the summer and came back this fall more explosive. He may see limited action, but he adds depth and does a good job of challenging the post players every day in practice on both offense and defense.
Payton Tivis joined the team this fall from Bowman, N.D. His work habits alone make him an asset to the team, but he also adds depth at shooting guard and does a very good job defensively. All of which makes him an exciting addition to the team.
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