2017-18 Roster I 2017-18 Schedule

ANNVILLE, Pa. – For Lebanon Valley's men's basketball team, there's no time like the present. After winning 16 games in each of the past two seasons and earning back-to-back MAC Commonwealth Championship Tournament berths, the Flying Dutchmen are looking for more. The squad's quest for a conference title and a return to the NCAA Tournament begins on Wednesday night when LVC tips off the 2017-18 season at Cairn.
 
Team Captains
Earlier this fall, seniors Will Boccanfuso, Brett Gilbert, Sam Light, and Andy Orr were named team captains for the upcoming season. For Boccanfuso and Orr, it will be the second year in a row during which they'll hold captainship.

Men's Basketball Names 2017-18 Team Captains
 
Guess Who's Back
LVC returns quite the nucleus this winter, including one of the best two-man tandems in the region. The team will be led by 1,000-point scorers and NABC Second-Team All-Region honorees Sam Light and Andy Orr. Light is the reigning MAC Commonwealth Scoring Champion after he averaged 22.4 points per game. The guard also picked up ECAC South First-Team All-Star honors a year ago. Orr ranked second among Dutchmen with an 18.8 points-per-game scoring average to go along with a team-best 8.4 rebounds-per-game average. The versatile big was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Second-Team for his efforts. Both players were pegged MAC Commonwealth First-Team All-Conference.

Light, Orr Earn NABC All-District Accolades
 
Will Boccanfuso is a two-time Judge John Walter Defensive Player of the Year and he returns this winter with plenty of experience under his belt. The forward started all 26 games in which he appeared last season and averaged 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. Caleb Barwin shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in 2016-17 and LVC will look for him to continue that pace this season. Expect upperclassmen Ricky Bugg, Collin Moore, and Andrew Eberhart to have expanded roles this year.

Boccanfuso Earns Second Judge John Walter DPOTY Award
 
Brett Gilbert provides firepower from distance off the bench, while sophomore Luke Stambaugh has shown flashes during the preseason and could push for more playing time. Morgon Keiser gives the squad another option in the post and Chris Anderson, CJ Boxley, and Cyree Sutton-Ames provide valuable depth in the backcourt.
 
You're New Here, Aren't You?
The Dutchmen add to their lineup thanks to five newcomers to the program this season. Maryland native Zach Tucker netted 1,000-plus points en route to being named the Carroll County Player of the Year. The freshman was a Maryland First-Team All-State pick a year ago.
 
Fellow freshmen in brothers Jordan and Justin Abdo also look poised to make an immediate impact. The pair played at Pottsville, with Jordan a 1,000-point scorer and two-time all-county selection, and Justin pegged a Schuylkill County All-Star.
 
New York native Gordon Shouler was a Suffolk County All-League player who led Smithtown in 3-point field goals and 3-point field goal percentage, and local product Justin Baker rounds out the depth at the guard position as he joins LVC from nearby Lebanon.
 
Welcome to the Staff
Joining LVC's all-time winningest head coach Brad McAlester and longtime assistant Terry Barlet on the sideline this season are newcomers Jon Bishop and Brad Karli.
 
Karli joins the staff after spending six seasons at Bloomsburg. He spent the previous 15 seasons associated with Elizabethtown, playing there for four years and serving the next 11 years as an assistant coach. He helped lead the Huskies to three straight PSAC playoff appearances, as well as the program's first postseason victory since 2001 during the 2013-14 campaign.
 
Bishop comes to Lebanon Valley after two years as an assistant at Cairn. He joined the Cairn staff after spending one year as the top assistant at Penn State Altoona. Other coaching experience for Bishop included an assistant coaching stint at Lancaster Bible as a student for two seasons (2009-2011), as well as assistant stop at Elizabethtown High School for two years (2011-2013).

Karli, Bishop Join Men's Basketball Coaching Staff
 
Student assistant coach Andrew Capodanno, team manager Isaac Reese, and scorekeeper Tim Blauch are back to round out the program's support staff.
 
Dutchmen Pegged Second
Lebanon Valley earned the runner-up spot in the 2017 MAC Commonwealth Preseason Coaches' Poll, released last month. The Dutchmen earned 57 total points and received a pair of first-place votes to earn the runner-up position behind the two-time defending MAC Commonwealth champs from Lycoming. The Warriors totaled 61 points and received six first-place votes. Albright ranked third in the poll with 50 points and received the final first place vote. Widener was pegged fourth with 42 points and Alvernia rounded out the top five with 31 total points.

Men's Basketball Tabbed Second In Preseason Poll
 
Circle the Date
Nov. 17 – Rinso Marquette Tournament
Following Wednesday's season opener at Cairn, the Dutchmen take the floor at Sorrentino Gymnasium for the first time this year on Friday night. LVC's home opener comes against New Rochelle at 8 p.m. Saturday's championship game tips off at 3 p.m., with the consolation game getting underway earlier in the day at 1 p.m.
 
Jan. 3 – vs. Lycoming
LVC's postseason run came to an end at the hands of two-time defending MAC Commonwealth champion Lycoming last February. The Dutchmen split the regular-season series with the Warriors a year ago and will look to not only avenge a season-ending defeat, but also gauge their progress against the team that's won the conference crown two years running.
 
Feb. 3 – vs. Albright, Hot Dog Frank Day / Make-a-Wish Game
For the second year in a row, Lebanon Valley will hold its Make-a-Wish Game on the same afternoon as its annual Hot Dog Frank Day. Making things even better? The Dutchmen will host the team that Hot Dog Frank most often rewarded students of the College for beating. It's the tastiest tradition in college sports. Watch basketball. Eat free hot dogs. Win-win.
 
Feb. 17 – Alumni Game
You might want to stop by Sorrentino Gymnasium at 11 a.m. purely for the entertainment value. This one's all about the guys who think they've still got it… Be sure to hang around for LVC's regular-season finale against Messiah later in the day.
 
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