Cardinals Ready to Embark upon 2009-10 Campaign with Splendid Mixture of Vets and Newcomers

Returning five key players from the 2008-09 squad as well as a handful of other capable vets, the 2009-10 Wesleyan men's basketball squad is poised and ready to embark upon an exciting season. The schedule features its usual 24-game slate, nine of them counting toward the NESCAC standings as well as additional games with Little Three rivals Amherst and Williams to give each club four games in total during Little Three play.

Wesleyan returns two players who were firmly entrenched among the NESCAC leaders last season. Top scorer Jason Mendell '12 (#34, photo insert top left) hit for 14.5 points a game in his rookie season, ranking seventh in the conference for scoring. His better than two three-pointers a game on average placed him fifth in the NESCAC while his solid 81.9 percent free-throw accuracy ranked sixth among the NESCAC regulars. In the rebounding department, Dave Maltz '11 (#22, photo insert lower right) ranked third overall with 7.9 boards a game. A solid player at both ends of the floor, he was second in the conference for defensive rebounds and fourth on the offensive glass.

Back after missing the final 13 games due to a leg injury is Jeremy Kaminer '10 (#11, middle photo). Kaminer gave the Cardinal faithful a big treat just before being sidelined when he sank a 30-footer at the buzzer to beat then fifth-ranked Amherst in early January, 2009. He averaged 12.7 points, four assists and three rebounds a game over 11 games before the injury, from which he has fully recovered, took its toll. Also back as a grad student in 2009-10 is Kevin Scura '09 (#23, photo insert upper right), who started almost every game a year ago and averaged nearly eight points a contest. Standout defender Matt Figueroa '12 (#3, photo insert lower left) also returns as he started 16 of 24 contest in 2008-09 and usually drew the opponent's top scorer in Wesleyan's man-to-man defense.

The Cardinals will welcome a bumper-crop of newcomers into camp when formal practice begins November 1. Much is expected from the youngsters who should provide the team with height, depth and talent to support the veterans.

The season gets underway Friday, Nov. 20 when Wesleyan hosts the Inn at Middletown Tip-Off Tournament, facing Johnson St. in the opening round. Southern Maine and Becker do battle in the other first-round matchup. Wesleyan will compete in two other regular-season tournaments in 2009-10, one at Norwich University in early December and another at Springfield College shortly after the New Year.

(Photos courtesy of SteveMcLaughlinPhotography.com)

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