ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan University men's basketball team opens its season at 5 p.m. on Friday against Saint Anselm College at the East Region Challenge in Amherst.
The Redhawks, who are guided by 2009 Roberts alum Mark Saladzius, are coming off a 2023-24 campaign where they finished 9-7 in the East Coast Conference and hosted an NCAA postseason game for the first time. Roberts also participated in the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I Championship in Winona Lake, Ind.
Graduate student
Malik Brooks, a first-team All-ECC selection last season, returns for his final campaign. The Redhawks return five more players from last year and also welcome eight newcomers this season.
Here are five things to know about the Redhawks:
THEY LIKE TO PUSH THE PACE
Roberts averaged 81.6 points per game last season and 13 players on the roster averaged at least 13 points.
The Redhawks will look to force turnovers and outscore their opponents in transition. Two keys to their success will be shot efficiency from three-point range and being able to compete on the boards despite being smaller than a good portion of their opponents.
BROOKS LEADS RETURNERS
Brooks, a 6-3 guard, ranked fourth in the ECC in scoring (17.9 ppg) last season while making 50.9% of his shots from the field and also contributing 6.0 points, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He excels at getting to the basket, but also converted 41 three-point shots while making 32.5% of his attempts from distance.
Seniors
Ryan Garwood (8.3 ppg, 41 3FG, 39.4% 3FG) and
Jermaine Taggart II (9.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg) are also back, along with junior
Ryan Hudson (7.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and redshirt sophomores
Trey Kleitz (1.6 ppg) and
Spencer Glenn (2.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg).
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
Roberts welcomes eight new players, including three true freshmen, this season and Saladzius said it is important for the Redhawks to find ways to jell.
"All of the newcomers and returners have stood out in their own way," he said. "The key if for us to find a way for everyone to mesh with more than half of the team being new."
The true freshmen include guards
James Rosales and
Zach Hicks and forward
Greyson Trubia from nearby Hilton. They are joined by junior guard
Arnardo Camacho, junior forward
Mohamed Soumahoro, redshirt sophomore guard
Keonjay Carter and redshirt freshmen
Jaden Battle and
Nasir Hammonds.
POLE POSITION
ECC coaches picked the Redhawks to finish fourth in the conference's annual preseason poll.
Roberts totaled 47 points while Daemen and Saint Thomas Aquinas tied for first with 72 points. The College of Staten Island ranked third with 64 points. STAC has won the ECC Championship each of the last four seasons.
TAMPA TRIP HIGHLIGHTS SCHEDULE
The Redhawks will close first semester with a trip to Florida to play in the Tampa Classic. Roberts plays the University of Tampa on Dec. 20 and Eckerd College on Dec. 21.
Other highlights of the schedule include their ECC home opener on Dec. 13 against Queens and Roberts Alumni Night on Jan. 31. Roberts wraps up the regular season on March 1 at Daemen.
