By Matt Cain
Contributer
Guards Albert Vargas, a junior, and Isaac Hester, a sophomore, flex on media day.
The men’s basketball team is ushering in a new era this season with a fresh crop of talent looking to make their mark.
With a mix of new faces and experienced returners, the Owls are poised to build on the foundation laid in previous seasons while also embracing a revamped roster. The question for fans, coaches and players: how will these new additions impact the team’s performance and goals for the year?
“Playing fast and the right way: that’s the best style of basketball you can play,” guard Isaac Hester, a sophomore, said.
After a disappointing loss in the first round of the national tournament last season, the Owls went back to the drawing board and picked out what seem to be more complementary players for the system.
Hester played his freshman season of basketball at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Transferring to the university this summer, he will look to have an immediate impact.
Throughout the first three games of the season, Hester has come up with multiple clutch defensive plays, as his defensive presence will be key this season.
The Owls already have forward Cherif Diarra, a junior, protecting the rim, and with Hester, the Owls can be a defensive powerhouse.
Hester is one of five transfers. Forward Jack Margoupis, a sophomore, transferred from a Division I school, the University of Albany Where making the change was easy for, but joining a new system can create a learning curve.
“The play style is very much different. Here, defense is emphasized, and the offense is free flowing,” Margoupis said. “At Albany, we ran more set plays. Here, the coaches want to hear what the players have to say.”
Margoupis appeared in 19 games at the University of Albany, showing great offensive and defensive promise.
Margoupis will look to take a big step forward this year. The Owls are lacking in size, so this was a great pickup from Head Coach Scott Burrell. Burrell, who is faced with a tough task this year, is optimistic and clear about the goals and expectations for this year.
“In the portal, we are looking for someone who’s hungry, who has been tested, and someone who is eager to play,” Burrell said.
With new faces adding to the depth of the team, the returners will have a significant role on the team.
One of the biggest challenges for any team with such a high turnover in players is creating a sense of unity and chemistry, but Burrell and his staff have placed a strong emphasis on team building, both on and off the court, since the start of the offseason.
“You want players to fit who you are as a coach and what you do as a program,” Burrell said. “We are going to learn each other as we go, get better as we go. Staying focused and staying healthy will be a big part of this year.”
As the new season unfolds, the Owls have all the ingredients for success: talented newcomers, motivated returners and a coach who is committed to building a winning culture. If the team can come together quickly and stay focused, there is no telling how far they can go.
