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2000-01 Season Outlook It's a new beginning in Cedarville University men's basketball this winter with a lot of new faces. The most notable is Ray Slagle, who enters his initial season as head coach of the Yellow Jackets and returns to the college ranks for the first time in ten years. Slagle is joined by a roster that abounds with youth and is lean on experience. Only two players saw significant playing time last season, however, the squad does not lack for talent or enthusiasm. There is no place to go but up and this group expects noticeable improvement as the season progresses. "I would characterize our team as very young and inexperienced, yet fairly talented," explained Slagle, whose Worthington Christian High School teams were arguably the best in Ohio's Division IV over the past decade. "The learning curve is sharpest at the start of the season, but I think we'll get better quite fast." Cedarville lost 78 percent of their offense primarily through graduation. Besides the departure of the top five scorers from a year ago, also gone are the leading rebounder and assist leader. Those facts haven't dampened the spirits of these "new look" Yellow Jackets. "I think we'll be able to score points and hopefully we'll be exciting to watch," remarked Slagle. "We will play an up tempo game, look for the first uncontested shot, and expect to have a balanced attack with anyone on the floor able to lead us in scoring. Like most teams, defense is a concern."
The two primary returnees are junior forwards David Dingeman and Curt Fleck. Both played in all 32 games last season and each received experience as an occasional starter. Dingeman is back for his third season in the program. He started 17 times on the front line as a sophomore averaging 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-5 forward has proven he can put up some quality numbers as evidenced by a pair of double-doubles including a 20-point, 12-rebound performance in an American Mideast Conference win over Wilberforce. Fleck enters his second season with the Yellow Jackets after transferring from Springfield College in Illinois. He provided a spark off the bench with 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The 6-5 forward demonstrated an ability to shoot from the perimeter by hitting 54 percent of shots from the field and 45 percent outside the three-point arc. It's no secret that the newcomers will be relied on heavily throughout the season. Junior guard Justin Duncan and sophomore center Joel Jackson, who each saw minimal playing time last year, are seeking more minutes this winter. The rest of the roster includes 11 players in their first season in the program. It will not be a surprise to see three to four freshmen in the starting lineup. Slagle prefers a realistic approach when sizing up his young squad. "For any team to be successful, you must play as close to your potential without emotion. Teams that play solely on emotion only go so far. We are concentrating on developing good habits in practice that can in turn be taken into game situations. We understand the task ahead of us and we want to honor the Lord in all we do." The Yellow Jackets will see action in three tournaments beginning with the 23rd Annual Cedarville Invitational. They will also make stops in four-team events at Indiana Wesleyan and Taylor. Wittenberg University remains on the schedule and the American Mideast Conference schedule includes three opponents ranked in the NAIA Top 25. | ||||||
