HONOLULU – There are many questions surrounding the 2013-14 Chaminade men's basketball team, especially with only four experienced returnees from last year's NCAA Tournament team.
But having a two-time all-Pacific West Conference honoree being one of them as well as the addition of very talented newcomers, suddenly the outlook may not look so bleak as some might see it.
Guard
Lee Bailey, a third-team all-PacWest selection last year and the conference's Freshman of the Year in 2012, returns for his junior season. The Detroit native averaged 11.1 points per game and was among the conference leaders in assists (3.4 apg) and steals (1.5 spg).
Bailey will be one of the leaders of the Silverswords as they open the 2013-14 season Friday against Western Oregon in the PacWest/GNAC Challenge at McCabe Gym, then face Saint Martin's on Saturday. Both games tip at 7:30 p.m.
With the losses of PacWest Player of the Year, De'Andre Haskins, PacWest second team member
Bennie Murray and the reliable and steady
Dominique Cooks, Bailey will certainly have to elevate his game to return the Swords to the upper echelon of the conference standings.
"We depend on Lee for a lot of things," third-year head coach
Eric Bovaird said. "He initiates our defensive pressure and he is usually the one who gets us into our offensive flow. His teammates look up to him and follow his inspirational leadership."
Bailey won't be alone, however.
Rhys Murphy, who transferred last year from Oregon State, also returns. The senior from Sydney, Australia, was having a solid start to his 2012-13 campaign when an injury derailed his season after just 10 games. Murphy, as well as fellow senior
Tyree Harrison, will provide the Silverswords with experience in the post.
Also back is sophomore guard
Kevin Hu. The Taipei, Taiwan native had a successful college debut season after averaging 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
The difference this year will be trying to blend the returnees and the nine newcomers on the roster. But what will help is that five of them have collegiate playing experience elsewhere, four at the NCAA Division I level.
"The loss of all the former players is definitely tough," Bailey said. "But we have a lot of young talent along with some good transfers that I think will help us reach the success we did last year and more."
The transfers are an intriguing bunch: Guard
Christophe Varidel, the second all-time 3-point shooter in Florida Gulf Coast history as the Eagles became the first 15
th seed to advance to the Sweet 16 last March; forward
Frankie Eteuati, who left Cal State Northridge as the eighth-leading shot blocker in Matador history; guard
AJ Mathew, a Toledo transfer who was an AAU teammate of Bailey's in Michigan; guard
James Harper, who saw extensive minutes at Houston Baptist; and guard
Derric Braziel, the second-leading scorer in the NJCAA last year at 26 points per game.
"We have a solid team from one through 14," Bovaird said. "The transfers along with the freshman will be very instrumental for our success."
"I think the chemistry between the returning guys and the new guys is coming along great," Bailey said. "Chemistry comes with time and I think we're getting better every day."
The Swords face two quality foes from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Northwood and Lake Superior State), its annual Neighbor Island contest against Division I member Hawai'i in December and the ever-daunting EA Sports Maui Invitational. It's a non-conference slate that once again is preparing the Silverswords for the always competitive PacWest Conference.
"I always set high expectations," Bovaird said. "I think we should be in a tight battle with a number of teams for the conference title. Our goal is to get into the NCAA Tournament. Once in, anyone can win it all."
