By
Joel Welser
After losing eight out of ten, the
Drake Bulldogs went on a five game winning streak before eventually
losing to Wichita State in the MVC tournament. Coach Tom Davis’
bunch lost by one point during that losing stretch to Southern
Illinois, Illinois State and Northern Iowa. Drake was so close
to being an upper echelon team in the conference. The top two
scorers are gone, but there are plenty of experienced players
ready to fill the void.
Who’s Out:
Small forward Pete Eggers led the team with 11.2 points per game
and guard Lonnie Randolph was right behind him averaging 10.3.
Both are solid shooters who will leave behind a hole on the
wings. David Bancroft proved to be a valuable big man coming off
the bench. The 6-9 center only averaged 8.0 minutes per game,
but averaged 3.3 points and 1.7 boards. Nate Richie is the final
player whose career in Des Moines has ended. The guard only saw
limited minutes in 11 outings.
Who’s In:
The frontcourt could use more depth behind returning starters
Klayton Korver and Aliou Keita and this group of newcomers will
provide plenty of it. Ajay Calvin averaged 15.1 points and 7.2
rebounds last season at Butler (KS) Community College. The 6-7
forward can do a little bit of everything and has a knack for
grabbing offensive rebounds. Power forward Bill Eaddy, who
played last year at Massanutten (VA) Military Academy, should
see some minutes off the bench. Armel Traore dit Nignan owns the
rebounding (515) and blocked shots (94) record at Tompkins
Cortland (NY) Community College. The 6-8, 240 pound Burkina Faso
product will provide Drake with another big body under the
basket. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Cox will also be eligible to
play after sitting out last season. It’s not just the big guys
that make this arguably the best class in the MVC. Freshman
point guard Jacob Baryenbruch was a two-time Associated Press
All State selection at River Valley High School in Spring Green,
Wisconsin. His senior year he averaged 22.4 points, 4.6 rebounds
and 4.0 assists. A point guard that will see more action this
year is junior college transfer Al Stewart, who averaged a
remarkable 6.6 assists last year at Des Moines Area (IA)
Community College. He should challenge returning point guard
Chaun Brooks for minutes.
Who to Watch:
Small forward Klayton Korver is ready for a
break out season. As a sophomore last year, the 6-6 Pella, Iowa
native averaged 9.9 points 5.0 rebounds per contest. He has a
decent outside shot and isn’t afraid to take it, making 56 of
his 145 attempts from beyond the arc a season ago. If Drake
wants to make a run at the power houses of the conference,
Korver needs to have a big season.
Projected Conference Rank:
The Missouri Valley Conference is deep again
this year and it won’t be easy for Drake to crack the top half
of the standings. One of the new forwards will have to play
their way into the starting lineup sooner than later or Drake
will be putting a dangerously small lineup on the floor. A 6th
place finish is a good year for the Bulldogs, who still have
their best basketball in the years to come.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
none
Projected Starting Five:
Chaun Brooks, Senior, Guard, 5.8 points
per game
Chris Bryant, Sophomore, Guard, 6.5 points
per game
Sean Tracy, Senior, Guard, 4.2 points per
game
Klayton Korver, Junior, Forward, 9.9
points per game
Aliou Keita,
Junior, Center, 9.0 points
per game
