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September 18th,
2006
By Joel Welser
Broadcast Basketball
Drexel
Dragons
Overall Rank:
#55
Conference
Rank: #2 Colonial
2005-06:
15-16, 8-10, 7th (t)
2005-06
postseason: none
 Drexel started
the season with some national recognition by playing Duke and
UCLA close at Madison Square Garden. The good times continued
into January, but inconsistency held the Dragons back during the
final two months of the season. With all but one player
returning, Coach James “Bruiser” Flint hopes the good times last
well into March this season.
Who’s Out:
Kenell Sanchez averaged 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists
during his senior campaign. The wing was one of only two
players to start all 31 contests, but with all the talent
returning, Dragon fans aren’t worried about replacing his
production. Guard Randy Hampton is leaving the program after
averaging 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds during the 2005-2006
campaign.
Who’s In:
Drexel could
use some shooters on the wing to help replace Sanchez and Lance
Feurtado and Rob Hampton will get the opportunity. Feurtado has
a decent stroke and will add to the already great defense of the
Dragons. Hampton has some work to do on his outside shot, but
the 6-4 Middle Village, New York product can get to the basket
and finish. Up front, Kenny Tribbett and Yannick Formbor will
look to add some quality depth. Tribbett, a redshirt freshman,
has nice size at 6-9 and 240 pounds. He has decent post moves
and can fill some minutes if the frontcourt runs into injury or
foul problems. Formbor will have some time to develop his game
with all the talent ahead of him. At Saint Patrick High School
in New Jersey, the Cameroonian averaged 10 points, 12 rebounds
and two rebounds as a senior.
Who to Watch:
The
senior leadership of the backcourt will be what catapults the
Dragons towards the top of the conference. Dominick Mejia
averaged 15.3 points per game last year and will take all the
big shots for Drexel. Mejia drained a school record 92 long
balls last year and that record won’t be safe in 2006-2007. Not
only is Bashir Mason a solid ballhandler, but his defense will
cause another year of sleepless nights for opposing coaches.
Scott Rodgers spent his freshman campaign coming off the bench,
but showed enough promise to battle for a starting job as a
sophomore.
Final
Projection:
Chaz Crawford
and Frank Elegar deserve their fair share of recognition as
well. Crawford, the conference’s leading returning rebounder,
averaged 6.4 points, 7.6 boards and 2.8 blocks as a junior.
Mostly due to consistent foul trouble, the 6-10 forward was only
able to start 11 games last year and Crawford needs to stay on
the floor if the Dragons hope to win consistently. Elegar, a
6-8 center, is the main scoring threat in the paint and averaged
11.1 points as a sophomore. The frontcourt has plenty of depth
with returning starter Randy Oveneke and roleplayer Matt
Stevenson. Drexel had problems losing close games once it came
to conference play. With so many players returning, the Dragons
should manage to win a few of those games this year and that
will be enough to reach the NIT.
Projected
Post-season Tournament:
NIT
Projected
Starting Five:
Bashir Mason,
Senior, Guard, 11.3 points per game
Scott Rodgers,
Sophomore, Guard, 2.7 points per game
Dominick Mejia,
Senior, Guard, 15.3 points per game
Chaz Crawford,
Senior, Forward, 6.4 points per game
Frank Elger,
Junior, Center, 11.1 points per game
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