by Evan Debo
Never before has a Capital University men’s basketball team gone back-to-back-to-back as Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) champions.
On Saturday, the Purple and White kick-off their non-conference schedule when they travel to Thomas Moore (Kentucky), but it is OAC play that has people talking as the 2013-14 campaign gets underway.
Despite going 38-17 overall and an astounding 29-7 in conference play en route to two, consecutive OAC championships, the team was picked to only finish fourth in the 2013-14 OAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll – nine points behind Mount Union for third.
Part of why some consider the Crusaders to be underdogs this year, despite being the conference’s two-time defending champions is due to the departures of seniors Mitch Westerheide, Michael Sommer, Tim Congrove, and 2013 Coaches’ Division III All-America second team selection Spencer Niekamp.
While the departures of Niekamp and company certainly leave open holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball, men’s head coach Damon Goodwin – who has won titles in consecutive years and in four of the past seven seasons with the Crusaders – likes his team’s chances and is poised to complete the unprecedented Three-peat.
“[Another championship] is something we use as motivation for our guys and it is something that Capital has never done so it would be a tremendous feat,” said Goodwin.
“We have won two in a row twice, but we never got that third one. I think it would say a lot for our program from the standpoint of what type of people we have, what type of competitors we have, and what type of leaders we have.”
Two such leaders that Goodwin will rely heavily on this season – seniors Jared Cashen and Ben Jackson – figure to be major factors in how the team performs as the Purple and White look to continue their winning ways.
Cashen, a 6-8 senior from Norwalk, Ohio averaged only 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest in 2012-13.
While those numbers seem to be a bit low, the center did shoot an impressive 54 percent from the field last season indicating that those numbers will grow drastically with increased playing time in 2013-14.
Senior Ben Jackson, a local product from Whetstone High School in Columbus, was fifth on the team in points last season with his 6.1 PPG average on 48.9 percent shooting and his 4.3 rebounds per game was good enough for 2nd on the team last season trailing only OAC Player of the Year Spencer Niekamp for the team lead.
Both Cashen and Jackson will be asked to assume a larger role during the 2013-14 campaign, but as coach Goodwin was quick to point out – he has the utmost confidence in his two seniors both on and off the court.
“They both learned from very good leaders,” Goodwin said. “I think one of the things that we have had over the past few years is very good leaders – very strong leaders – and I think those two will do the same.
“I think they are both really good people and really good basketball players and any program that has success needs those things.”
In addition to Cashen and Jackson’s contributions this year, returning starters A.J. Dixon and Andrew Bolka, along with guard Adam Blake should also heavily factor into how the team performs.
From a coaching standpoint, the team’s focus will primarily be in the middle this season with six players on roster looming at 6’-6” or taller. The Crusaders, like the rest of the college basketball landscape, will also be paying attention to the painted area for another reason – a new rule change.
According to NCAA 2013-14 and 14-15 Rulebook, rule 4-17.4.d, “When the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard shall have attained legal guarding position before the opponent begins his upward motion with his hand/arms to shoot or pass.”
This change is something that will affect how a block or a charge is called and with a team whose strengths and experience is in the post, Goodwin will have to address how his team defends from an X’s and O’s standpoint – which is something he has already incorporated into his coaching this preseason.
“I think [the change] is going to be a big factor and if they really do call it that way all year long it is going to be a really big factor in not only the way the game is called, but in the depth of teams in games,” said Goodwin.
“It is going to change the game and free the game up a little bit more and we have to adapt. Everyone has to adapt and we might have to adapt more than other teams because I think we have been a more physical team in the past.”
Assisting coach Goodwin on the bench this year are some new faces as former Capital University basketball assistant Matt Croci returns for his third stint with the team and former Heidelberg head coach Anthony Gholson is in his first year with the Crusaders.
“From a video and a coaching standpoint, it is nice to have their perspective on things as well. It has been a positive change to have those two guys on our staff,” Goodwin said.
“Coach [Court] Hamilton [who left the program for an opportunity to coach at Ohio Dominican] was a good coach – he really was and we are going to miss him. He was here for seven years. He had strengths and weaknesses like I do and these guys do and it is just going to be different. I hope we can continue to do what we have done over the past six to seven years and I think these guys will help us do that.”
From the departure of key seniors and the new arrival of freshmen recruits and transfers like University of Akron and Chaminade University of Honolulu transfer Michael Green, things such as chemistry and consistency will certainly test this team in the coming months as they look to bring a third, consecutive title back to Capital and a lot of that responsibility rests on the veteran leadership on the roster.
“I say this to every senior class – this is our program, this is my program, but it is your team,” said Goodwin. “We have an opportunity to do something very, very special in our school and in our conference and we will go down fighting trying to do it.”
edebo@capital.edu
