Men's Basketball Preseason Report
Montgomery, Alabama-The Huntingdon Men's Basketball Team is ready for a full season.
"We're looking forward to normalcy," Head Coach David Gurganus said. "We battled through adversity. It wasn't a normal season [last year] but we're proud of how the team handled it and they've earned the right to get back to some normalcy and to have a 25 game season."
Coming into the 2021-22 season, the Hawks were voted 4th in the USA South Preseason Coaches Poll.
Last season, the Hawks went 4-10 overall and 4-7 in conference. They averaged 67.6 points per game with a 38.7 field goal percentage.
The Hawks averaged 6.3 3-pointers made per game with 23.1 3-pointer attempts per game. There were 13.6 offensive rebounds per game and 24.7 defensive rebounds per game. Opponents averaged 73.5 points per game against the Hawks with a 33.2 3 pointer percentage.
Players to Watch
6 seniors are hoping to find their way back to the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament Championship after losing to Methodist in 2020.
"Damien Madison is a 2-time Second Team All-Conference player and we're really excited about him," Coach Gurganus said.
Madison started 8 games in 2020-21 and was 43-49 in free throws, 58-142 on field goals, and 176 points.
"Caleb Toney, who's been here for 4 years, is a great defender, a great rebounder, and can do a little bit of everything," Coach Gurganus said.
Toney started 13 games and appeared in 14. He totalled 89 rebounds, 17 steals, and 97 points.
"Dylan Bohling is another 4-year guy, a true Huntingdon basketball guy," Coach Gurganus said. "He does all of the right things on and off the court."
Bohling started 12 games and appeared in 14. He collected 74 rebounds, went 25-49 field goals, and totalled 56 points.
"Sam Page, a junior, really knows his role and buys into it," Coach Gurganus said.
Page started in 10 games and appeared in 14. He totalled 62 points, 25 rebounds, and 10 steals.
"We can count on them to do the right thing and lead us," Coach Gurganus said. "They're experienced guys who expect to win. They've been through some hard times but we know what we can do."
Pillars of Success
The Huntingdon Men's Basketball Team prides itself on having the foundation for success and players that buy into it.
"We try to create a culture of family," Coach Gurganus said. "That stems from having a good core, an experienced group."
"We have 4, 4-year guys along with transfers and juniors that live out the culture of Huntingdon Basketball. They're all welcoming and truly want the newcomers to feel welcome and to buy in," Coach Gurganus said.
The team focuses on 5 pillars of success:
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Playing with energy, effort, and enthusiasm
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Great communication
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Being disciplined
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Being mentally tough
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Playing together/family
"We expect a lot of energy and excitement from our guys," Coach Gurganus said. "When we get to the end, we want to be playing our best basketball. We ask ourselves if we are facing adversity the right way and we have the guys to do that."
Covid and the Future
"I'm so proud of the way we've handled Covid," Coach Gurganus said. "It's about mental toughness. Whatever life throws our way, we're going to handle it the right way and not make excuses."
With fans back in the stands and a full schedule ahead, the Hawks are ready for the challenge.
"For the most part, we're back to normal," Coach Gurganus said. "We want to travel, go out to eat together, and whatever comes our way, we're going to face it head on."
For the full schedule, roster information, and stats, visit https://www.huntingdonhawks.com/sports/mbkb/index.