New Lancers Looking For Identity
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Every team is different. And Kessler, now entering his 33rd season with the Lancers, knows this year's team will certainly be different than last year's squad that finished 26-10 and advanced to the elite eight of the NAIA National Tournament in Branson, Mo.[[In-content Ad]]"No matter what you say, it's hard to compare people that are different. One thing I've learned, you don't compare teams. I don't know who my best player of all-time is. There's been a lot of good ones. Last year was a special year, we made it to the elite eight of the national tournament. But this is a different year, the players are different. This team will have its own identity."
Gone from last year's starting lineup are twins Marcus and Scott Moore and Kyle Johnson.
Marcus Moore led the team in scoring with nearly 16 points per game, while Johnson averaged nearly 12 points per contest and Scott Moore averaged five points per game and led the Lancers in assists.
"This is going to be a very different team without the big three," said Kessler. "Marcus, Scott and Kyle did a lot of things for us. They were-four year starters. I've had a Moore in the lineup for a long time, since I don't remember when."
The only Moore on the roster this year is Matt Moore, Grace College's Sports Information Director and fourth-year assistant coach.
The Lancers return two starters from last year's team - 6-foot-10 senior center Eric Gaff and 6-3 senior forward Michael Wienhorst, a Warsaw Community High School graduate.
Gaff cracked the starting lineup in 30 games last season and averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game.
"I think he's going to produce for us," Kessler said of Gaff, a Concord High School product. "Eric Gaff has had some big games for us. Like the first game of the national tournament last year, we know he's capable of doing those things. When he was a freshman, there were coaches in our conference who didn't even know his name. He's improved so much in his four years here."
In arguably his best game of the season last year, Gaff proved his worth while scoring 25 points and pulling down 10 rebounds
Wienhorst started 27 games and averaged eight points and three boards per game last season.
Austin Kaiser, a Wawasee graduate who shared Times-Union Area Player of the Year honors with Wienhorst, played in 36 games last season. The 6-footer from Milford started six games, averaging 9.5 points per contest.
With his enthusiasm and spark plug-style of play, Kaiser brought so much more to the floor than just points.
Other than being a cheerleader, Kaiser won't bring anything to the floor this year, as he will miss the entire season with an ankle injury.
"It was one of those things," Kessler said of Kaiser's injury, which he sustained in a srimmage with Robert Morris College. "Austin was going for a loose ball, he had possession, a guy landed on him and Austin's feet were trapped under him. He fell backwards with all the weight on one leg. It wasn't pretty. He tore all the ligaments in his ankle."
Kaiser, who would've been a starter this year, was at the team's scrimmage with Athletes In Action Thursday evening. He sat near the Lancers' bench with his left ankle up in the air and on a pillow.
"We don't have anyone like him," Kessler said of Kaiser. "We call him the rocket because he's so explosive. He can change the course of the game immediately. We don't have another rocket. He didn't start a lot of games, but he finished a lot of games for us last year. He wasn't a starter, but he was a finisher. We're going to miss his presence on the floor."
Playing major minutes in Kaiser's absence will likely be sophomore David Henry, freshman Dayton Merrell and junior Kyle Plumlee.
Plumlee, a Plymouth High School product, sat out last season after transferring from Manchester College.
Merrell sat out of Thursday's scrimmage with AIA because of an illness.
"We lost Austin, but we still have the position," said Kessler. "Someone is going to have to step up and play there. Someone is going to have the opportunity to bring their own identity to the position."
Other Lancers expected to make major contributions this season are 6-6 junior David Swanson and 6-11 freshman Duke Johnson, brother of former Lancer standout Kyle Johnson.
The Lancers beat AIA 87-78, and Swanson led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Gaff and Wienhorst scored 14 points each, while Henry chipped in with 13 points and Johnson finished with 11 points.
Johnson scored his 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting. He was 3 of 4 at the free throw line.
While the Lancers were guard-oriented last year with the Moores, Johnson, Wienhorst, Kaiser and Henry, the strength of this year's team will be post-play and transition scoring.
"You have to know what your strengths are," said Kessler. "Last year we were guard heavy. This year we're gonna run relentlessly and use a lot of post play. Our big guys can run, and we're going to take advantage of that."
Kessler said the coaching staff was going to focus on keeping thing simple this season, using fewer offensive and defensive concepts.
"We don't want to force the pass or the shot, but we want to force the break," said Kessler. "We want to run relentlessly and score points in transition."
The Lancers officially open the regular season Nov. 5 a Illinois Tech. Grace will celebrate Homecoming with its first game at the Orthopaedic Capital Center on Nov. 7 against Trinity International.
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Every team is different. And Kessler, now entering his 33rd season with the Lancers, knows this year's team will certainly be different than last year's squad that finished 26-10 and advanced to the elite eight of the NAIA National Tournament in Branson, Mo.[[In-content Ad]]"No matter what you say, it's hard to compare people that are different. One thing I've learned, you don't compare teams. I don't know who my best player of all-time is. There's been a lot of good ones. Last year was a special year, we made it to the elite eight of the national tournament. But this is a different year, the players are different. This team will have its own identity."
Gone from last year's starting lineup are twins Marcus and Scott Moore and Kyle Johnson.
Marcus Moore led the team in scoring with nearly 16 points per game, while Johnson averaged nearly 12 points per contest and Scott Moore averaged five points per game and led the Lancers in assists.
"This is going to be a very different team without the big three," said Kessler. "Marcus, Scott and Kyle did a lot of things for us. They were-four year starters. I've had a Moore in the lineup for a long time, since I don't remember when."
The only Moore on the roster this year is Matt Moore, Grace College's Sports Information Director and fourth-year assistant coach.
The Lancers return two starters from last year's team - 6-foot-10 senior center Eric Gaff and 6-3 senior forward Michael Wienhorst, a Warsaw Community High School graduate.
Gaff cracked the starting lineup in 30 games last season and averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game.
"I think he's going to produce for us," Kessler said of Gaff, a Concord High School product. "Eric Gaff has had some big games for us. Like the first game of the national tournament last year, we know he's capable of doing those things. When he was a freshman, there were coaches in our conference who didn't even know his name. He's improved so much in his four years here."
In arguably his best game of the season last year, Gaff proved his worth while scoring 25 points and pulling down 10 rebounds
Wienhorst started 27 games and averaged eight points and three boards per game last season.
Austin Kaiser, a Wawasee graduate who shared Times-Union Area Player of the Year honors with Wienhorst, played in 36 games last season. The 6-footer from Milford started six games, averaging 9.5 points per contest.
With his enthusiasm and spark plug-style of play, Kaiser brought so much more to the floor than just points.
Other than being a cheerleader, Kaiser won't bring anything to the floor this year, as he will miss the entire season with an ankle injury.
"It was one of those things," Kessler said of Kaiser's injury, which he sustained in a srimmage with Robert Morris College. "Austin was going for a loose ball, he had possession, a guy landed on him and Austin's feet were trapped under him. He fell backwards with all the weight on one leg. It wasn't pretty. He tore all the ligaments in his ankle."
Kaiser, who would've been a starter this year, was at the team's scrimmage with Athletes In Action Thursday evening. He sat near the Lancers' bench with his left ankle up in the air and on a pillow.
"We don't have anyone like him," Kessler said of Kaiser. "We call him the rocket because he's so explosive. He can change the course of the game immediately. We don't have another rocket. He didn't start a lot of games, but he finished a lot of games for us last year. He wasn't a starter, but he was a finisher. We're going to miss his presence on the floor."
Playing major minutes in Kaiser's absence will likely be sophomore David Henry, freshman Dayton Merrell and junior Kyle Plumlee.
Plumlee, a Plymouth High School product, sat out last season after transferring from Manchester College.
Merrell sat out of Thursday's scrimmage with AIA because of an illness.
"We lost Austin, but we still have the position," said Kessler. "Someone is going to have to step up and play there. Someone is going to have the opportunity to bring their own identity to the position."
Other Lancers expected to make major contributions this season are 6-6 junior David Swanson and 6-11 freshman Duke Johnson, brother of former Lancer standout Kyle Johnson.
The Lancers beat AIA 87-78, and Swanson led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Gaff and Wienhorst scored 14 points each, while Henry chipped in with 13 points and Johnson finished with 11 points.
Johnson scored his 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting. He was 3 of 4 at the free throw line.
While the Lancers were guard-oriented last year with the Moores, Johnson, Wienhorst, Kaiser and Henry, the strength of this year's team will be post-play and transition scoring.
"You have to know what your strengths are," said Kessler. "Last year we were guard heavy. This year we're gonna run relentlessly and use a lot of post play. Our big guys can run, and we're going to take advantage of that."
Kessler said the coaching staff was going to focus on keeping thing simple this season, using fewer offensive and defensive concepts.
"We don't want to force the pass or the shot, but we want to force the break," said Kessler. "We want to run relentlessly and score points in transition."
The Lancers officially open the regular season Nov. 5 a Illinois Tech. Grace will celebrate Homecoming with its first game at the Orthopaedic Capital Center on Nov. 7 against Trinity International.
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