Loaded Lancers Locked In For Upcoming Season
October 26, 2022 at 9:35 p.m.
Loaded Lancers Locked In For Upcoming Season
By Josh Neuhart-
The Lancers return nearly their entire roster from last year’s sterling season. A youthful Lancer squad burst onto the national scene with a 27-9 record under head coach Scott Moore.
The team tied the program record for best start in team history, winning its first 13 games, which included an upset of the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA.
Grace shined in the postseason as well. After finishing fifth in the grueling Crossroads League, Grace needed to play on the road throughout the CL Tournament.
That proved to be no obstacle for Grace, however, as the Lancers produced three straight road wins over Mt. Vernon Nazarene, Indiana Wesleyan and Marian to claim Grace’s second league tournament crown.
The upsets continued for Grace in the NAIA tournament. The Lancers stunned the hosts in the NAIA Opening Round, taking down No. 11 Olivet Nazarene to punch their ticket to the NAIA’s final site in Kansas City.
Grace eventually fell to No. 9 College of Idaho in the round of 16. With essentially the entire roster intact this year, the Lancers are poised for a high ranking when the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll comes out on Wednesday.
But despite all of last year’s success, Moore was encouraged that this year’s team felt like there was more to accomplish in 2022-23.
“If there was one thing I was worried about this offseason, it would have been complacency,” Moore said. “But this team is just so competitive and loves to win, and they feel like they left something on the table out in Kansas City. The guys are super hungry, so complacency has not been an issue at all.”
Grace has a deep, talented roster under fourth-year head coach Scott Moore. They are headlined by two frontcourt players.
Junior forward Frankie Davidson is an elite scorer who causes matchup issues each game. The 6-foot-7 wing was named the 2022 NCCAA National Player of the Year after pouring in 18.3 points per game on 51 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent on 3-pointers. “When he gets going, he is very hard to stop,” Moore added.
Fellow junior center Elijah Malone produced 14.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last year while shooting an eye-popping 70 percent on his field goals. A “unicorn” in his skillset, according to Moore, he can hurt opponents in a variety of ways; the 6-foot-10 post shoots 50 percent on 3s for his career. “When Elijah is energetic and on his game, there might not be a more dominant player in the entire country,” Moore added.
But the Lancers are far from a two-headed machine. Because of the high-energy way that Moore likes to play, Grace will use a full 8 to 10-player rotation during every game.
“Our M.O. has been to have depth, play hard and be interchangeable. We want to have multiple players who can post up, dribble the ball and screen for anyone. It makes us very hard to guard,” Moore said. “We have a lot of guys who can be the star on any given night. We want to have several guys score in double figures each game. That’s a more enjoyable way for us to play.”
The Gibbs brothers (Jakob Gibbs, Cade Gibbs) have been steady contributors during their careers. Both players are rugged defenders and can score big on any given night; they both average at least 10 points per game for their careers.
Jake Wadding is the quiet hero on the team. The dependable junior has averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in each of his first two seasons, all while shooting over 50 percent from the floor. He can also guard nearly every position on the floor at a high level.
Ian Scott proved to be a perfect spark plug off the bench. An All-Freshman Team honoree last year in the league, Scott’s energy and enthusiasm was matched by his efficient production in the post (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 61 percent on field goals).
The guard rotation has the lone starter missing from last year. Eddie Gill IV will not play this year after dealing with injuries. His on-court defense will be missed, but Moore insisted his vocal leadership from the bench and in the locker room would be essential to Grace’s success this season.
Gill, along with Jalen Reese, provide veteran leadership and strong voices to help guide the team.
The Lancers’ three sophomore guards all make their returns this year. Brycen Graber, Carter Stoltzfus and Brett Sickafoose each bring a unique element to the backcourt. The trio provide ball handling, perimeter defending and long-range shooting, and they will be counted on to play heavy minutes this year.
Marcus Davidson has also impressed Moore during the preseason with his work ethic and ability to score.
“The postseason experience last year that our guards — and really our whole team — got was massive. Some of our guys are young in their grade levels, but they have veteran-level experience now after playing big roles in big games last season,” Moore said.
Only two new players grace the roster of the Lancers. Malachi Pearson redshirted last year, and Hagen Knepp is a true freshman. Both are 6-4 wings and come from highly successful high school programs.
“These guys are doing a good job adjusting to the speed of the game. They’ve both won a lot in high school, so they’re coming in with a great mindset. It’s been great to see them grow in confidence during preseason,” Moore said.
Moore and the coaching staff are honing in on the defensive end this year. With a long, athletic group of players, Moore hopes that the Lancers can cause havoc defensively on their opponents.
“I think we have the chance to be one of the best defensive teams that Grace has ever had. We already have the athleticism, but we are learning to be very disciplined as well in our rotations,” Moore said. “Our goal is to get stops and then let our players create in transition.”
Offensively, Moore admits that not much has changed. The Lancers were already highly efficient on that end last year, scoring 81 points per game and shooting 52 percent as a team overall (second-best in the NAIA).
“Our offense is not complex; we want lots of motion and to get guys into positions where they can make plays. We want to keep shooting at a high percentage, lead the nation in assists, outrebound every opponent and have six guys or more score in double figures. We want to be elite at the simple stuff,” Moore assessed.
With high hopes and lofty expectations, Moore wants the Lancers to stay focused on the process this year. With the rigors of playing the Crossroads League, Grace will not have an easy task ahead of them.
“We are looking one day at a time. We aren’t looking ahead. Winning games is not easy to do, particularly in our league, so we want to focus on each opponent as they come up. We did some good things last year, but past results are in the past,” Moore said. “These are great kids and they’re fun to watch. It’s been neat to see the buildup around this group, and I know they will be a really fun team to follow.”
The Lancers begin their season this Saturday at home against Michigan-Dearborn at 6 p.m.
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The Lancers return nearly their entire roster from last year’s sterling season. A youthful Lancer squad burst onto the national scene with a 27-9 record under head coach Scott Moore.
The team tied the program record for best start in team history, winning its first 13 games, which included an upset of the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA.
Grace shined in the postseason as well. After finishing fifth in the grueling Crossroads League, Grace needed to play on the road throughout the CL Tournament.
That proved to be no obstacle for Grace, however, as the Lancers produced three straight road wins over Mt. Vernon Nazarene, Indiana Wesleyan and Marian to claim Grace’s second league tournament crown.
The upsets continued for Grace in the NAIA tournament. The Lancers stunned the hosts in the NAIA Opening Round, taking down No. 11 Olivet Nazarene to punch their ticket to the NAIA’s final site in Kansas City.
Grace eventually fell to No. 9 College of Idaho in the round of 16. With essentially the entire roster intact this year, the Lancers are poised for a high ranking when the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches’ Poll comes out on Wednesday.
But despite all of last year’s success, Moore was encouraged that this year’s team felt like there was more to accomplish in 2022-23.
“If there was one thing I was worried about this offseason, it would have been complacency,” Moore said. “But this team is just so competitive and loves to win, and they feel like they left something on the table out in Kansas City. The guys are super hungry, so complacency has not been an issue at all.”
Grace has a deep, talented roster under fourth-year head coach Scott Moore. They are headlined by two frontcourt players.
Junior forward Frankie Davidson is an elite scorer who causes matchup issues each game. The 6-foot-7 wing was named the 2022 NCCAA National Player of the Year after pouring in 18.3 points per game on 51 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent on 3-pointers. “When he gets going, he is very hard to stop,” Moore added.
Fellow junior center Elijah Malone produced 14.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last year while shooting an eye-popping 70 percent on his field goals. A “unicorn” in his skillset, according to Moore, he can hurt opponents in a variety of ways; the 6-foot-10 post shoots 50 percent on 3s for his career. “When Elijah is energetic and on his game, there might not be a more dominant player in the entire country,” Moore added.
But the Lancers are far from a two-headed machine. Because of the high-energy way that Moore likes to play, Grace will use a full 8 to 10-player rotation during every game.
“Our M.O. has been to have depth, play hard and be interchangeable. We want to have multiple players who can post up, dribble the ball and screen for anyone. It makes us very hard to guard,” Moore said. “We have a lot of guys who can be the star on any given night. We want to have several guys score in double figures each game. That’s a more enjoyable way for us to play.”
The Gibbs brothers (Jakob Gibbs, Cade Gibbs) have been steady contributors during their careers. Both players are rugged defenders and can score big on any given night; they both average at least 10 points per game for their careers.
Jake Wadding is the quiet hero on the team. The dependable junior has averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in each of his first two seasons, all while shooting over 50 percent from the floor. He can also guard nearly every position on the floor at a high level.
Ian Scott proved to be a perfect spark plug off the bench. An All-Freshman Team honoree last year in the league, Scott’s energy and enthusiasm was matched by his efficient production in the post (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 61 percent on field goals).
The guard rotation has the lone starter missing from last year. Eddie Gill IV will not play this year after dealing with injuries. His on-court defense will be missed, but Moore insisted his vocal leadership from the bench and in the locker room would be essential to Grace’s success this season.
Gill, along with Jalen Reese, provide veteran leadership and strong voices to help guide the team.
The Lancers’ three sophomore guards all make their returns this year. Brycen Graber, Carter Stoltzfus and Brett Sickafoose each bring a unique element to the backcourt. The trio provide ball handling, perimeter defending and long-range shooting, and they will be counted on to play heavy minutes this year.
Marcus Davidson has also impressed Moore during the preseason with his work ethic and ability to score.
“The postseason experience last year that our guards — and really our whole team — got was massive. Some of our guys are young in their grade levels, but they have veteran-level experience now after playing big roles in big games last season,” Moore said.
Only two new players grace the roster of the Lancers. Malachi Pearson redshirted last year, and Hagen Knepp is a true freshman. Both are 6-4 wings and come from highly successful high school programs.
“These guys are doing a good job adjusting to the speed of the game. They’ve both won a lot in high school, so they’re coming in with a great mindset. It’s been great to see them grow in confidence during preseason,” Moore said.
Moore and the coaching staff are honing in on the defensive end this year. With a long, athletic group of players, Moore hopes that the Lancers can cause havoc defensively on their opponents.
“I think we have the chance to be one of the best defensive teams that Grace has ever had. We already have the athleticism, but we are learning to be very disciplined as well in our rotations,” Moore said. “Our goal is to get stops and then let our players create in transition.”
Offensively, Moore admits that not much has changed. The Lancers were already highly efficient on that end last year, scoring 81 points per game and shooting 52 percent as a team overall (second-best in the NAIA).
“Our offense is not complex; we want lots of motion and to get guys into positions where they can make plays. We want to keep shooting at a high percentage, lead the nation in assists, outrebound every opponent and have six guys or more score in double figures. We want to be elite at the simple stuff,” Moore assessed.
With high hopes and lofty expectations, Moore wants the Lancers to stay focused on the process this year. With the rigors of playing the Crossroads League, Grace will not have an easy task ahead of them.
“We are looking one day at a time. We aren’t looking ahead. Winning games is not easy to do, particularly in our league, so we want to focus on each opponent as they come up. We did some good things last year, but past results are in the past,” Moore said. “These are great kids and they’re fun to watch. It’s been neat to see the buildup around this group, and I know they will be a really fun team to follow.”
The Lancers begin their season this Saturday at home against Michigan-Dearborn at 6 p.m.
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