Summer is coming to an end, and that means basketball season is surely within sight.
With the start of the regular season on the horizon, the Eagles men’s squad looks to start strong and get the ball rolling early.
“I’m looking forward to a fun year; I mean they’re a great group of guys,” said Eagles coach Tommy Canale, who is entering his seventh year as the Eagles head coach. “We want to get out to a fast start and try to win our first few games. That’s kind of our main focus now. We’ll see where it takes us from there.”
The home preseason games for the Eagles tips off on Oct. 26 against College of DuPage and William Penn.
“We’ve got a good group; they’re going to be fun and exciting to watch,” Canale added. “It’s going to be different style than what anybody has seen around here in a long, long time.”
The additions of sophomore Lamont Adair (6-6 forward from Capitol Heights, Md.), freshman Trae Blumhorst (6-5 forward from Mendota) and freshman Jackson Stone (6-8 center from Danville) give the Eagles more than enough height down in the post position.
Returning point guard Corey McCrary of Chicago Lawndale and fellow sophomore Quenton Lowe, who transfered from Lincoln Land Community College, offer sharp shooting from deep range and help make the Eagles a well-rounded team.
Although they may not yet be experienced at the college level, freshmen guards Damin Smith, a St. Bede graduate, and Jensen Bryant, an Ottawa High School graduate, can bring a spark into the game and provide the team with a solid bench.
IVCC is holding a homecoming game Nov. 2. The Eagles play at 3 p.m. against a Lewis University club team.
The women’s team has a home contest at 1 p.m. that day vs. Daley.