Men's Basketball Preview Part 7: UW-Green Bay

Nov. 15, 2004

This is the seventh in a nine-part series on the 2004-05 Horizon League men's basketball season. Each weekday leading up to the season opener on Nov. 16, www.horizonleague.org will profile a League men's basketball team, beginning with the team picked ninth in the preseason poll on Wednesday, Nov. 3, and ending with the preseason favorite on Tuesday, Nov. 16. The regular season will tip off on Nov. 16, when Wright State plays at Tulsa in the Preseason National Invitation Tournament. All stories are courtesy of their respective school's sports information office.

UW-GREEN BAY MEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2004-05

With the welcome weight of expectations squarely on their shoulders, head coach Tod Kowalczyk and his UW-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team aim to build upon last year's amazing turnaround and challenge for the Horizon League championship in 2004-05. Stumping the basketball pundits, the Phoenix posted one of the top 10 improvements in the nation in 2003-04 with a 17-11 record and a third-place league finish.

Year three of the Kowalczyk era begins with four returning starters and three senior guards forming one of the best backcourts in the conference. Last year's tandem of rookie big men also returns as experienced sophomores.

Senior guard Brandon Morris was the first all-league Phoenix player in four years with his second team selection. Multi-talented senior Matt Rohde has logged team high minutes in each of the last two seasons. Senior Javier Mendiburu led the team in assists and racked up the first triple-double in team history.

Sophomores Tyler Koenig and Josh Lawrence started more than 20 games apiece as freshmen, combining to form the Horizon League's only returning post duo from last year.

With a tight race anticipated in the Horizon League, the Phoenix is poised to rise above the competition and compete for the title.

RETURNING STARTERS

Morris (6-1, Sr., G) was the team's leading scorer (10.0 ppg), rebounder (4.9 rpg) and three-point shooter (.427) last year, starting all 28 games.

"Brandon was all-conference last year and a guy that I think can be Player of the Year in our league," said Kowalczyk. "He has been a great addition to this program because he brings an unbelievable amount of energy and enthusiasm."

Rohde (6-2, Sr., G) enters his senior season just 129 points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career. Noted for his shooting prowess, but also an underrated defender, Rohde showed his versatility as the team's top perimeter stopper last year.

"Matt is the stable force in our progam, a guy that gives you a consistent effort every day," said Kowalczyk. "He leads this program by example and he's done a great job on and off the floor with the younger guys. Pound for pound, he's one of the toughest guys that you'll see in college basketball."

The post duo of Josh Lawrence (6-7, So., F) and Tyler Koenig (6-8, So., F) returns to the paint for the Phoenix after a rookie season of on-the-job training.

"I think it's rare that freshmen come into Division I programs and make impacts," said Kowalczyk. "It's even more rare when they're post players. We started a freshman '4' and a freshman '5' last year and they had a great deal of success. They both were physically ready to play, but more importantly they both had a toughness about them that has

really been a trademark of this program."

Lawrence set a UW-Green Bay record for freshmen with a team-high 20 blocked shots.

"Josh is as skilled of a four man as there is in this league," said Kowalczyk. "He can also play some three, he can step out and shoot it, handle it and pass it and at the same time is tough enough to go inside."

Koenig shot the ball at an impressive 60.3 percent clip as a freshman, and will likely see more touches on the inside this year.

"Tyler is a skilled big man that can step out and shoot as well, but he's got great instincts around the basket and must be our go-to scorer on the inside this year," said Kowalczyk.

THE RESERVES

The Phoenix bench will be filled with newcomers in 2004-05, after losing senior reserves Mike King and Kevin Hughes. Two key subs from last season will return with expanded roles.

Javier Mendiburu (6-5, Sr., G) was arguably the most improved player on the team over the course of the season. He came off the bench in all but one of 28 games, but earned significant playing time with 26.5 minutes per outing. His season highlight came when he etched his name in the Phoenix record book with a triple-double in a key home win over Wright State in the final game of the regular season.

"I'm expecting big things out of Javier," said Kowalczyk. "I think he is a candidate for Player of the Year in this league. He's a guy that showed glimpses of greatness last year and I think he's building upon that and getting better every day. With Javier the sky is the limit.  He is going to have a great season for us."

Ryan Evanochko (6-2, So., G) saw action in 25 games last season off the bench.

"Ryan didn't play as much as he probably should have last year," said Kowalczyk. "But I think Ryan has gotten a lot better and I think he's learned a great deal about our program over the last year. He's going to get the opportunity to play more this year."

THE NEWCOMERS

Five true freshmen and two transfers join the Phoenix for the 2004-05 season.

Ryan Werch (6-1, Fr., G, Ripon, Wis.) transferred to Green Bay from Utah last January. Werch was a second team All-State selection at Ripon for former Phoenix standout Dean Vander Plas.

"Ryan is our most skilled player," said Kowalczyk. "He's a great ball hander, a very good shooter and is dedicated to the game of basketball. He's done a great job taking pride in his strength and conditioning work in the offseason."

Benito Flores (6-7, Jr., F, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was a part of consecutive national championship teams at Southeastern Community College.

"Benito is a skilled post player that can really pass it and handle it," said Kowalczyk. "He's makes plays. I think of him as a power forward version of Javier; not a great scorer, but a very good player who just understands how to play the game."

Highlighting the incoming freshman class is Tevah Morris (6-9, Fr., F, Clinton, Tenn.). Morris averaged a double-double as a senior with 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.

"Tevah is a strong inside presence who physcially is ready to defend and rebound at this level," said Kowalczyk. "I think Tevah is a guy we recruited to play right away and he is going to play right away, we're going to throw him into the fire and I think he'll handle that very well."

Terry Evans (6-5, Fr., F, St. Louis, Mo.) hails from the powerhouse Cardinal Ritter prep program. He helped the Lions to an undefeated state championship as a junior.

"Terry is as athletic of a player as Green Bay's ever had," said Kowalczyk. "He has been a little bit slow in his progress over the last year because of injury, but he's healthy now and I think he can be a star in this league."

Daniel Munday (6-3, Fr., G, Secret Harbour, Western Australia) will be the first native Australian to don a Phoenix uniform.

"Daniel is a guard that will give our backcourt much needed depth," said Kowalczyk. "I love his ability to shoot the ball, make plays off the dribble and his overall toughness. He has a chance to get minutes depending on how quickly he adjusts to American basketball."

Wisconsin prep standouts Robby Springborn (5-11, Fr., G, Fond du Lac, Wis.) and Jarrod Pelkofer (6-3, Fr., G, Hales Corners, Wis.) will join the Phoenix as walk-ons.

"Robby is just a tough, competitive point guard that I think will bring a lot of intensity to practice every day," said Kowalczyk. "This year we're going to redshirt him. He's a guy that I feel good about for the future and he can play at this level."

"Jarrod is an athletic guard that can really shoot the basketball," said Kowalczyk. "He is capable of helping this program and he's a guy that I'm extremely high on."

THE COACHES

New to Kowalczyk's coaching staff is former Michigan State standout Daimon Beathea. Beathea comes to Green Bay following one year at Dayton. Pat McKenzie also begins his first year on the Phoenix bench as director of basketball operations. Second-year assistant Jon Harris returns, while assistant Dale Race begins his third year at UW-Green Bay.

THE RESCH CENTER

The 9,877-seat home of the Phoenix is the Resch Center across from historic Lambeau Field. UW-Green Bay begins its third year playing in the facility in 2004-05.

Year one of Green Bay Basketball at the Resch Center saw a 45 percent increase in attendance that ranked among the top 20 boosts in major college basketball.

The Phoenix has won back-to-back Oneida Bingo & Casino Classic titles in the Resch Center and hosted the top two crowds in school history in the last two years.

THE 2004-05 SCHEDULE

The Phoenix slate of opponents features a marquee home matchup in ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday, the 12th annual Oneida Bingo & Casino Classic and pair of road games against two preseason top 20 teams.

For the second straight season, UW-Green Bay has been selected to host a Bracket Buster game at the Resch Center, with pairings and television broadcast details to be announced three weeks prior to the Saturday, Feb. 19, 2005 game. 

The 16-game Phoenix home schedule also features the 12th annual Oneida Bingo & Casino Classic, Dec. 29-30, 2004. Hartford and Rider will meet Wednesday night in the opening game. UW-Green Bay versus new Division I member North Dakota State will be the first round nightcap. Thursday's games will feature the tournament consolation and championship matchups.

UW-Green Bay will face Michigan State Tuesday, Nov. 23 in East Lansing, Mich. The game starts a four-game series with the Spartans which includes a meeting in Green Bay during the 2006-07 season. Big Ten tournament champion and NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Wisconsin will host the instate rival Phoenix two weeks later, Tuesday Dec. 7 in Madison, Wis. Both Michigan State and Wisconsin earned preseason ranking among the top 12 teams in the nation according to ESPN.com.

"This may be the toughest schedule Green Bay basketball has ever played," said Kowalczyk. "It will challenge us early and help us get ready for the start of the Horizon League season."

For the first time in Kowalczyk's three-year tenure, UW-Green Bay will open the regular season with a home game, Saturday Nov. 20 against IUPUI. Other non-conference home opponents include SE Missouri State Saturday, Nov. 27 and 2003 Oneida Bingo & Casino Classic consolation winner Weber State Saturday, Dec. 4.

The Horizon League schedule begins its double round-robin format Saturday, Jan. 3 when UW-Green Bay hosts Wright State to open league play. The conference season closes with five of six league games on the road for the Phoenix during the month of February.

The league tournament format enters its first year without a predetermined host school for the weekend games, with the top seed slated to host the quarterfinals and semifinals March 4-5. First round games will be played on campus sites Tuesday, March 1. The highest remaining seed will host the championship game live on ESPN Tuesday, March 8.