Liberty only has 1 senior on the roster – Tavares Speaks – while the rest of the 14 member roster has eligibility remaining. The Flames will be a very experienced group next year with 6 seniors and 4 juniors.
Guard
Liberty will be led in the back court by returning starters Davon Marshall and John Caleb Sanders. Sanders became the 23rd member of Liberty’s 1,000 point scorer club in the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina A&T. Marshall could join him in just his 2nd season as a Flame. Davon finished his 1st season in a Liberty uniform with 490 points. Marshall and Sanders proved they could lead this team to the NCAA Tournament. Look for increased roles for Chad Donley and Casey Roberts after Speaks’ departure. Ethan Layer could also provide a spark some nights as a reserve.
Forward
A healthy Antwan Burrus could go a long way in helping the Flames improve from the 2012-13 season. Burrus averaged 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds during his junior season, and is coming off a foot injury which kept him sidelined all of this past season. Juniors Tomasz Gielo and Andrew Smith will provide Liberty with versatility and depth. Both players have shown flashes of being everyday starters. This group will give the Flames more depth at the forward spot than any other time in recent memory.
Center
The 3 man rotation of JR Coronado, Joel Vander Pol, and Sommy Ogukwe could be the best Liberty has ever had in the post. Coronado really came into his own as the season progressed as he averaged over 8 rebounds per game. Expect his scoring output to increase in his 2nd & final season as a Flame. JVP provides a solid backup who provides great energy off the bench. Let’s hope he’s over his back injuries he has faced previously.
Questions
Will the Flames play with a 3 guard lineup or go big with Gielo & Smith at the 3?
Who will be Liberty’s backup point guard? Larry Taylor?
Can the Flames stay healthy? Each of the past 2 seasons Liberty has lost a vital member to injury before the season even started.
Who will be the additional newcomers other than Ryan Kemrite, and will any of the newcomers contribute?
Who will transfer? Over the past several seasons it has become a matter of who, not if.
