Dale Layer hopes to lead the Flames back to the NCAA Tournament
The Liberty men’s basketball team begins preparation for its Big South Conference title defense on Friday with the team’s first practice. While FlamesNation has a positive taste in their mouths following the improbable run to the conference tournament championship, it’s easy to forget where this team was in mid to late February. Liberty finished 11-20 during the regular season and 6-10 in conference play. The Flames did not pick up their 1st Division I win until December 31st. There were rumblings about the safety of head coach Dale Layer’s job. Then the unthinkable happened. Fast-forward 6-7 months to the present, and expectations are higher than they have been in several years. And for good reason.
The Flames return 12 players from last year’s roster including 4 starters. It seems like the first time in recent memory Liberty is finally a senior-laden team. The Flames have 6 seniors on their roster and 4 juniors, and will be led by arguably one of the best backcourts in the conference in John Caleb Sanders and Davon Marshall. Sanders and Marshall proved to be a deadly tandem during Liberty’s magical run in Myrtle Beach last March.
The frontcourt will get a huge boost with the return of Antwan Burrus. Burrus missed the 2012-13 season with a foot injury, but during his junior season he averaged 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Mix Burrus with rebounding stalwart JR Coronado and the lengthy Joel Vander Pol, and the Flames will have their deepest frontcourt in years.
Senior John Caleb Sanders is already a member of Liberty’s 1,000 point club
There are two new additions to the team in Joe Retic and Ryan Kemrite. Retic, a pass-first point guard, fills a need, and had offers from the Pac-12, the MAC, the Horizon, and the Summit. He is Liberty’s only true point guard on the roster, and the 6’3″ JUCO transfer could develop into the first guard off the bench or even start alongside Davon and JC. Kemrite is a bit of a tougher read. Neither ESPN or Rivals credit him with any other offers, and there is not a lot of information available on him though he seems to fit into the Casey Roberts/Chad Donley mold of a shooter first.
The Flames biggest question mark is who replaces Tavares Speaks in the starting lineup. It could be the aforementioned Retic at point guard, Casey Roberts, or the Flames could play big with Tomasz Gielo starting on the wing. Roberts started 11 games a season ago while averaging 5.4 points per game on 38% shooting from downtown. The 6’9″ Gielo started in 20 games and was Liberty’s 4th leading scorer averaging 7.3 points per game a season ago.
The season tips off November 8th inside the Vines Center as Liberty takes on cross town rival Randolph College. The schedule includes dates with Virginia, Missouri State, Princeton, Delaware, and William & Mary. Conference play begins January 8th as the Flames head to Radford to face the Highlanders.
Let’s go Flames! Prove last year’s championship wasn’t a fluke! 2012-2013 was laying the foundation. Now 2013-2014 it’s about taking the next step. Go out there and bring home some gold!