Drake – Looking for an Encore

Overcoming Low Expectations

(St. Louis, MO) – Drake came out of nowhere last year to claim a share of the Missouri Valley Conference championship. The Bulldogs spent the season overcoming low expectations. The longest tenured Valley school had a brand new coach, two returning letter winners and a recent history of frustration and ended up winning 24 games and tied Loyola for the league title.

After a heavy graduation and some offseason problems, if the Bulldogs are looking for an encore, they will be overcoming low expectations again.

Gritty Bulldogs

Drake overcame so many obstacles on their way to 24 wins. MVP candidate Nick Norton went down with a midseason injury. D. J. Wilkins was named to the all-freshman team and he left the lineup at the end of the regular season with a bad ankle. Defensive player-of-the-year Nick McGlynn and all-newcomer member Tremell Murphy were both injured at Arch Madness.

Drake battled on. They won a quarterfinal game at the MVC tournament and lost a two-pointer in the semis. First-year coach Darian DeVries’ team finished the season with just seven players and the respect from mid-major watchers nationally.

DeVries says he was proud of the character his team displayed.

“It really started with them in those summer work outs,” said DeVries. “Everybody was new. So the way they approached it everyday made it easy for us to build upon. The guys in the locker room did a lot of the leadership.”

New Challenges

Norton, McGlynn and Brady Ellingson have graduated and Tremell Murphy is questionable with some legal problems.

While Murphy is not currently with the team, he is enrolled in school. He was involved an accidental September shooting at his apartment. While the university investigates the situation he cannot be a part of team activities.

So DeVries has restocked the roster for a second straight season. The renovation isn’t as large as last season, but it is significant. Drake will be building around sophomore D.J. Wilkins. The 6’2 guard averaged 11.1 points, three rebounds and 2.8 assists on his way to an ‘all-freshman team’ award.

DeVries says Wilkins is growing into his role as a team leader.

“I probably see in DJ just a more confident player,” shared DeVries. “He understands his role. I’m excited to see if he can follow up a really solid freshman season, with an even better sophomore season.”

His ankle is fine and his expectations are sky high. He’s been working on strengthening his body and improving his leadership skills.

He and the Murphy twins (Tremell and Anthony) and are from the same hometown and dreamed of playing together. He’s also committed to his friend Tremell Murphy.

 

 

The Next Wave of Talent

Replacing Norton and Ellingson is Sienna transfer Roman Penn. The 5’11 Penn averaged 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds during an injury shortened freshman season. While sitting out last season, DeVries told me there were many practice sessions where Penn was the best player on the floor. Seven-foot Liam Robbins returns after backing up McGlynn.

Wilkins says he expects great things from his fellow sophomores.

 

 

DeVries is high on those two players too. He says Robbins has had a great offseason.

“I think Liam has maybe made the most progress in our program,” said DeVries. “The important thing for him will be finding that consistency night in and night out.” (For our full interview with coach DeVries go to twitter)

Last year’s leading assist man (Noah Thomas) and all-bench team member Anthony Murphy also return.

Other Newcomers

Wilkins’ high school teammate Jonah Jackson and Florida Gulf Coast transfer Brady Ernst bring depth and experience to DeVries’ second Bulldog squad. Jackson averaged over 12 points per game at John A. Logan and Ernst averaged a ‘double-quatro’ (four points and four rebounds per game). The 6’10 Ernst hasn’t practiced yet while recovering from a knee injury.

DeVries says Jackson can replace some of the outside shooting they lost in Norton and Ellingson and Ernst’s veteran experience will help the team and Robbins adjust.

Freshmen Joseph Yesufu, Issa Smake Okay Djamgouz and Nate Ferguson have a chance to contribute immediately. Djamgouz was rated as the fifth best player in Canada. Yesufu is a three-star guard recruit out of Bollingbrook, Illinois.

Overcoming Low Expectations

If Tremell Murphy returns, Robbins can reasonably replace McGlynn and Penn can measure up to expectations, the Bulldogs can look to repeat as conference champions.  If any of those three things fail to take place Drake could slip significantly in the Valley standings.

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