Moser – 1 on 1 – Part Two

Part Two – Talent Rich 

(St. Louis, MO) – Loyola has the talent to challenge for the Missouri Valley Conference title this season. The talent level hasn’t been this strong and deep at Gentile Arena since the 1960’s. In Part One of our interview with head coach Porter Moser, we looked back at the signings of Milton Doyle and current senior Donte Ingram.

Here in Part Two we investigate some of the other prominent players on this year’s team. All of whom figure into future Rambler squads.

Moser’s team (8-1) will be huge underdogs when they visit fifth ranked Florida Wednesday night, but this is a team built to perform on that kind of stage. Their poor ‘strength of schedule’ (289) will improve with the game in Gainesville.

Junior Clayton Custer played high school basketball with senior Ben Richardson (Blue Valley, Kansas). Custer played one season at Iowa and transferred to Loyola. After his mandated red-shirt season Custer averaged double figures (11.6 points per game) while making 42 % of his long distance attempts and 80 % of his free-throws. Offseason work and a full Rambler season under his belt and Custer is a much better player.

He is more physical and has become the offensive quarterback and a lock down defender. Custer’s scoring is up (13.4 ppg) and the 6’1 guard is third in the Valley with 4.3 assists per game. Moser says Custer is a true team leader.

 

 

While the Ramblers had a relatively successful season one year ago, Moser was patiently waiting for Marques Townes to become eligible this campaign. He’s tied with Custer (13.4 ppg) for second on the team in scoring, he’s grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game and the Fairleigh Dickinson transfer is making 56 % of his field goal attempts and 46 % from the three-point line.

I asked Moser about this impact player and the seventh year head coach told me, that Townes is a bulldog competitor.

 

 

The Valley’s ‘Sixth Man of the Year‘, Aundre Jackson started slowly this season, but has been improving with each game. In the starting lineup this season, Jackson is leading the team in scoring (13.8 ppg) and is knocking down shots at his customary high rate of accuracy. His .667 shooting percentage is second in the Valley and his .556 from deep is third.

What is scary about the McLennan Community College transfer is that he’s just starting to get in game shape and remembering he also needs to be a high level rebounder.

 

 

Moser has put together a talented and tall freshmen class. The four freshman, Lucas Williamson (6’4 guard), Christian Negron (6’7 forward), Cameron Krutwig (6’9 center) and Dylan Boehm (6’5 forward) all figure prominently in the Rambler future. Williamson is the next important City of Chicago building block and Krutwig is making his mark on the floor and with his ‘all in’ mentality.

 

 

Negron is coming along slowly as his previously injured knee improves to full strength.

In Part Three, Moser and I discuss the upcoming Valley race and how the league has responded to the loss of Wichita State.

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