The Cabrini men’s basketball team is stoked for the season, currently with one loss and four wins under their belt.
Last season, the men did fairly well for themselves. They went 19-8 in the 2016-2017 regular season. With such a good record, they guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs.
They lost in the first round of the NCAA playoffs to Lycoming College by a score of 86-70. With this defeat on their shoulders, the team has worked hard this offseason. They worked so hard that they netted the top spot in CSAC the preseason polls. They also ranked 23rd overall in the NCAA Division III rankings.
Over the course of the season, Cabrini will face rivals Eastern, Cairn, Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata and Rosemont.
The men do not see any of those teams as a major challenge. They have been practicing very hard to prepare to win each competition. The Cabrini men’s soccer team has already beat Eastern 82-68 and beat Immaculata 107-97.
“We usually prepare for games by going through our 20-minute warm-up, including stretches, shooting drills and lay-up line,” sophomore shooting guard Keith Blassingale said. “Then we do another 10 minutes of stretching.”
This season, the team has welcomed six freshmen on the court. Through practices and scrimmages, they have shown that they can help improve the team’s overall performance. They can ever help the returning players be better.
“This year, we have a lot of talent on this roster,” senior forward Devon Johnson said. “A lot of the guys are able to contribute in different ways offensively and defensively”
Winning the CSAC title has been the men’s main goal. They practice very hard to help each other progress and work on their personal skills.
“We have worked a lot on the defensive side in practice. The guys are always competing and trying to make each other better,” Johnson said.
Coach Tim McDonald has been coaching the men’s basketball team for four years as of this 17-18 season. He is the sixth head coach in Cabrini history. Just like the team, McDonald has worked very hard.
He was an assistant coach for four years. He has very high hopes for the team this season.
“Our goal as a team is very simple: We want to improve each and every day with each practice and game,” said McDonald. “If we are able to continually improve then our record will take care of itself.”
The players and coach are looking forward to a great season. They will continue to improve and practice their skills on and off the court. They hope to strive to be not only better individual players but better teammates.
“We have the talent to make a run at winning our conference championship and getting to the NCAA tournament but that only comes about if we put in the hard work and dedication that it takes to improve each day,” McDonald said.
