Holmes’ Owls striving for post-season bid
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle men’s basketball team returns nine players from last year’s team that posted a 14-11 record.
In his second season, Head Coach Mike Holmes looks for an improvement, citing the experience that his team gained from last season.
“This is a system that has consistently proven in the past to be really strong for teams once they learn it. I’m optimistic this learning has transpired, and if our players prepare and execute at the level they did last year, we should enjoy success despite a more challenging schedule.”
Junior forward Brandon McGill of Hamilton, N.J. anchors the front court for the Owls. He led the Owls in rebounding last season, securing 6.6 per game as well as shooting 58.8 percent from the floor. Junior Jordan Cook of Saffron Walden, United Kingdom and sophomores Quinton Harris of Florence, N.J. and Maurice Harris of Miami, Fla. also return to lend their experience to that group. Junior college transfer Kim Collins of Oxen Hill, Md. is 6-5 and has proven he can fit into the Owl’s system in the preseason.
The backcourt group also draws on a wealth of experience, as the lone senior Chase Vicaire of Mattawamkeag returns for his final season. Vicaire started all 25 games for the Owls last year and led the team in scoring (14.5 ppg) and three point percentage (45.7). He is joined by juniors Nick Lenhard of Falcon, Colo. and Derek Healy of Hanover, Mass. and sophomores Anthony Chacho of Watertown, Conn. and Kevin Collins of Oxen Hill, Md. as returning guards in the program. Jordan Gillespie of Bingham adds depth to the group this season, his first in the program.
In a recent interview, Holmes made it clear that his team was striving for a seed in the USCAA National Tournament this season.
“I felt as though we had a resume that should have included us last year,” he said. “Unfortunately, we left it in the hands of someone else to make that decision, and we didn’t get in. It is on us to get there this season.”
The Owls opened their season Monday with an 83-29 victory over New England Baptist College in a game played at the University of Southern Maine. They will host the University of Maine at Fort Kent tonight at 7 p.m. before a seven game road series that doesn’t see the Owls back home until the middle of December.
Other home dates for 2015-16 include: Unity College on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., Thomas College on Dec. 13 at 3 p.m., Villa Maria College on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m., University of New Brunswick-St. John on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m., St. Thomas-New Brunswick on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m., Bowdoin College on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., UM-Augusta on Jan. 24 at 2 p.m., Central Maine Community College on Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. and UM-Machias on Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
The season ends Feb. 13 at Fisher College.
