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Lakers add seven...
Mercyhurst men’s basketball coach Gary Manchel has announced his recruiting class for the 2008-09 school year. The list of seven newcomers includes five transfers and two freshmen.
Junior transfer Elliot Engelmann is a 6-foot-7 forward/center who played the past two seasons at Butler University. Engelmann played in 27 games during his career for the Bulldogs, including the team’s NCAA Tournament game against South Alabama a year ago.
Redshirt sophomore Jordan Armstrong is a 6-6 forward who spent the last two years at Southern Illinois. After redshirting in 2006-07, he played in 11 contests a year ago. At Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Ind., Armstrong led his team to a 27-2 record before losing to Lawrence North in the 4A state championship game.
Redshirt junior Jeremiah Wise is a 6-3 guard who averaged 14.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game at Kankakee Community College a year ago. He also shot 39 percent from three-point range and just over 80 percent from the line. Wise played at Indiana State in 2005-06 as a true freshman, starting three times, and averaging 4.9 points and 1.7 rebounds, making 23-of-55 three-pointers. He sat out the following season after transferring to Illinois.
Junior Sedelle Broyles is a 6-1 guard who was a team captain at Owens Community College. He played two seasons there, averaging 5.8 points, 2.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a sophomore. Broyles averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 assists as a freshman.
Junior Nnamdi Nnadili is a 6-1 point guard from State Fair Community College in State Fair, Mo. He was named All-Region 16 in 2008 after averaging 12 points, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals.
Freshman Eric Travis is a 6-5 center from Hinsdale South High School in Willowbrook, Ill. Travis averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds as a senior and ranked second in school history with 727 career rebounds. He also holds the school record with 308 rebounds in a season.
The final newcomer to the Mercyhurst basketball team is point guard Niv Zinder from Israel. He is an excellent defender, who looks to distribute the ball and get others involved, though he is capable of knocking down the open jumper.
Mercyhurst went 15-13 a year ago and qualified for the GLIAC Tournament. The Lakers graduated four seniors who combined to start 66 games, but return five players who started at least six games a year ago, including point guard Brian McTear. McTear averaged 12.0 points per game and led the team with 3.9 assists.
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