Oswego State Lakers men’s basketball released their official roster for the 2017-2018 season, featuring key players from last season and a whole lot of new faces.
Senior Class
Jamir Ferebee, Ian Schupp, Josh Ivey and Louis Avellino represent the senior class for Oswego State and will all be very important pieces to this year’s team.
Ferebee and Schupp were reliable offensive sidekicks to Brian Sortino last season, but they had their moments carrying the scoring load for the Lakers. The two combined for 24.8 points per game last season.
Ferebee bloomed in the middle of last season, where he scored in double figures for 10 straight games. The Lakers won each of those contests as well.
Schupp was noted for scoring 22 points in last season’s SUNYAC Championship against his former team, SUNY Oneonta, in a 75-70 victory at Max Ziel Gymnasium.
Schupp and Ferebee did not get off to the strongest starts last season, which was expected, as they were finding their role with the team.
Now with championship experience under their belt, the two senior guards are ready for their turn to accomplish filling big shoes that All-American Sortino left to the program.
Avellino is not known for filling-up the stat sheet, but he is called upon to be a lockdown defender when needed for the Lakers. He started five games last season and averaged 12.5 minutes a game. It would be no surprise if he is back in the starting lineup for the start of the season at least.
Brian who?
There may never be another Brian Sortino for Laker men’s basketball, but they welcome aboard Romero Collier, known as Central New York Mr. Basketball in 2015 during his time at Henniger High School.
Collier may have found his collegiate home after spending a portion of his freshman year at Niagara University and his sophomore season at SUNY Sullivan.
Last season at SUNY Sullivan, Collier averaged 14.9 points and 7.9 assists a game. His abilities give the Lakers the opportunity to continue with their three-guard set from last season with Schupp and Ferebee alongside him.
It will be interesting to see how head coach Jason Leone utilizes Collier early on in his typically successful system.
Frontcourt
After spending his first season as a backup to last year’s starting senior center Mykelle Krecko, Tyler Pierre is expected to lead the frontcourt for the Lakers in his second season in Oswego.
Pierre, as a role player last season, showed his potential and came up big in the SUNYAC Championship with 15 rebounds. He was also named to the All-SUNYAC Tournament Team for his stellar play.
Sophomore Vic Clervil had moments on the floor with Pierre last season when players were in foul trouble and could have an increased role off the bench for the Lakers.
Other Laker forwards that could get an increase in minutes include junior Allen Durutovic and Josh Ivey. Ivey transferred to Oswego State last year and came off the bench for defensive purposes.
Fresh Six
Liam Sanborn, Ishmael Chrishom, Jonas Cooper, Peter Kotulsky, Caleb Mctigue and Joe Spinola round out the large freshmen class of six that join the Lakers this season. It will be unknown until the season starts to determine the impact any of the freshmen will have toward the team. With some strong players in the classes above of them, it will take a lot for any of them to earn minutes in Leone’s rotation.
