It will be 622 days since the Oswego State men’s basketball team played a game on Nov. 12, the start of the 2021 Max Ziel Men’s Basketball Tournament.  

The Lakers will take the floor once again against Elmira College with two returning starters from the 2019-2020 season and nearly two years of anticipation. This will be a relatively new cast of Lakers with eight new editions to the roster. 

 Head coach Jason Leone has seen it all as the 17th head coach of the program and throughout his first nine seasons, Oswego State has the most wins in any nine-year period in program history (181-75) and ranks first for total wins in the East Region during that time. The time off was new for Leone which allowed him to take a step back and emphasize the opportunity for the team to get back on the hardwood. 

“The guys really put in a lot of time during the last couple of offseasons,” Leone said. “Obviously we were limited with what we were able to do last year. It was not really a ton of time, but right now is a fact-finding period for us, trying to get some synergy down with the group. I’ve implored upon them to be very thankful that we’re playing, you don’t want to get too serious about mistakes this time of year.”

Fixing mistakes will be a large part of the formula if this team hopes to make it back to the NCAA Division III Tournament. In 2018-2019, the Lakers went 24-6 and beat Salem State and Baldwin Wallace in the tournament before they were bested by 22nd ranked Marietta College.  One of those players on that 2018 roster, senior forward Louis Fedullo, knows what it is like to play in that kind of championship environment and what it will take to make it back. 

“It really starts off the court,” Fedullo said. “Building relationships and building team chemistry as a whole. It’s about everyone working towards the same thing and so far it’s looking a lot like my freshman year with everyone coming together and having the same mindset. Everyone’s egos are checked at the door and I think we’re in a very good position this year.”

Fedullo, who is now in his last season as a senior with the Lakers, played 19 games in 2019 and was a key part of victories over Ithaca College and SUNY New Paltz. Fedullo’s experience is a key supplement to why he thinks this roster will be able to grow and put them in a position to win.

“Everyone on this team can play,” Fedullo said. “A lot of guys can contribute in different areas, and the potential for these guys is through the roof. Obviously, with 20 guys, everyone’s not going to see a ton of time on the floor, but the experience they get will be great and by the time they become juniors and seniors they’ll be able to contribute as much as our guys have.”

Considering the success that upperclassmen have had on this team, Jeremiah Sparks must not be forgotten. As a freshman, Sparks played 27 games for the Lakers averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. With 364 total points and 57 assists in 2019, Sparks had a spectacular freshman year and is looking to get even better in 2021. With the near two year period of missing out on playing in Max Ziel, Sparks cannot wait to get started. 

“I think it starts with practice, getting everyone involved and keeping the energy high,” Sparks said. “Not having played in two years I think everyone wants to go out there and compete while they fight for a spot. With two returning starters I think we have some spots open with the 20 guys on the roster this year, so it’s a really competitive environment and I’m really excited for the beginning of the year.”

This will be a statement year for Sparks and the Lakers where they will attempt to set the highest of goals and stay consistent. The last time he and his teammates were out on the floor their season ended against SUNY Brockport in the SUNYAC Championships. With new blood and optimism for this season, Sparks is not concerned about the past. 

“Every game is circled on our calendar,” Sparks said. “Every game means more than the next one. The goal is to go undefeated and win every game if we can. As a team, we wanna reach higher goals, we want to set the highest goal we can with a Division III championship, we gotta go out there and play like it’s for a championship every game.”

The road to getting back to the NCAA tournament will be long and there will have to be a lot of work to be put in from day one. Having high expectations is friendly to have, but with the first games against Elmira and potentially Hobart University or SUNY Polytechnic, the coach said they do not know who they’ll play the second day but he said it will be one of these teams, Leone said it will be a time to stick playing their brand of basketball. 

“Everyone’s zero and zero so nobody really has knows where there going to be a couple of months from now,” Leone said. “A lot of times when you play teams early in the season, there’s an exuberance and stress which can make you have uncharacteristic mistakes, when we play we want to focus on fundamentals and get the best shots possible.”

In his experience, Fedullo has been there to host the start of a season like the Lakers did in 2018, the excitement to do it all over again for him and his teammates has been something they have discussed at length.  

“Opening up the season with the Max Ziel Tournament at home is a great feeling,” Fedullo said. “The last time we did that was my freshman year and we ended up winning the tournament which was a great way to set the tone. I feel like if we were to come out and win those first two games it will set the tone for the season.” 

For the Oswego State basketball team and their emerging talent in Sparks, seizing every opportunity is paramount to their success this season. 

“I missed the competitiveness of how we played every day,” Sparks said. “Practicing with the guys and having coach Leone get us better. We’re playing a lot of fast-paced basketball. As a basketball goal I want to win every game, be the best player I can be and a ring will talk for itself.” 

Photo provided by Oswego State Athletics