Basketball back at Shepherd after coronavirus-cancelled season

Daniel McClain-Corley (4) drives around Gannon’s Alonde LeGronde (15) in the Butcher Center on Friday evening. David Pennock
SHEPHERDSTOWN — A youthful group of six players has been welcomed to the 2021-2022 version of the Shepherd University men’s basketball team. But their welcome was no more heady than the welcome given to just playing the in-progress season.
The COVID-19 Pandemic caused last season to be cancelled.
Joining the group of experienced holdovers from the 2019-2020 season are freshman Carson Poffenberger (6-foot-7 from Morgantown), freshman Jarod Robinson (6-foot-3), sophomore Jordan Gibson (6-foot-5), freshman Aidan Hughley (6-foot-6), senior James Moore (6-foot-4) and freshman Elijah Terry (5-foot-11).
That influx of new faces will be melded with guard Dan McClain-Corley, now averaging 18.3 points in Shepherd’s first seven games, center Kyle Daggett, scoring 13.4 points a game to go along with 8.4 rebounds, guard Cam Stephens, also scoring 13.4 points to go with 5.4 rebounds and swingman Jon Preston, now scoring 8.6 points to add to his 7.3 rebounds per game.
Shepherd has beaten Bowie State, Frostburg, Lincoln (Pa.), West Virginia Wesleyan and Clarion while falling to Fayetteville State (N.C.) in overtime and Gannon in a PSAC game.

Cam Stephens (40), Carson Poffenberger (33) and Aidan Hughley (25) fight for the rebound in Shepherd’s home game against Gannon on Friday night. David Pennock
Poffenberger has yet to start a game but has logged an average of 17 minutes per outing while scoring over four points a night. Robinson has started four times and Gibson three games.
McClain-Corley, Daggett, Stephens and Preston have all started every game.
In the annual pre-season poll of PSAC coaches, Shepherd was tabbed to finish sixth in the East Division behind Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg, West Chester, Millersville and Kutztown. Coach’s pick Shippensburg has just a 3-3 record to date.
The West Division prediction showed Indiana (now 8-0) in first, followed in order by Mercyhurst, Pitt-Johnstown, California, Gannon and Slippery Rock.
Each PSAC division has nine schools, with Mansfield and Pitt-Johnstown joining the ones that also sponsor football teams.

Junior guard Jon Preston (2) shoots from beyond the arc in the Butcher Center on Friday evening. David Pennock
Shepherd coach Justin Namolik was named interim head coach for the 2008-2009 season where the Rams finished with a 13-16 record. Namolik’s best season was the 2013-2014 campaign, when the Rams went 20-10. The 2016-2017 team went 19-11.
In the last two seasons played, Shepherd has shown records of 14-15 and 14-16.
McClain-Corley, Daggett and Preston were all starters on the 2019-2020 team that was led by Thomas Lang. Stephens was a reserve on that team and is now in his senior year.
The Rams meet all eight of the other East Division teams in home-and-away games and add six games against West Division teams for a 22-game conference schedule.
In its only season to date in the PSAC, Shepherd was 10-12 against the league.
College basketball has returned to Shepherd, through the web of uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. And whether it can dunk or not, or hand out 15 assists a game, it is most welcome.
- Daniel McClain-Corley (4) drives around Gannon’s Alonde LeGronde (15) in the Butcher Center on Friday evening. David Pennock
- Cam Stephens (40), Carson Poffenberger (33) and Aidan Hughley (25) fight for the rebound in Shepherd’s home game against Gannon on Friday night. David Pennock
- Junior guard Jon Preston (2) shoots from beyond the arc in the Butcher Center on Friday evening. David Pennock