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Shepherd ready to get into thick of Divisional conference schedule

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Dec 29, 2023

Cooper

SHEPHERDSTOWN — A seven-man player rotation has been in vogue for the Shepherd men’s basketball team through the first nine games of its 2023-2024 schedule.

A slow 0-3 beginning to the PSAC schedule came against three teams from the league’s West Division. The Rams, who had a 14-15 overall record last season, then topped Edinboro in another league game and will complete their West Division schedule by the end of the calendar year against Mercyhurst and Indiana (Pa.).

Then it’s on to a 16 game slate against the East Division of the PSAC, a division where only East Stroudsburg with its 8-1 overall record has been a shining light.

Three of the East Division teams — Kutztown (1-9 record), Bloomsburg (2-8 mark) and Mansfield (3-6 overall) have been kept out of the win column for the most part.

Shepherd’s seven-man rotation usually begins with senior Daniel McClain-Corley, a starter since his freshman year.

Namolik

Freshmen Marcus Banks and Michael Cooper have quickly become fixtures in Coach Justin Namolik’s player rotation.

The tallest of the Top Seven players is 6-foot-9 sophomore Stefan Marcelle. Senior guard Phillip Jordan and juniors Carson Poffenberger and Jarod Robinson also share minutes in the Top Seven.

The Rams usually employ a half-court offense and rarely allow any opponent to lure them into a game that features fast breaks or spread-court play.

Any game where either team can manage as many as 80 points won’t go Shepherd’s way.

Rebounding is usually a vital part of the outcome of any Shepherd game. Even with Marcelle and the 6-foot-8 Poffenberger, Shepherd is rarely a team that does well on its offensive boards. The Rams generally are a team that relies heavily on its perimeter shooting and can limit any opponent’s fast breaks in keeping the team scores in the 50’s or 60’s.

Banks

The Rams don’t often shoot 20 or more free throws and don’t see many games where too many turnovers trouble either team.

The Rams completed the past two seasons with identical 14-15 overall records. Before those two seasons were records of 12-17, 14-15 and 14-16. With one recent campaign completely wiped out by COVID-19, the Rams’ last winning season came in 2017-18 when Shepherd was 16-13.

Reaching the PSAC postseason league tournament calls for any team to finish in the top six in its nine-team division after a 22-game conference schedule.

The Rams play two games against each East Division team before the league’s own tournament comes along in March.