Men's Basketball
For updated sports information,
call the Sports Line - 301-387-3030.
 Watch the Lakers take on Potomac State
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Garrett is a member
of the Maryland JUCO conference, comprised of 18 teams based
mostly in the metropolitan DC and Baltimore area. The league
has produced two D-2 national champions and a D-1 national
runner-up. The MD JUCO is heavily recruited
by NCAA D-1 and D-2 schools and has produced numerous NBA
and professional signees.
Garrett College is unique in offering a four day class schedule allowing
players to concentrate on books and basketball. There are 2 on-campus residence
halls, a competitive meal plan and free tutoring and study labs. The coaching
staff is dedicated to helping each player reach their maximum potential
and team goals through our STEP program.
The Laker team travels largely by charter bus and each year plays in outstanding
tournaments and games to ensure visibility for all players.
- Nationally recognized NJCAA Division l program
- Region XX Champions – 1994 and 2003
- Region XX Championship Runner-up – 2000,2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
- Defeated NJCAA nationally ranked #1 team on three separate occasions
- Produced seven consecutive NJCAA All Americans, 1999/00 -2005/06. 10
All Americans overall.
- Over 30 players named to All Region XX team
- Over 35 players named to All MD JUCO team
- Averaged 20 plus wins per year for coach Gibson’s 22 years as
head coach
- More than 60 players have signed scholarships and five professional
contracts.
- Former players are currently coaching, or have coached, at Kentucky,
Tulane, Indiana State, McDaniel College Shepherd College, Marshall University and Mount Aloysius College.
For more information about the Men's
Basketball program, contact Dennis Gibson at 301-387-3051
or dennis.gibson@garrettcollege.edu.
LAKERS MIDSEASON UPDATE
Garrett Lakers 9 – 1 overall record. 1-1 MD JUCO Conference 2-1 Region XX Division 1
Finished the fall 08 schedule with two solid wins in the Frederick Quality Inn Classic defeating Mercer, NJ and Rockingham, NC. The team will return with all players eligible and the addition of 6’7, 270 Doma Ibrahim, who sat out the first semester as a transfer. After an 18 day layoff the Lakers hope to return in shape and ready to play as they head into a demanding conference and road schedule which begins at Chesapeake College, Jan. 5. Chesapeake is the returning Region XX D-1 champion. The Skipjacks soundly defeated the Lakers in last season’s Region XX championship. The Lakers then head to nemesis Howard on Jan. 7 and are back home against Germantown, one of the top teams in the MD JUCO. “We play three games a week or more in January and February and we have to travel to Cecil, College of Southern MD, Harford, Rockville and Catonsville, all long, tough trips”, noted Coach Gibson, “But we did have two home games moved to January from cancellations which will help balance the schedule for the spring.” He also noted, “In my experience what you did in the fall does not have as much bearing on the spring schedule as you would like to think, our location does not allow us to practice or play over Christmas or New Year’s break. Then in two days you play one of the top teams in the region in Chesapeake in a 5 hour one way trip, which also has a huge bearing on seeding in our D-1 regional. It really is starting over in many ways, and you have to depend on your team to be mentally tough and ready for the challenge.”
The Lakers will play 16 remaining regular season games, 7 away and 9 at home. Home games to mark your calendar for include D-1 opponents Frederick CC on Jan. 21st. as well as Allegany College Feb. 7.
LAKERS TO OPEN 2008/09 SEASON AT POTOMAC STATE TOURNEY
The 2008-09 Garrett Lakers open the season against Howard CC from Columbia, MD in Keyser, WV Nov. 1, and play on the 2nd against the home standing Catamounts of Potomac State in the tournaments classic format. Both opening opponents are familiar faces to the Lakers; Howard is a MD JUCO regular season foe, and Potomac State is a Region XX, Division 1 rival. Garrett defeated Howard last season at home 76 – 70 and split with Potomac State; winning at Dana Lough Gym in the second game of the year 82 – 71 and losing at Garrett’s Gulch 88 – 78 two weeks later in the McDonald’s Big Mac Classic. Laker head coach Dennis Gibson, heading into his 23rd season at the helm, is not a big fan of early season tourneys especially when they include MD JUCO or Region XX opponents. “This seasons schedule is not really conducive to how I like to open our season, I prefer to play non league teams and gauge ourselves that way. But economics and the dynamics of our location make this early season tourney helpful to us; it is close enough we do not have to stay overnight and both teams are tough opponents. November 1 is the first day JUCO teams can play, so hopefully we are prepared. We did well last year beating a very good Lackawanna, PA team and then Potomac State, but fell flat on our face at home in our own tourney, losing to Mercyhurst and Potomac State. The real problem that arises In our scheduling is that we could not find an opponent after this Potomac State tourney and will be off for nearly two weeks before we play at home in the McDonalds Classic. We do scrimmage Mount Aloysius Nov. 7 at 6 pm, to fill the gap, and I hope some fans come out to see us. Former Laker Lance Loya is the head coach of Mount Aloysius and two former players are playing there, Daniel Conway and Derrick Sherman. It should be fun.”
The real test for the Lakers is the fact that nearly an entirely new lineup will be expected to fill some very capable shoes in the transfer of starters Glen Izevbigie, now at D-1 Savannah State, Dale Taylor, local favorite Joe Tressler and leading scorer Shawn Greenfield. The lone starter returning is JT Lewis, from Morgantown High, and some other players that filled valuable roles last year including Reco Siler, Terrance Taylor and Mark smith. Point guard Chris Speicher, Northern Garrett HS, has served a red shirt year and will also add needed depth and maturity to the squad. Coach Gibson is confident about his returning core and feels they can provide the leadership needed to survive the long trips and tough teams prevalent in the MD JUCO. “Siler has really improved and started for us some last year, and I think that Smith has learned a lot about what is required of him also. Terrance had some very good games for us also, but has been hampered by a back strain most of the preseason. It is hard to stay consistent at this level; it is very tough with the weather, travel, academics and distances from home, so we need guys like these that have proven they can handle the adversity and have learned from it.”
Newcomers to the team have a lot of potential and must also add to the rebounding as well as scoring which Greenfield provided as a freshman. 6’4 swing forward Francis “Mo” Gunn should have a major impact in both those areas, he is a transfer from Philadelphia University, and was an all met scorer at CH Flowers high school in MD. Another transfer that could help is 6’3 guard Brian Koonce, transferring to Garrett from Montgomery, Takoma Park, averaging about 12 points per game. Rodney Clark, a highly recruited point guard from Thomas Stone HS helped lead his team to Comcast and a state final playoff runner up with 18 points and 6 assists. Howard Ferguson, also a redshirt last season, gives depth and great energy to a solid guard corps. Three foreign athletes have signed on with the Lakers; Marko Agbaba a 6’6 forward from Serbia and 6’ high riser Mihail Dimitrov both are accomplished players with experience. At 6’7 260 pounds, former football recruit Doma Ibrahim is raw in the terms of not playing organized basketball for two years, but has great potential as a rebounder and inside threat. He will not be able to play until second term but should have an immediate impact on the rotation.
Local standouts Kory Gibson and Jeff Stem will opt to redshirt this season and should benefit from a year of gaining strength and practicing against the sophomores. “It is a win- win situation for them and for our team”, noted Coach Gibson. “We practice with three teams and our sophomores are not always the best team playing. This is good for the young guys; we actually have Brandon Nanton, Joe DuBuche, Chris Hilliard and Aaron Jones sitting out this year also. It was a tough decision for me, all of these players could have helped us at any time, but I felt it was best for everyone to play our sophomores first. Most of them have earned that consideration.” The Lakers first home contest will be on November 14 as they host the McDonald’s Classic, opening with new to the tourney Philadelphia CC and then facing Potomac State in a rematch. Exhibiting some of their most solid depth in years, it should be another exciting season for not only the Lakers but the fans as well. One of their main goals is to win the Region XX Division 1 tourney and put themselves in the hunt for their first ever trip to the NJCAA national tourney in Hutchinson, Kansas.
More athletic news...
LISTEN
TO A SALUTE TO FORMER COACH DAVE MARTIN
The Garrett College
Lakers saluted their long time assistant coach Dave Martin
prior to their game with Howard Community College on Saturday,
December 1, 2007. Read
more...
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