2009-10 Men's Basketball

With all five starters back and only two lettermen gone from last year's 20-11 team, the Freed-Hardeman University Lion basketball team enters the 2008-09 season with high hopes.

Coach Jason Shelton's motion offense revolves around 6-foot-8 junior Zack Frey. A first-team all-conference selection and honorable mention NAIA All-American, he averaged 17 points per game while shooting 58.4 percent (seventh-best in the NAIA) from the field in 2008.  Frey is very dangerous playing with his back to the basket but can face up and knock down the mid-range jumper as well.

Frey will receive help on the offensive end from senior swingman Kristoffer Smith, senior guard Shun Trevillian, and junior guard Cedric Austin.  Smith, who averaged 12.7 points per game last season, can score from the mid-range and can finish at the rim. He joined Freed-Hardeman's 1000 point club in January of 2008 and is currently 20th in career scoring in Lion history. Smith is also a solid rebounder with his excellent leaping ability.

Trevillian missed the second half of the season last year, but has worked hard in the off-season and is hard to stop on dribble penetration. Austin, who took over the point in the absence of Trevillian, came into his own last season playing very well in conference play. He led the team in assists (92), steals (58) and three-point percentage (47.8 percent) while averaging 7.3 points per game.

Additional outside shooting comes from sophomore Jesse Moulton, who was voted to the TranSouth All-Freshman team last season, and Logan Greer, whose 6-foot-9 frame can create mismatches with his shooting ability. Moulton shot 42.2 percent from behind the arc last season and also rebounds very well from the two-guard position.

The Lions have even more depth available in the backcourt with junior Kirtiss Brown and redshirt freshman Anthony Sampson. The 6-foot-0 Brown is a slasher with a big-time vertical, making him a threat to get to the rim. Sampson, who will see time at the point, is an excellent passer whose lightning quickness allows him to break defenses down off the dribble and cause problems for opposing guards bringing the ball up the floor.

In the lane, the Lions will look to seniors Tyler Jennings and Wesley Mayes to provide help for Frey. Jennings was very productive last season, averaging 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in just 10.6 minutes per game. Mayes is a very smart player who knows how to use his strength to gain position against taller players.

FHU also hopes to get productive minutes off the bench from sophomores Brian Pearson and Vincent Barnes. Pearson will compete for time at the two-guard while Barnes will look for time at small forward.

The Lions open the season with a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division I opponents. They'll also play a home-and-home with Lee (Tenn.) University and face McKendree (Ill.) College in a Thanksgiving tournament in Jackson.