2012-13 Men's Basketball Season Preview

SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The 2012-13 season marks the beginning of a new era for the Swarthmore College men's basketball program, as it begins its season with a new head coach for the first time in 25 years. Head coach Landry Kosmalski, a 2000 graduate from mid-major basketball powerhouse Davidson College, brings to the Garnet extensive knowledge and experience, having played and coached professionally in the United States and Europe. Last year, Kosmalski was part of a Davidson staff that coached the Wildcats to a Southern Conference Championship and a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament.

He inherits a team that had its share of setbacks during a 3-22 campaign in 2011-12 as it finished last in the Centennial Conference. The Garnet, however, ended its season on a high note, winning two of its last four games, including an outstanding 91-80 home victory over Haverford to cap off the year. The win, which was the team's most complete game the entire season, saw four players score in double figures and two collect double-doubles in points and rebounds. Against the Fords, the Garnet shot an impressive 53 percent from the field, including 44 percent from behind the arc. This season, coach Kosmalski plans to institute an aggressive up-tempo offense to score easy points in transition.

The Garnet will be led by senior forward Will Gates, who led the team in points (18.0 ppg) and rebounds (6.7 rpg) last season and was named to All-Centennial Second Team. Early in the 2011-12 campaign, Gates became the fastest player to reach 1,000 career points in program history and his 1,309 points currently ranks fifth all-time. Junior forward Jay Kober (11.1 ppg) will also be a primary scoring threat for the Garnet this year. Last season, Kober shot 78 percent from the free throw line, good for sixth-best in the conference.

Juniors Joe Keedy (4.4 ppg, 3.3 ppg) and Davis Ancona (2.5 rpg, 20 blocks), and sophomore Matt Sharma (22 blocks) will also complete for playing time in the front court. Senior Eugene Prymak along with junior Jordan Cheney will play a role in the Garnet's front court as well.

At point guard, junior Jordan Federer (6.8 ppg) and senior Jordan Martinez should see the majority of the minutes this season. Martinez, who returned from abroad in the middle of last season, looks to end his career at Swarthmore with a strong senior season. Senior Andrew Grennblatt and sophomores Karl Barkley and Dom Rizzo will also come off the bench for the Garnet in the backcourt.

First-years Brandon Patton, Seth Liebert, Shane Loeffler, Mike Argosh, Ethan Lee, and Sean Thaxter also hope to contribute this season.

The team opens the season co-hosting the 21st Annual Equinox Classic with games against Roanoke on November 16 and Connecticut College on the 17th. On November 20, the Garnet travels to Carlisle, Pa. for its conference-opener against Dickinson, who was a semifinalist in last year's Centennial Championship tournament. Over winter break, Swarthmore will compete in the Comfort Inn Classic in Maryland. On December 29, the Garnet will take on host St. Mary's and then face Old Westbury on the 30th. After break, the Garnet will resume its Centennial Conference Slate with a January 23 game against Haverford College at Tarble Pavilion.

Centennial Conference Preseason Poll