After three straight losing-record seasons and two years under the leadership of head coach Billy Taylor, the Elon University men’s basketball team is ready for a Coastal Athletic Association Championship. According to senior Sam Sherry, the current squad is finally poised to make a run.
“We have the right pieces, the right people, the right program to do it,” Sherry said. “I've been in this program a long time, and I've seen many different teams, many guys come in and out. I think we have the right team to make it all the way to the championship and win.”
The first two years in the Billy Taylor era weren’t successful record-wise but successfully developed key players like Sherry and junior TK Simpkins. Last year, the Phoenix just fell short in the first round of the CAA Tournament, losing to Hampton by one.
During the offseason, Elon lost some key players to the transfer portal, including star guard Max Mackinnon. Mackinnon was the second-leading scorer with 12.1 points per game. He also had a team-high 4.8 rebounds per game and played the most minutes on the team.
However, Elon has bounced back from that loss, returning more than 50% of last year’s team and making several key additions in the transfer portal. Taylor added significant contributions to the guard position with junior Jameel Rideout and redshirt sophomore Andrew King. King has made an immediate impact, making the starting lineup in the team’s season opener. Another guard brought in through the transfer portal was TJ Simpkins, TK’s twin brother. TJ is another efficient scorer to add to Elon’s offense, having averaged 15 points per game at Northwest Florida State College. Graduate student Matthew Van Komen also transferred to Elon bringing tremendous size to a small-ball Elon team that needed it. His 7-foot-4 frame will be a key addition to Sherry’s presence in the paint.
Sherry said he believes the combination of new players and returning players will work well.
“We've been practicing really hard together. I think we mesh really very well together,” Sherry said. “Teams will see that we have an addition of new guys, but we also have guys who have been through the system who understand coach’s philosophy.”
Despite the struggles the team has seen over the past three seasons, Sherry said he believes this year is different. The team is more of a team, according to Sherry.
“Guys are trusting each other a lot more, and I see better camaraderie between each other,” Sherry said. “Everyone's clicking, everyone's connecting, and that's what the best teams do. They connect, and they have great chemistry out on the court. I think we're a very tough team.”
Elon, who went 3-12 on the road last year, is also putting in more dedication this year and putting a big emphasis on preparation.
“We’re working very hard,” Sherry said. “We study scouting reports, we get in the weight room when we don’t need to be in the weight room, we're doing the little things. It’s about, especially on the road, sticking to it and trusting in each other.”
Sherry is the sole senior on the team and will look to lead Elon to a championship this year. In addition to Sherry, TK is expected to aid the team’s scoring effort, having led the team in scoring and was tied for second among the team with an average of 4.7 rebounds per game. Another potential reason for the team finding success this season is their ability to share the ball and work as a team, according to Sherry.
“We share the ball very well, and we got guys who could score, guys who can rebound, so it's just about trusting in each other,” Sherry said. “As long as we trust in each other and trust in coach's way, I think we should be good.”
Elon is currently 1-2 but started off the season well, putting up an admirable fight against the 9th ranked team in the country, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in its season opener. The Phoenix lost 90-76 but made a double digit comeback late in the second half to take a lead with a few minutes remaining.
“We know Carolina's capable of taking it from 10 to 20 in a heartbeat, but our guys continued to stay with it,” Taylor told Elon News Network in the postgame press conference. “They didn't get away from the game plan. I love the tenacity that we showed, and we kind of embodied what we can become this season.”
Taylor also pointed out in the press conference the underrated nature of the team and what they proved in the North Carolina game.
“We were picked 12th in the preseason. Not many people gave us much of a chance at all in here tonight,” Taylor said. “But our kids don't believe in any of that nonsense. They believe in themselves. So what you saw was a result of that.”
As the team moves past the first few games, they look toward conference play, which begins Jan. 2. They also have several key non conference games, including a road game against the University of Notre Dame on Nov. 22.
“We showed that we can do a lot of good things, and we can hang with and can play against some of the best teams in the country.” Taylor said. “Obviously, it's long gone, but a long season ahead of us, and we're ready to play.”