2016-17 Men's Basketball Preview

A new era in Olivet College men's basketball is set to begin in 2016-17, as Steve Ernst has taken over head coaching duties on an interim basis for the season. Ernst did not inherit an empty roster when assuming the coaching duties, as nine letterwinners return to the team.

Seniors Eric Ewing and R.J. Haas are back after being mainstays on the Comet roster for the last three seasons. Ewing has played in 62 career games at Olivet and has scored 429 points, including 264 last season. He had a career scoring-high 25 points against Kalamazoo last year.

Haas has been the most consistent player in his three years at Olivet, scoring 174 points as a freshman, 170 as a sophomore and 131 as a junior. He has also pulled down 276 total rebounds and blocked 50 shots. Haas' single-game scoring high was 26 points at Alma during his freshman season.

Seniors Aaron Washington and Kevin Woodson return after being sidelined for the majority of the 2015-16 campaign with injuries. Washington averaged 6.1 points per game (ppg) during his sophomore season.

Woodson saw action in 49 total games in his first two seasons at Olivet. As a freshman, he averaged 10.0 points per game before dipping to 6.2 ppg as a sophomore. Woodson was averaging 9.8 ppg before his injury last year. He tallied a single-game high 23 points against Pitt-Greensburg during his sophomore campaign.

Senior Zach Walker is in his final season in a Comet uniform. He started every game last year and scored 79 total points, while posting team-highs in assists (90) and steals (28). Walker dished out at least one assist in 23-of-25 games and posted a single-game high seven against Albion.

Senior Chris Chrzan transferred to Olivet before the start of last season from Delta College. In 24 games, with 18 starts, in a Comet uniform, he averaged 6.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. Chrzan scored a single-game high 29 points in the Comets' 80-74 win over Grace Bible.

Other returning letterwinners are sophomores Jordan Ellis and Kyle Emory, and junior Quintin Way. Ellis saw action in 24 games last year and scored 56 points, with a single-game high eight at Alma. Emory appeared in 18 games last season and scored 109 points, including a single-game high 18 against Hanover.

After being on the junior varsity team as a freshman, Way was elevated to the varsity squad for the 2015-16 season. He played in 19 games and scored 92 points, grabbed 32 rebounds and blocked 10 shots. Way's single-game scoring high was 14 points against Adrian.

Juniors Griffin Lewis and Matt Subject have been a part of the basketball program in the past and are expected to contribute in 2016-17. After playing on the soccer team his first two years at Olivet, junior Jordan Terry joins the basketball team for the first time this year.

Junior P.J. Trammell has come to Olivet after playing at Dordt College (Iowa). Sophomore Thomas Tsalkitzis joins the team from Greece. Freshmen Damion Bennett and Jarius Shumpert add depth to the roster.

The Comets open the 2016-17 season Tuesday, Nov. 15, with a 6 p.m. game at Capital (Ohio) University. Olivet then participates in the Carthage (Wis.) College Invitational Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19. The Comets face the host Big Red Friday night at 8 p.m., and Robert Morris-Peoria (Ill.) University Saturday at 5 p.m.