Men’s Basketball Set to Start 2024-25 Season
ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team is ready to tip off the 2024-25 campaign at the GAC/NSIC Challenge in Duluth, Minn., where they will face Minot State and Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 8 and 9.
Head Coach Daniel Wheeler and Assistant Coach Zack Price are entering their third season at the helm of the Tiger program. After finishing the 2023-24 season with a 13-15 overall record and a 9-13 mark in Great American Conference play, ECU is determined to build on last year's performance and take a step forward this season.
The Tigers return ten players from last year's roster, including seniors Godsgift Ezedinma and Bryce Woolridge, who each started and played all 28 games in 2023-24. Ezedinma led the team with 347 points, while also ranking second in rebounds with 115, while Woolridge was the team's top rebounder with 134 boards and second in points with 269. Both players will be pivotal in the Tigers' pursuit of success this season.
ECU also brings back a strong core of contributors from last year, including Robel Desta, Jaden Miller, Nikk Williams, and Ryan Kelly – each of whom saw action in 20 or more games. Desta leads the returners in three-point shooting percentage, Miller returns as the starting point guard and assist leader, and Williams is the top returning shooter in field goal percentage. Additionally, Mason Jones and Cade Roady return, along with Mark Rucha and Bishop Jones, who are back after redshirting last season.
The Tiger lineup will also feature five new faces to the program, as the coaching staff worked to add depth and height to the roster. The Tigers welcome transfers Ethan Channel (Minnesota-Crookston), and Jourdyn Grandberry (Navarro), along with incoming freshmen Hudson Linsenmeyer (Deer Creek HS), Javaun Henderson (Memorial HS), and Cortland Thomas (Legacy School of Sport Sciences), all of whom are expected to strengthen the team.
The ECU men's basketball coaching staff makes its debut with graduate assistant coaches Reese Glover and Barron Tanner, Jr. Glover, a former all-time 3-point leader at Missouri Western, and Tanner, who played for the Tigers during Wheeler's first season, bring valuable experience and energy to the program.
With a mix of experienced returners and promising new talent, the Tigers are poised for an exciting season as they look to compete at a high level in the GAC.
