PITTSBURGH -- Point Park University men's basketball opens its 2017-18 season tonight at Wilberforce (Ohio) with a tipoff at 7 p.m. Here are some preseason notes to get you ready for the year. Follow the Pioneers all season long at PointParkSports.com and on social media @PointParkSports hashtags #PPUMBB and #PPUHOOPS.
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Senior guard Gavin Rajahpillay returns as the team leader in scoring and assists from last year. A native of Hagerstown, Md., in his second year with the Pioneers, Rajahpillay averaged 16.2 ppg and 5.4 apg to earn second-team all-conference honors. Junior guard Asim Pleas gives the Pioneers two double-digit scorers returning after averaging 10.6 ppg a year ago.
Point Park has three returning starters in all, which includes senior forward Fousseini Konate (6.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg). Of the 10 players who started a game last year, four return with those four players Rajahpillay, Pleas, Konate and senior guard Rushan Roberts (7.3 ppg) making up the core group of returnees.
KEY PLAYERS LOST
Seniors Jaylen Mann (9.2 ppg), Art Christian (7.6 pp) and Lassana Konate (5.7 ppg) combined to start 47 games last year, but they have graduated. Guard T.J. Bates averaged 7.3 ppg last year as a junior, but he is sitting out this year. He will be back for 2018-19.
2017-18 NEWCOMERS
The Pioneers added several junior college players for their main newcomers. That group includes guards Daniel King and Michael Connor, who will be looked to for joining in on the deep group of guards. Aaron Barlow and Cortez Allen are the main additions in the post with Allen becoming available for the second semester. Freshman Mark Shehady adds more depth to the point guard spot.
COACHING STAFF
Gabe Bubon is in his second year as Pioneers head coach. He was the interim head coach last year, and he was officially named head coach this past summer. He has been on the Point Park coaching staff for 14 years. The first 12 were as an assistant coach to his predecessor, Bob Rager, including the final two years of that as associate head coach. Wayne Copeland and Brad Fusco are the assistant coaches.
2016-17 IN REVIEW
The Pioneers had a rough season at 8-20 overall as it was a transition year in many respects. Point Park started out 3-0 in conference play but then lost its top two scorers at the semester break. The Pioneers were just 3-13 after that. Still, the Pioneers were within reach of a playoff spot in the challenging RSC East Divsion until the final weekend of the regular season.
RSC PRESEASON POLL
Point Park is picked 10th of 13 teams overall in the RSC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Pioneers are picked fifth of six teams in the RSC East Division, which is the predicted one spot out of the playoff picture. That is the same spot Point Park ended last year. The RSC East was predicted as the tougher of the two divisions with four of the top five teams in the overall conference poll coming from the Pioneers' division.
2017-18 SCHEDULE
The Pioneers begin the year on the road with their first six games away from home. The season opener is Oct. 30 at Wilberforce (7 p.m.). Point Park opens up its home schedule Nov. 22 versus Washington Adventist (5:30 p.m.), which is the Pioneers' first game at their new home facility, CCAC-Allegheny's Physical Education Building. Point Park opens its 16-game RSC slate at home Nov. 29 versus Rio Grande (Ohio).
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS
Follow Point Park Men's Basketball at PointParkSports.com and on social media @PointParkSports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow hahstags #PPUMBB and #PPUHOOPS.
