Cougars rebuilding with only three veterans returning

The University of Cincinnati Clermont College men’s basketball squad has set its sight on qualifying for the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s National Tournament for the sixth consecutive year.

“We lost all but three of our players from last year,” said John Hurley, head coach of the University of the Clermont College men’s basketball squad. He has been very successful at every level at which he has coached included serving as Milford High School’s head cage coach.

Returning to this season’s Red and Black uniformed team are senior forward Travis Donald, junior guard Maurice McGee, and sophomore guard Greg Folina.

“We are very young and very inexperienced. We have a lot of guys trying to transition from high school basketball to college basketball,” said Hurley. “They are trying to learn the athletic ability of their opponents and how to play at this level of college basketball which is faster and stronger players.”

The Cougars’ head coach explained his charges have lost in the very early going to some tough competition including two National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II teams and two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) teams, one from Division I and one from Division II.

“It remains to be seen how we’ll do against teams of our own level of competition. We’ll have to wait and see,” said Hurley.

“McGee and Donald are pretty solid players. They should provide us with leadership and help us increase at a quicker pace to the level of playing college ball, but its too early to tell yet how we’ll do this year. . .

“We’ve been to the national tournament the last five years. I’m hoping they develop quick enough to get there again this year.”

Cougars’ Roster

Dylan Phillips (6-feet, 7-inches, 188-pounds, freshman center, New Richmond High School graduate); Scott Diebel (6-8, 179, freshman center, Amelia High School graduate); Jordan Todd (6-3, 194, freshman forward, Jeffersonville, Ind., High School graduate); Devin Bartlett (5-10, 163, freshman guard, Wayne High School graduate); Langston Cooke (5-11, 165, freshman guard, Eastmore High School graduate); Taylor Little (6-1, 200, freshman guard, Eastern High School graduate); Greg Folina (5-10, 214, sophomore guard, Mt. Healthy High School graduate); Tyler Knabb, 5-8, 155, freshman guard, Eastern High School graduate); Nate Tubbs (5-11, 177, freshman guard, Mt. Healthy High School graduate); Travis Donald (6-3, 198, senior forward, Taft High School graduate); Maurice McGee (5-8, 160, junior guard, Winton Woods High School graduate); Peter Jackson (6-6, 207, sophomore forward, Landmark Christian High School graduate); Keylo Jones (6-4, 186, freshman forward, Scott, Ky., High School graduate); and Nick Baynes (6-6, 265, senior center, Hughes High School graduate).

The assistant coaches are Jason Moberly and Sam McMillan.

Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference

The University of Cincinnati Clermont College is a member of the Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference that was established in 2009.

In addition to the Cougars, the other members of the conference include Clark State Community College Eagles, Springfield, Ohio; Ohio Christian University Trailblazers, Canal Winchester, Ohio; Ohio State University – Marion Scarlet Wave, Marion Ohio; Southern State Community College Patriots, Hillsboro, Ohio; Temple Baptist College Rams, Cincinnati; and World Harvest Bible College Warriors, Canal Winchester, Ohio.

This year marks the first in a while in which the Red and Black did not also compete in the Ohio Regional Campus Conference. The members of that conference includes Akron University – Wayne Warriors, Miami University – Hamilton Harriers, Miami University – Middletown Thunderhawks, Ohio State University – Lima Barons, Ohio State University – Mansfield Mavericks, Ohio State University – Newark Titans, Ohio University – Chillicothe Hilltoppers, Ohio University – Eastern Panthers, Ohio University – Lancaster Cougars, Ohio University – Zanesville Tracers, and Wright State University – Lake Lakers.

Cougars’ Schedule

Dec. 11 at Rio Grande University, Dec. 16 Valor Christian College, Dec. 19 Northern Kentucky University, Dec. .22 Ivy Tech Community College, Dec. 27 Ohio State University – Marion at Thomas More College, Dec. 29 Wilberforce at Thomas More College, Jan. 3 at Miami University – Hamilton, Jan. 5 Clark State Community College, Jan. 8 at Temple Baptist College, Jan. 10 at Southern State Community College, Jan. 16 Ohio State University – Mansfield, Jan. 18 at Miami University – Middletown, Jan. 20 Ohio State University – Marion, Jan. 22 at University of Akron – Wayne, Jan. 25 at Clark State Community College, Jan. 29 Ohio State University – Chillicothe, Jan. 30 at Ohio State University – Mansfield, Feb. 2 at Ohio Christian University, Feb. 5 at Ivy Tech Community College, Feb. 7 Temple Baptist College, Feb. 9 at Miami University – Hamilton, Feb. 11 at Valor Christian College, Feb. 14 Ohio University – Chillicothe, and Feb. 16-19 Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at Southern State Community College.