After a tough season ending loss in the Region III Quarterfinals last year, the FM men's basketball team has high hopes for its 2017-2018 campaign. Last season, the Raiders finished the season 15-10 overall.
"Practices have been going great and we have been spending a lot of time on defense, communication and sharing the ball on offense. The players are working hard daily and are coming together as a team. We have some great leaders who are pushing everyone to work hard," said Coach Collar.
FM returns all-region guard Dante Morgan who averaged 20 points per game and is a great ball handler. Brandon Cooper is a returning forward who played a lot last year. Courtney Darnley is a great shooter who is returning after sitting out a year and TiJuan Day is a solid point guard who is a great vocal leader.
Some key freshman to include are Tyvon Stenson, who is a very savvy point guard with a high basketball IQ. Amadou Diakite and Darren Demmitt will bring a lot to the table as athletic wings that can score and rebound. Jamal Vazquez is a hardworking, quality shooter from Johnstown, and Damian Prescod brings a great attitude and work ethic, and can play multiple positions.
"It will be hard to replace the experience of last year's players, who posted a 15 and 10 record, but we hope our young guys are up to the challenge. Our incoming freshmen are very talented. If they mature quickly enough and adjust to the college game, they should be very productive," said Collar.
"Our goals every year are to be near the top of the Region 3 standings all year long and to make regionals, which will give us the opportunity to compete for a regional title. This year, like every year, we feel we have the team that can get it done," noted Collar.
The Raiders will look to start their season off with a win on Sunday, November 5th when they travel to Tompkins Cortland for a 7:00 p.m. contest. FM will open up at home on Saturday, November 11th at 3:00 p.m. against Onondaga CC.
