Season Preview: 2016-17 Men's Basketball

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine—Last season, the Southern Maine Community College men's basketball program gained great momentum in the second half playing to a 9-4 record in the spring semester and qualified as the three-seed in the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) Tournament. The SeaWolves have qualified for 13 consecutive post-season appearances and this year's returning class will look to build on the foundation of last year's success to make another run at the conference title. In his 14^th season as Head Coach, Matt Richards believes consistency will guide the SeaWolves through this season.

This season the SeaWolves will return two-year captain John Morgan (Sanford, Maine), Dylan Silvestri (Pelham, N.H.), and Keanyon Lambert (Manchester, N.H.). Morgan averaged 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a season ago. "John has been a great leader on and off the court. He is a player that has my utmost respect and trust," says Coach Richards. Silvestri averaged 4.9 points and 5.3 rebounds in his rookie campaign. "Dylan is a workhorse on the glass. I'm looking for Dylan to continue that energy and spark he brings to the team." Lambert, 4.2 points per game and 51.4 percent from the floor in 2015, "Keanyon has really embraced his role coming back and is becoming more of a vocal leader on the floor. His post experience will certainly pay off for us."

The SeaWolves will welcome many talented newcomers in 2016. Nate Lindsay (East Longmeadow, Mass.) transferred to SMCC last semester and has developed a chemistry with the returners since. "Nate's experiences with the program will allow him to step in and contribute right away." Chase Soares (Falmouth, Mass.) returns to the program having taken a year off; he was a key member of the 2014-15 team that went 24-4. Ryan Cloutier (Pelham, N.H.), Marcus Devoe (Naples, Maine), and Anthony Lobor (Portland, Maine) are the trio of wing players that give the SeaWolves excellent depth and scoring from the perimeter. Anderson Kavutse (Westbrook, Maine) and Patrick Lobor (Portland, Maine) will help anchor the interior both offensively and defensively. Matthew Tenney (Sunapee, N.H.) and Timothy Dixon (Plainville, Conn.) bring tremendous ball handling skills and court vision. Both players have the ability to effect the game from their play as distributors and also provide scoring from their position. 

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