ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball will open the 2021-22 season with a Friday night non-league test against Salisbury University. The game will begin at 6:00 pm.
Eastern's men enter the season looking to return to form after a difficult nine-game season this past spring.
The 2021-22 Eagles will feature four players who played prominent roles in Eastern's trip to the MAC Freedom Championship game in February of 2020, several individuals who gained valuable experience in last semester's short season and some exciting newcomers.
William Blet played in only four games last semester, but 6'8 forward from Miami averaged 13.8 points and 11.3 rebounds and nearly 2 blocks per game. He enters play this year with 720 points and 105 blocked shots. He again is expected to be a primary threat inside for the Eagles.
Sam Gallardo and
Terron Bacon each played valuable backcourt minutes in 2019-2020, and Gallardo emerged as Eastern's top scorer last year. The junior from San Diego scored in double-figures in the team's final six games and posted a career-best 27 points at Lebanon Valley. Bacon should provide shooting and leadership as the Eagles expect to play several three-guard line-ups over the course of the year.
Draig Cooley returns after missing the 2021 season to focus on academics. The senior engineering major started all 27 games as a sophomore and averaged eight points, five rebounds, two steals, and two assists through his first two seasons. He shot 51 percent from the floor as a sophomore.
Sophomore guard
Kaeshawn Ward scored 11 points a game in his short rookie campaign. As impressive, he recorded multiple steals in seven of the team's nine games and finished with 23.
Joshua Grant also saw valuable minutes as a guard last spring. He shot 56 percent from the floor and scored five points per game.
Jaron Fairweather will likely join Blet in the front court. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game as a sophomore. With much of that scoring coming as a focal point last year, Fairweather figures to benefit from the consistent presence of Blet and Cooley to have more space to operate inside the 3-point arc.
Though picked to finish ninth in the nine-team MAC Commonwealth, Head Coach
Dan Pruessner is positive about his team's prospects and looks forward to the first full season in the MAC Commonwealth.
Tonight the Eagles welcome a team coached by former Eastern assistant coach Mo Williams. The Sea Gulls finished 4-3 last season. They welcome back three returning starters and will feature six players in their fourth or fifth year of college basketball. Sophomore forward Jordan Oates scored 13 .4 points and grabbed 10.4 rebounds to lead them last season.
As a reminder, spectators at all home events are expected to wear masks.
