2023-2024 Men’s Basketball Season Preview

30-4 (21-1 Heart, 1st)
Starters returning/lost: 0/5
Letterwinners returning/lost: 6/12

Notable returners:
CJ Washington, Sr., Houston, Texas
(Letterwinner, 5.8 points)
Jayvin Brown, So., Waldorf Md.
(Letterwinner, 2.5 points)
Marcus Bell, Sr., Shreveport, La.
(Letterwinner, 15 games)

Notable losses:
Malik Edwards
(NAIA Second-Team All-America)
Eddie Daley
(First-team all-Heart)
Muneer Newton
(Second-team all-Heart)
Chanze Cruesoe
(Second-team all-Heart)

Notable newcomers:
Jaz Farrell, Sr., Miramar, Fla.
Manny Hammonds, Fr., Des Moines, Iowa
Cam Marshall, So., San Diego, Calif.
Jimarius Sneed, Jr., Chicago, Ill.

Although there will be an abundance of new bodies adorning the hardwood, the Statesmen men's basketball team still expects to be a major player as it enters the 2023-2024 season.

WPU is a year removed from finishing 30-4 overall and winning the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and reaching the NAIA National Championship Round of 16.  Unfortunately, very few hoopers return from that squad, forcing the coaching staff to hit the recruiting even harder than normal during the offseason.

Heading the returning crew for this winter will be CJ Washington (Sr., Houston, Texas, Sports Management), who started 13 games a year ago and averaged 5.8 points per game.  Jayvin Brown (So., Waldorf, Md., Business Management), who played in 32 contests, and Marcus Bell (Sr., Shreveport, La., Wellness and Recreation), who entered 15 bouts, also return for the navy and gold.

Manny Hammonds (Fr., Des Moines, Iowa, New Media) and Cam Marshall (So., San Diego, Calif., Sports Management) both redshirted a year ago and will add depth to the list of players with a background in Statesmen basketball.

William Penn will rely heavily on newcomers with Jaz Farrell (Sr., Miramar, Fla., Undecided) pushing the charge after transferring from NCAA Division II West Florida.

Schedule/Conference: William Penn begins the campaign Friday by facing East/West as part of the Governors State Classic.  Heart play begins November 11 with a road trip against Clarke, while the squad's first home game will be November 15 against Graceland.

The Statesmen enter the year at #19 nationally and are picked to finish second in the Heart.