Runnin' Bulldogs Prepared For August Exhibition Trip To Bahamas
July 05, 2011 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Gardner-Webb's men's basketball squad will head to Nassau, Bahamas, in mid-August for a preseason tune up that will feature a pair of exhibition games.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will fly to Nassau on August 12 and will spend four days preparing for the 2011-2012 season and bonding in the Bahamas.
"Our players and staff are excited about this unique opportunity to spend time together this summer," said Gardner-Webb head coach Chris Holtmann, who is entering his second season in command. "NCAA rules allow Division I schools an international trip like this once every four years in the summer.
"With this being our first official recruiting class - and a large one at that - we felt the timing couldn't be better for us to grow together as a team."
Gardner-Webb will battle the Real Deal Shockers on Sunday, August 14 at 7:00 pm at the Sir Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium in Nassau and will take on the Nassau Cybots on Monday, August 15 at 9:00 pm in the same location.
The 'Dogs welcome back a solid core of talent to the roster, as well as a very talented group of newcomers that should inject immediate firepower on both ends of the court.
Gardner-Webb's top returning scorer is senior guard Laron Buggs (10.0 ppg), who stepped up his play during Big South Conference action - particularly late in the season. Buggs will likely be joined in the starting backcourt this season by Wofford transfer Jason Dawson (5-10, 175, Jr.), a mature, quick lead guard who was a very bright spot in practices during his year of residency last season.
Sharpshooting senior David Brown (5.2 ppg) connected at better than 40 percent during Big South play last season from long distance, and will be a threat from three-point range again this season. Junior point guard Jay Royster (13 games played) is the only other veteran in the backcourt for the 'Dogs, who will look to rookies Max Landis (6-2, 175, Fr.), Tyler Strange (5-9, 180, Fr.) and Kyle Dennis (6-2, 180, Fr.) for production as freshmen.
Landis is one of Gardner-Webb's most heralded newcomers, having completed a dominant senior season in one of Indiana's toughest high school leagues. Capable of playing either guard spot, Landis averaged 24.2 points and 4.2 assists per game, narrowly missing a well-deserved position on the prestigious Indiana All-Star Team.
Landis did earn honorable mention All-State honors, and was named to the Indianapolis Star's Super Team for the second year in a row. He topped the 30-point mark four times as a senior, including a season-high 38 markers against Center Grove (Ind.) High.
Strange, a scrappy ballhandler and passer, played the past two seasons at prep school power Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., where he played against and alongside some of the nation's top talent. He started for a team in 2010-2011 that sent seven players to the Division I ranks, including two to the Big East.
Dennis helped his Bob Jones (Ala.) High team to 25 wins as a senior and was selected to play in the AHSAA All-Star Game.
Mississippi Valley State transfer Tashan Newsome (6-4, 200, Jr.) also served a year of residency last season in Boiling Springs, and will be a strong, athletic addition on the wing. Newsome averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game during his final season with the Delta Devils, netting 17 points at Arkansas and 14 at Washington State.
One of Gardner-Webb's top freshmen recruits will also push for time on the wing. Donta Harper (6-6, 180, Fr.) was the North Carolina Class 3A State Player of the Year by NCPreps.com after leading his South Central (N.C.) High squad to the state finals - and averaging 16.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a senior. Returnee Jamal Mitchell (6-3, 185, So.) will add depth at the wing spot.
Stefon Johnson (9.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg) returns at the four position after starting 26 games last season, and will be joined there by talented junior college transfer Kevin Hartley (6-6, 225, Jr.). Hartley averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 rebounds as a sophomore at Collin County in Texas.
Sophomores Santoine Butler (3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and Mike Byron (3.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg) combined to start 26 games in the post last season, and each is expected to make considerable improvement heading into the 2011-2012 season. Each showed flashes of excellence during their freshman seasons.
Recruit Corey Hensley (6-8, 220, Fr.) will also be in the mix at both the frontcourt spots, providing the coaching staff with a skilled performer, particularly on the offensive end. Hensley averaged 27.6 points per game as a senior at Enka (N.C.) High two years ago, and was a strong performer as a postgraduate for national power Hargrave (Va.) Military this past season.
An advantage to Gardner-Webb's international trip is early practice time. Per NCAA rules, Gardner-Webb is allowed 10 practices before its trip to the Bahamas, a significant amount of time for the 2011-2012 team to gel heading into the school year.
The trip will be the first for Gardner-Webb since moving up to NCAA Division I prior to the 2000-2001 season.
The 2011-2012 Runnin' Bulldogs
David Brown (6-2, 180, Gr.) - Margate, Fla.
Mike Byron (6-10, 235, So.) - San Antonio, Texas
Laron Buggs (6-1, 185, Sr.) - Tulsa, Okla.
Santoine Butler (6-8, 215, So.) - Hephzibah, Ga.
Jason Dawson (5-10, 175, Jr.) - Columbus, Ohio
Jarvis Davis (6-1, 175, So.) - Columbia, S.C. **
Kyle Dennis (6-2, 180, Fr.) - Madison, Ala.
Donta Harper (6-6, 180, Fr.) - Winterville, N.C.
Kevin Hartley (6-6, 225, Jr.) - Spring, Texas
Corey Hensley (6-8, 220, Fr.) - Candler, N.C.
Stefon Johnson (6-6, 215, Jr.) - Cincinnati, Ohio
Max Landis (6-2, 175, Fr.) - Indianapolis, Ind.
Jamal Mitchell (6-3, 185, So.) - Charlotte, N.C.
Tashan Newsome (6-4, 200, Jr.) - Albany, N.Y.
Jay Royster (6-0, 175, Jr.) - Shelby, N.C.
Tyler Strange (5-9, 180, Fr.) - Worcester, Mass.
** Jarvis Davis will sit out the 2011-2012 season in accordance with NCAA Division I transfer rules
