Liberty Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Flames
By William Cash
It is an exciting time to be a fan of Liberty sports. The Flames once again have a very solid football season under head coach Hugh Freeze. Starting Quarterback Malik Willis is almost a surefire first-round NFL pick and will most likely be the greatest athlete to ever be on campus in Lynchburg.
But Liberty’s basketball team is not to be slept on.
Head Coach Ritchie McKay brings back another solid veteran roster. After a 23-6 record last season with its third straight A-Sun title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Liberty’s season ended with a tough 69-60 loss to Oklahoma State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Liberty did lose some key pieces, as last year’s second-leading scorer Chris Parker graduated and so did last year’s A-Sun defensive player of the year Elijah Cuffee. Regardless of that, the Flames are again the favorite in the A-Sun
The good news for the Flames is that last year’s leading scorer and A-Sun Player of the Year, Darius McGee comes back for his senior season. Along with Blake Preston who averaged nine points a game last year.
Liberty has superior talent towards most of the other teams in the A-Sun how does the starting five look for the Flames? Here is who I think will start on Thursday for Liberty.