Busting Brackets
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Ohio Valley Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Harry Schroeder

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 15: Jake Wolfe #24 of the Morehead State Eagles the ball by Paul Scruggs #1 of the Xavier Musketeers during a college basketball game at the Cintas Center on December 15, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 15: Jake Wolfe #24 of the Morehead State Eagles the ball by Paul Scruggs #1 of the Xavier Musketeers during a college basketball game at the Cintas Center on December 15, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Lindenwood Lions. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Lindenwood Lions. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

9. Eastern Illinois Panthers – Head coach Marty Simmons
 
2021-22 record: 5-26 overall, 3-15 in the OVC

Last year was a lost season for Eastern Illinois. Players were leaving even before Simmons was hired and the veteran coach pieced together a last-minute roster that really couldn’t compete. This year will be different.

Five significant players return from that ‘get it over with’ season and the Panthers are better for it. Jermaine Hamlin, Paul Bizimana, Dan Luers, C.J. Lane, and Rodolfo Bolis all return after averaging between 6.2 and 7.8 points per game. They’ve been through the wars and they are better for it.

Simmons did not go hard for the D1 transfer portal. His incoming players are freshmen, D2, and junior college recruits. The D2 players come from solid programs where they enjoyed personal and team success. Caleb Donaldson (St. Cloud State) was a two-time all-conference player. Yaakema Rose (Missouri-St. Louis) was the point guard on a D2 Sweet 16 team last year.

Rose was an All-Great Lakes Valley selection last season, the same league that Lindenwood and Southern Indiana just left. He was also named to the GLVC’s all-defensive team.

Juco transfers Nick Ellington and Kinyon Hodges were each all-region players and double-digit scorers. Each helped lead their respective high school teams to deep runs in the state championships. Ellington took home Missouri’s state championship while playing for St. Louis’ Cardinal Ritter.

Simmons loaded up on freshmen. Five rookies are on the roster, including Kyle Carlesimo, the son of NBA and college coach P.J. Carlesimo. Sincere Malone is a 6’8 forward from Chicago’s Lincoln Park High. Cameron Haffner is an all-stater from Indiana. His father was a University of Evansville great, Scott Haffner who played in the NBA.

Kyle Thomas is a 6’10 freshman and his father (Daryl) was a McDonald’s All-American and had a great career at Indiana. Simmons played with Thomas’ father at Indiana and with Haffner’s dad at Evansville.