GEORGETOWN, Texas – What do you do after one of the most successful seasons in years that culminated in Southwestern’s first-ever trip to the SCAC Championship game? Work hard in the off-season and pick up where you left off, which is exactly what the Pirate men’s basketball team has done.

With the start of practice on October 15th, the Pirates have hit the court with a vision of returning to the SCAC championship game, largely due to the leadership both on the sidelines and in the backcourt for Southwestern. Their 18-10 record was the third best record ever for Head Coach Bill Raleigh who begins his 11th season at Southwestern and he returns four seniors and four starters from last year’s team.

“The end of the season success set the tone for the off-season,” states Coach Raleigh. “Our players want to use it as a stepping stone and get back to the conference championship and then win it for the first time ever. These seniors want to make this season something special.”

The returning senior starters consisting of A.C. Cox, Zach Bergstrom and Travis Barber have led the team to focus on team accomplishments, knowing that it can be a different player each night to make the big plays, which is what will make the Pirates tough to beat.

“They (the seniors) want to do stuff not because of individual acknowledgement, but as a team and that has been fun for me so far this season,” says Coach Raleigh. “Those seniors are the hardest workers on the team and are setting the tone for the rest of the group.”

A.C. Cox will man the point position for Southwestern and has ample experience during so, starting all 28 games last season and averaging a team high 30.5 minutes per game. Cox not only led SU in assists (108), steals (32), and free throw percentage (85.3%) but was also the third leading scorer, averaging 10 points per game. He provides a dynamic threat on the court that can not only get his teammates going, but score also.

Barber, the Pirate’s second leading scorer in 2008-09 at 10.2 points per game, is a consistent threat from the outside but can also take it hard to the hoop if guarded tightly on the perimeter. He averaged 29.1 minutes a game and shot 37.8% from the floor, 33.7% from beyond the arc.

Rounding out the backcourt for SU is Zach Bergstrom. Bergstrom was the leading scorer for the Pirates last season at 11.5 points per game. He shot 37.9% from the field and 34.8% from the three-point line in 2008-09. Bergstrom provides Southwestern with a high energy intensity and the ability to go on a scoring streak that will provide headaches for opponents.

Joining Cox, Bergstrom, and Barber for his final season at SU is Collyn Kelley. Kelley, a transfer from Schreiner University in his junior season, provides additional depth and perimeter threat to the Pirate’s backcourt.

The last returning starter is junior Jonathan Brown, who averaged 21.9 minutes per game. He was the sixth leading scorer on last year’s squad, but shot 55.1% from the field while ending third in rebounding at 4.9 per game. Brown’s versatility as a post player with strong moves on the block and the ability to play in the high post will provide some match-up problems for opponents and give more flexibility to SU’s offense.

Key returners off the bench are juniors Nick Caputo and Ry Rowan. Caputo saw action in all 28 games last season as a crucial bench player with the ability to maintain the Pirate’s long distance threat. He averaged eight points per game, shooting 39.5% from the field and 34.8% from the three-point line. Rowan appeared in 19 games last season and will add a solid backup for Brown. He shot 42.9% from the field last season in just under 7 minutes per game.

One of the most pleasant surprises for Coach Raleigh was the dynamic return of junior Robbie Hanley who has made big steps in the off-season and looks to be in the mix for the Pirates this year.

The Pirates also return three sophomores, James Davenport, Rhett Rowan and Logan Hurley and add four new players to the roster. Sophomore transfer Demetrice Spearman comes to Southwestern after one season at Huston-Tillotson while Scott Ryan, Chris Brown and Chris Churchwell join the team for their first seasons.

Southwestern will open their season on November 15th at the University of Dallas before heading to a tournament in Chicago, Ill. the following weekend. At the tournament the Pirates will face former SCAC opponent Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the opening round.

“Our opening games are against some solid opponents who will provide good non-conference tests for us before heading to Trinity to open conference action,” shares Coach Raleigh. “We are on the road for the first five games of the season which will be a challenge, but we are excited about the upcoming year and should have a great one as long as we can stay healthy.”