Bates Bobcats
2013-2014 Season: 11-13 (1-9 NESCAC), Lost Final 4 Games all to NESCAC Opponents
Head Coach: Jon Furbush, 7th Season
Starters Returning: 3
G Graham Safford ‘15
G Mike Boornazian ‘16
F/C Malcolm Delpeche ‘17
Breakout Player: Marcus Delpeche ’17
The 6′ 7″, 205 pound forward Delpeche has everything going for him this year. With the graduation of Sean Cunningham ’14, who started 21 out of the 24 games last season, the door is open for Marcus to have a standout year. After the first two games, Delpeche has averaged 31 minutes per game and has shown so far that he has what it takes to be a force under the basket, averaging 8.5 rebounds and points so far. Working in tandem with his brother Malcolm Delpeche, the center for the Bobcats, Marcus is poised to have a great year.
Projected Starting Five:
G Graham Safford ’15 – Safford led his team in scoring and assists last year with 16.3 points per game and 4.4 assists per game. As a captain for the Bobcats this year, the team will look for Safford to lead them both on and off the court. He is arguably the team’s best scorer this year, and has the ability to take control of a game down the stretch. A player that is not afraid of the big moments, Safford is expected to have a successful final season for the Bobcats.
G Mike Boornazian ’16 – As a big, athletic guard, Boornazian compliments Safford’s game well. As the team’s two-guard, he usually guards the opposing team’s best perimeter scorer. Offensively, Boornazian is a threat from beyond the arc, and showed that last year, shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range. At 6′ 5″ and weighing 205, he is not afraid to go up and get rebounds, as he led Bates last year with 6.1 rebounds per game. After averaging just under 16 points per game in only his sophomore year, Boornazian is developing into a seasoned veteran at his position. Look for him to have a good year.
G Billy Selmon ’15 – Selmon looks to solidify his role on the team as their premier defenseman. He led the NESCAC in steals last year as a junior with 2.1 steals per game, while only starting in 12 games. This year, Selmon is expected to be a full time starter, and looks to make his defensive presence known by all teams throughout the league.
F Marcus Delpeche ’17 – Delpeche is looking to solidify his presence alongside his brother under the basket. While his post game is still developing, Delpeche has the ability to finish at the rim, as well as snag rebounds. With the perimeter threats of Safford and Boornazian, expect Marcus to have an increased role as defenses take away the outside threats and dare Marcus to take over down low.
C Malcolm Delpeche ’17 – Malcolm Delpeche had a good start to his college career last year as a freshman starting in 19 of the 24 games and averaging 7.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game. It’s going to be crucial for Delpeche to continue to rebound the basketball in order to give his sharpshooters more opportunities to score. Similarly to his brother, Malcolm can put points on the board underneath.
Everything Else:
The Bobcats have an opportunity to surprise the league this year after their losing season in 2013-2014. Although they had a 1-9 record against fellow NESCAC teams, their record did not tell the whole story. Beating a good Middlebury team 64-61 last year proved that this team has the potential to move up in the NESCAC rankings.
The Delpeche twins both had solid freshman years, and it’s likely that their games will only improve with more experience. Look for these two sophomores to step into their roles and become even more comfortable with the pace of college basketball. Time will do well for the brothers as they look to develop into a dynamic duo for the Bobcats.
Last season, after losing senior captain Luke Matarazzo to an injury, Bates had a difficult time filling the gap when Matarazzo went down. Losing the final four games of the season was difficult, but it’s a new season and they need to have a short memory going into this year. While the ability to respond to adversity is key for every team, given that injuries are inevitable, last year’s exposure to dealing with such issues will only help Bates this season. With three returning starters, the experience is there. Having already begun the year 2-0 with wins against Nichols and Babson, things are looking positive for the Bates Bobcats so far this season.