(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia men's basketball has been hard at work preparing to begin the 2021-22 season. The Cardinals will be looking to build on last year, which saw the team upset Cornerstone in the WHAC tournament and make an NCCAA Regional appearance. 9th-year head coach Ricky Yahn returns 16 players from last year's team while adding 6 talented new players.
2020-21 Season Review
Concordia finished last year 8-12 overall, going 5-7 in WHAC conference play. The Cardinals played only 2 games in the fall before the pandemic delayed the remainder of the season until the winter. In January, the team went on a 4-game winning streak including a 135-101 win over Greenville that saw the team shoot 70.1% from the field.
The Cardinals finished as the #6 seed in the WHAC, but the team pulled off a big upset when they downed #3 Cornerstone 77-69 on the road. Despite losing to Indiana Tech in the next round, the team earned a trip to the NCCAA Midwest Regional where they fell against Lancaster Bible.
2021-22 Schedule Outlook
Concordia will kick off the season with a home game on October 26 against Great Lakes Christian College at 7:30pm. The team will finish the month at the Grace Tip-Off Classic on October 29-30, facing Grace and Trinity International.
In November, the Cardinals will host Adrian and Goshen to start the month. WHAC conference play begins on November 10 when the team travels to Lawrence Tech. Concordia will then host three straight home games versus Indiana Tech, rival Siena Heights and Cornerstone. The Cardinals will play an exhibition contest at NCAA Division I Ohio University on November 26 to finish the month.
December begins with road contests at Madonna and Aquinas. After a non-conference home game against Kalamazoo, the team will travel to UM-Dearborn. Concordia will hold a home contest against Eureka before the Christmas holiday and finishes out the year by hosting Alma on December 29.
In January, the Cardinals will travel to UNOH for a road game to start the 2022 calendar year. After a home game against Rochester, Concordia will head on the road to face Lourdes and Indiana Tech. The Cardinals will host Lawrence Tech and Madonna and then travel to Cornerstone for their final game before the Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT). CIT will be held this year at Concordia Nebraska on January 28-29.
February starts with another rivalry game at Siena Heights on February 2. Concordia will play host to Aquinas and Lourdes, travel to Rochester, and then play home games against UNOH and UM-Dearborn to conclude the regular season.
If the Cardinals finish among the top 8 teams in the WHAC, they will qualify for the conference tournament. The first round begins on February 23.
Concordia Personnel
Senior Thomas Hronis returns after notching 15.2 PPG last year and providing a consistent 3-point threat (71-184, 38.6% behind the arc). Senior Bernard Kasanda comes back after notching 6.9 PPG and 4 APG, setting up the offense well with his speed. Senior Colton Ritsema was a force inside last year, recording 9.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG.
Senior Matt Lockhart played key minutes last season, notching 5.0 PPG and 4.7 RPG. Senior Erik Mroczek provided additional depth to the team, competing in 5 contests last year. Graduate student Abeal Ayalew will be returning to the team as well.
Junior Zac Clark recorded 2.4 PPG and 2.6 RPG last year. Junior Kip French saw action in 12 games last season, notching 2.1 PPG. Junior Henry Knapp will give the team added depth and experience.
Sophomore Zackary Johnson was a key part of the offense, notching 11.2 PPG and providing a threat from behind the arc (40-113, 35.4% from three). Sophomore Devyn Jones was a strong inside presence, notching 5.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Sophomore Evan Neff made an impact with 4.6 PPG in his freshman year.
Sophomore Nate Brighton recorded 1.9 PPG in 8 games of action. Sophomore Matt Kohler competed in 12 games last year and recorded 1.7 PPG. Sophomore Darren Mitchelson competed in 6 games while averaging 1.3 PPG. Sophomore Adir Turgeman competed in 2 contests last year.
Six freshmen will be joining the program this season: D'Angelo Stoxstill, Ethan Young, Jason Jergens, Jayden Priddy, Mason Canfield, and Tarek Abdel-Kireem.
2020 Team Stats
Connect with the Cardinals
To stay up to date with the most recent information and news throughout the season, follow the Concordia Men's Basketball team on their social media platforms. The Cardinals are on Twitter and Instagram (@CUAAHoops).
