Basketball team looks for conference crown this season

As coach Tony Wallingford begins another season at the helm of the Buffaloes, he once again is starting over from scratch. Only four players, seniors Craig Emmert from Cass City, Mich.; Todd Davis from Corbin, Ky.; Jordan Simmons from Erwin, Tenn.; and junior Nate Tincher from Jacksonville, Fla., return from last year’s 15-17 season.

“We are counting on (the seniors) right now for leadership both on the floor and off,” said Wallingford, “We are counting very heavily on those guys right now really to lead, direct and motivate this group.”
 

This year’s team success will be based on the play of newcomers from around the the country. Tentatively set as starters for the season, besides Emmert, are freshmen Yony Kifle from Grundy, Va.; Harvey Bell from Spartanburg, S.C.; Anthony Wilhelm from Petoskey, Mich.; and sophomore Nick Tuggle from Memphis, Tenn.

“I feel like our team is slowly starting to come together as one unit,” said Emmert. “They are learning about the team concept and are starting to gel.”

Key backups for the season are Tincher, Davis, freshman point guard Joe Brown from Blountville, Tenn. and freshman guard Adam Hughes from Bluff City, Tenn.

Currently, the Buffaloes are 3-0 with victories over Cincinnati Christian, Ohio State-Newark, and Ohio State-Marion. They open AAC conference play with a game at Alice Lloyd on Tuesday and a game at Union on Saturday. The Buffaloes then play their first of two games against Division I-A competition when they travel to Spartanburg, South Carolina for a game against Wofford.

The AAC conference is wide open this year as the Buffaloes were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll behind Union, Bluefield and King. Brown, however, feels like this year’s additions could be to Milligan’s advantage.

“I expect the team to perform well based on our age and the way the rest of the league looks at us,” said Brown.

“I don’t think the other teams are taking us seriously as evidenced by the preseason AAC poll.”

The Buffaloes have the look of a conference contender this year, based on a game closing 46-6 run against Ohio State-Marion that turned a 44-41 close game into a 90-47 blowout. The team also had 32 assists in the 94-71 victory over Ohio State-Newark.

The Buffs are sure to be rocking the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse this season as they look toward the conference title.

Randall Moore is a manager for the basketball team.