Le Moyne men’s basketball looks to rebound following 1st losing season since 2015
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Last season, Le Moyne men’s basketball suffered its first losing season since 2015 and failed to qualify for the Division II NCAA Championships for the first time in six years.
Following a subpar regular season where the Dolphins finished 12-15, Le Moyne sputtered out against Stonehill College in the first round of last year’s Northeast Ten Tournament. Head coach Nate Champion had just led the team to a NE10 Southwest Division title in 2019, but couldn’t reiterate that success a season ago after the cancellation of the 2020-21 season.
“We needed to gain valuable experience,” head coach Nate Champion said. “I think going through those growing pains is going to help us in the long run.”
This year, Champion and the Dolphins look to bounce back with a roster full of veterans and four new freshmen.
“There’s always room for improvement,” redshirt sophomore guard Kevin Constant said. “We’re definitely not satisfied with where we are, but at the end of the day it’s just more fuel to the fire.”
Le Moyne returns a solid core of veterans, including senior forward Luke Sutherland and Constant. Sutherland had the highest scoring average of the team’s returners and Constant finished second in field goals made and assists. Sutherland, a Syracuse native, comes back to Le Moyne for his second season with the Dolphins after stints at Siena and Bryant.
“I think you see some stability with him being back in the Syracuse area,” Champion said. “It’s a place where he’s comfortable and plays his best basketball. Fortunately for us, he’s here and brings good talent.”
At West Genesee High School, Sutherland earned the Mr. Basketball CNY Award, averaging 20.2 points per game as a junior. The All-State and All-CNY selection committed to Siena with high expectations of continuing that success at the college level.
But in his only season with the Saints, Sutherland scored an underwhelming five points in seven games and transferred to Bryant. Still, Sutherland mustered minimal playing time and scored 12 points (all in one game) in six appearances, eventually joining the Division II program in his hometown.
“Just off the fact of being home again the experience is a lot of fun,” Sutherland said. “I have a lot of good basketball memories on the court. It’s been an awesome experience.”
Constant is one of Le Moyne’s more reliable players, notching 10.5 points per game last season. He finished first on the team in total steals (43) as well. Constant said he wanted “get to work right away” this season.
“I want to work hard,” Constant said. “Shooting wasn’t totally my strong suit, but I’ve improved a lot and still am.”
After graduating from Central Catholic High School (Massachusetts), Constant played a year of prep basketball at Tilton High School (New Hampshire). He was ranked as the No. 16 prospect in the state and 98th in New England.
Constant will fill the role of Christian Davis, who transferred to Bradley after being the team’s top scorer and rebounder last season. Guards Nino Hernandez and Payton Hudson graduated.
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“Obviously, losing someone like Christian is a big hit,” Champion said. “But I think the guys we brought in can help fill that void. I think there’s a lot of opportunity moving forward.”
The Dolphins welcomed freshmen Nate Fouts, C.J. Moore, Trent Mosquera and Kaelin Thomas. Fouts and Mosquera were both ranked as top-100 prospects in New England.
“I really like our freshmen,” Champion said. “There’s a lot of talent in that group.”
Le Moyne ranked eighth out of 13 in the NE-10 Conference coaches preseason poll. The Dolphins will play nine teams who made the 2022 NCAA Championships, starting their season against Dominican University at the Saint Rose Tip-Off Tournament in Albany on Nov. 12th. Le Moyne then plays Bloomfield before hosting Saint Thomas Aquinas in its home opener. In NE10 play, the team has a rigorous schedule that includes No. 14 Bentley, who won the conference tournament last year.
“We always try to get a challenging schedule,” Champion said. “We want to be on the national stage and playing for NCAA Tournament berths, so it’s a great way to challenge ourselves.”
