Boschee era has begun

Ian Taylor, Sports Editor|November 7, 2014

Senior guard Lane Barlow went to the basket against the Lopers of Neb.-Kearney on March 7, 2014 in Kansas City at the MIAA Tournament. The first round match up saw the Lions finish on top by a 87-79 total. Barlow had 13 points and seven assist in the game and helped Southern to the eventual championship.

Senior guard Lane Barlow went to the basket against the Lopers of Neb.-Kearney on March 7, 2014 in Kansas City at the MIAA Tournament. The first round match up saw the Lions finish on top by a 87-79 total. Barlow had 13 points and seven assist in the game and helped Southern to the eventual championship.

Now that last season’s MIAA Championship Trophy has been tucked away in a display case the Lions begin the inaugural year of new Head Coach Jeff Boschees’ tenure by taking on a familiar Division I opponent in Missouri State on Saturday.

Following four years as Missouri Southern Hall of Famer Robert Corn’s understudy, Boschee enters the top spot with a team looking to rebuild after losing yet another studly group of seniors, two of which, Marquis Addison and Jordan Talbert, have joined other former Lions to play professionally overseas.

The latest preseason coaches’ poll ranks the Lions in the fifth position, a spot that solidifies Southern atop the MIAA as the program looks to continue recent success.

The Lions return three starters from last year’s squad that reached the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, losing to the eventual nation champions, Central Missouri.

Returning are senior guard Lane Barlow, junior center Greg Renfroe and senior guard Cameron Cornelius, players who helped guide the Lions to a 25-6 last season and ones that will surely be pivotal to this year’s success.

“It is important for us all to know what it takes to win a championship,” said Barlow. “This is a completely new team, and with returning starters, we know what it takes to complete the ultimate goal.”

But with new seasons come new faces, and the Lions have added some that will be easily recognized and some that will need explanation.

Most recognizable would be incoming freshman guard Charlie Brown. Not a Peanuts reference; instead, a player that was highly touted out of Joplin High School that made a choice to stay at home for his college carreer.

Also new to Southern are junior transfers Bruce Marshall, a center who came from Missouri State, Taylor Luster, a guard from Hill College in Texas; and Taevaunn Price, a guard from South Dakota State. The remaining freshmen are guards Terence Pierce and Andrew Ballock.

Still, the name to keep an eye on this season is another familiar one, that being junior guard Austin Wright, a player who dominated from behind the three-point line a year ago and one who looks to be an absolute nightmare in the making for all MIAA foes.

“We have the players with the experience,” said junior center Brandon Pines. “Now we just need to put the pieces together and see what happens from there.”