The men’s basketball class of 2013, highlighted by C.J. McCollum, now playing in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers; Gabe Knutson, now playing professionally in Austria; and Holden Greiner, who also played professionally overseas after graduating from Lehigh, led the team to tremendous success in 2012. It was in that season that the team won the Patriot League Championship to advance to the NCAA tournament and earned the famous upset over Duke University in March Madness.
Largely considered to be the deepest class since that class of 2013, the current sophomore class of the men’s basketball team, led by Tim Kempton, Austin Price and Miles Simelton, is on a mission to match the achievements of the 2012 season.
Coach Brett Reed sees improvement in all three players from their freshman to sophomore seasons that is allowing them to pursue that mission.
“Tim Kempton has improved his body, mobility, and added to the range of his perimeter jump shot, which has really opened up our offense,” Reed said. “Austin Price has improved his ability to make plays off the dribble and become a more consistent scorer. Miles has more confidence this year, which is making him a solid and reliable player as well.”
These three sophomores have seen action in all 27 games this season, with Kempton starting in 26 of the games as a center and Price starting in 25 at guard.
Kempton and Price currently lead the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 and 11.2 points per game, respectively. Kempton, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year for the 2013-2014 season and a powerful post player, also ranks second in scoring for the entire Patriot League and leads the conference in rebounds.
Price, who specializes in 3-point shooting, is ranked No. 22 in scoring in the conference. Additionally, Kempton ranks No. 11 in field goal percentage while Price ranks No. 7 in steals and No. 15 in 3-point field goal percentage in the Patriot League.
Simelton has also established himself as an impact guard player coming off the bench this season by ranking third on the team in steals, fourth in assists, and fifth in 3-point field goals.
The three players credit their competition with each other as a reason for their success this year.
“Off the court, we’re goofy and get along great, but on the court we’re super competitive,” Price said. “When we’re going against each other on the court in practice, we’re trying to beat each other, and that helps make us better.”
That work ethic has not gone unnoticed by the team captain, senior guard Corey Schaefer.
“All three of them have made a big effort to get better this year,” Schaefer said. “Each one brings something different, and when they are playing well, we usually play well as a team, too.”
The team has won seven of its last 10 games, and is ranked third in the Patriot League. With its eyes set on winning the program’s fourth Patriot League title and first since 2012, Kempton, Price and Simelton are all optimistic about the team’s chances due to better camaraderie this season.
“The leaders are stepping up and the team dynamic is much better this year than last year,” Simelton said. “We’re really starting to hit our stride.”
Changes in the offense have also reflected the improved team chemistry.
“We changed our offense a lot from last year,” Kempton said. “There’s a much higher emphasis on moving the ball. Everyone has bought into that system, and it’s improved our shot quality. Everybody is out for the good of the team, rather than individual statistics.”
The system has allowed Kempton, Price and Simelton to thrive, and will aid the Mountain Hawks in their fight to secure another Patriot League Championship in March.
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