KCAC

[Men's Basketball] MBB Season Preview: McBeth ushers in new era of Friends Men's Basketball

WICHITA, Kan. – For the first time since 2003, a new head coach will patrol the Friends University men's basketball sidelines, as Austin McBeth has taken the reins of the program from long-time head coach Dale Faber and looks to make his mark while creating his own legacy on campus.McBeth appears primed for this coaching opportunity, having been an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for a Truman State University squad that captured the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) regular-season championship to earn a top seed in the NCAA D-II national tournament this past season.His coaching acumen extends beyond the court, as he's authored two books on coaching philosophies and the important role that coaches play in the lives of student-athletes.Since arriving on campus at the conclusion of his season at Truman, McBeth has already begun the process of making connections with the student-athletes in the program that should make for a smooth transition."We've had a lot of time with each other already since I was able to spend a month with the returners in April and we had our guys come in during the summer to workout," McBeth said."So we're excited to finally play someone else and find out where we're at as a team. It's always a challenge to come in as a new coach and implement a new system and a new way of doing things – so there have been some growing pains for sure. I'm happy with our progress, and the way our guys have bonded together in the first couple months of school. I think there's good energy in the program right now, and it will be exciting to see where we're at in the coming weeks."On the court, learning a different system along with a new way of doing things can be a challenge, particularly for returners.  It's a challenge McBeth anticipated and is pleased with the work the team has put in thus far to adapt and develop."I think there's a fairly wide range on our team as far as understanding the system, and that's always the hard part about being new and trying to find success right away," said McBeth. "I'm pleased with how our team has had the desire to get better, learn, and watch film to improve"."Part of the culture change that we are trying to make is getting our guys to be students of the game, which requires a lot of time and a lot of humility to be told you're not doing something correctly, but I think it's happening and we're seeing the fruit of it. I'm sure there will be speedbumps along the way, but that's all a part of the journey of pursuing excellence."Any new coach would welcome the return of a first-team All-KCAC and honorable-mention NAIA All-America performer.  And that's what McBeth will be getting in Davonte Pack (SR/Sumter, SC), a 6-0 senior guard that led the Falcons and was third in the conference with 17.6 points per game while also recording a team-leading 9.2 rebounds a game that ranked second in the league.The Falcons will also welcome back Ian Konek (JR/Long Beach, Calif.), an All-KCAC honorable-mention pick that gave the Falcons a viable threat from the perimeter in his debut season with the program, knocking down a team-high 77 three-point shots along with a conference-leading 3.35 threes per game.  "Most people who follow Friends basketball know about Davonte (Pack) and Ian (Konek) from their success last year," said McBeth. "Davonte has really impressed me with his willingness to adapt his game to what I've asked him to change, and I've also been pleasantly surprised with his basketball IQ. He is playing well, and I think our fans can expect to see another exceptional year from him.""I didn't know that Ian had played very little basketball before coming to Friends, which made a lot of sense when we started spending time watching film together. He is one of the most naturally gifted players I've been around, and he is hungry to learn. I think last year he had a reputation of being a "loose cannon", but I think this year will be a turning point in his basketball career."Senior guard TJ Williams (SR/Arlington, Texas) also returns with starting experience after averaging a double-figure total of 11.2 points per game last season while showing his defensive mettle by ranking first on the team and second in the league with 2.4 steals per game.A pair of guards in senior Nick Rumbo (SR/Kansas City, Mo. ) and freshman Trey Reid (FR/Wichita, Kan. ) will give the Falcons depth on the perimeter after seeing significant playing time in the 2020-21 campaign. Rumbo was fourth on the team in scoring (8.2 ppg) last season, with Reid finishing third on the team with 1.7 assists.McBeth will also look to blend in a mix of newcomers that will vie to make an immediate impact on the court this season. He is particularly excited about a pair of new additions on opposite ends of the spectrum, a graduate transfer and a local incoming freshman."Some of the newcomers that you can expect to see contribute this year will be Anthony Cameron (SR/Chicago, Ill. ), who is a grad transfer from Lamar University," said McBeth. "Anthony is unbelievably strong and has some amazing footwork and touch around the basket. I think he will be an anchor for us in the post this year, and give us the ability to play through him when he has the considerable size advantage.""Darryon Frierson (FR/Wichita, Kan. ) is a local guy from Wichita South HS. He went under the radar in his recruitment and we were able to sign him late after I got the job. Darryon is so gifted athletically and has a really good feel for the game. I think he will have a nice impact for us off the bench this year and I look forward to seeing him develop and grow throughout the season."The 2021-22 season for the Falcons will officially commence with two games in Hastings, Neb., starting with a matchup vs. Concordia University on Oct. 29.  Friends will then turn around and face Hastings College the following day (Oct. 30).The home opener inside the Garvey Center is set for Nov. 2 against Barclay College, while the Falcons will kick off KCAC action on Nov. 17 at home vs. Avila University."Our schedule is going to test us right from the start," said McBeth. "With us having a lot of "new" in every aspect of our team, going up to Hastings, Neb. at the end of October and starting our season with a fundamental, hard-nosed and experienced team in Concordia will tell me a lot about where we're at and how good we can be.""Our entire non-conference schedule is challenging, so I hope we can show some toughness through the first month of the season. Personally, I'm glad we're starting with high-caliber teams because I want our guys to be prepared for the KCAC. I've heard a lot of good things about the strength of our conference, and I'm looking forward to seeing what this team can do in our first year together!"