The good news is that it can only go up from here.
After a turbulent offseason filled with players entering the transfer portal, Penn men’s basketball looks ahead to the new season hoping for a fresh start. This season will look a lot different for the Quakers than in years past. Coming off a disappointing 2023 season campaign that saw the team finish with a 3-11 conference record that left them No. 7 in the Ivy League, the Red and Blue looks to rebound with some new kids on the block.
It is no secret that the Quakers will have to look to rekindle their offensive firepower after the exits of their top two scorers from last season. Clark Slajchert, who now attends the University of Southern California, and Tyler Perkins, who now attends Villanova, led the way for Penn scoring 395 and 398 points total over the season, respectively. It goes without saying that the Quakers will have to find other sources of offense to make noise in what is expected to be a treacherous Ivy League path this year.
Second-year players looking to make the jump
Despite having big shoes to fill, I fully expect the emergence of second-year players to take the next step with a year of experience under their belt.
Starting with sophomore guard Sam Brown, he led the team in three-pointers made last season with 61. Even though the NBA has seen a greater increase in the importance of three-point shooting, college basketball doesn’t lag too far behind in that realm either. A regular starter for the Quakers who was also a leading scorer for the team on multiple occasions, I believe Brown can become a focal point for this offense with his sharpshooting ability.
Additionally, sophomore forward Niklas Polonowski looks to take on an expanded role this season both on offense and defense. With a lanky 6-foot-6 frame likened to New York Knicks’ Mikal Bridges, Polonowski looks to utilize his length to develop his defense as well as mid-range and three-point shooting ability. Along with Polonowski, sophomore forward Augustus Gerhart shares a similar frame and looks to also generate opportunities on both sides of the ball.
“I’m extremely excited for this season and know for a fact that a successful season is upon us,” Polonowski said. “The energy and passion we have had in practice is creating an amazing environment. We’ve worked hard towards trying to keep our standards high and keep everyone accountable. It’s going to be a fun year.”
Don’t overlook the newcomers at Penn
Although several of the headlines have been about the players that have left Penn’s program, it’s important to remember the players that are still on this Quaker squad. It’s easy to forget that Penn also introduced a few transfers who aim to make a name for themselves. Junior guard Ethan Roberts, who transferred from Drake, looks to find his role in the Quaker rotation. Roberts was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year freshman year but missed all of his sophomore season due to injury.
From the National Junior College Athletic Association to NCAA Division I — if you want a definition of a success story in real life, look no further than junior guard Dylan Williams. Some may give up when they are overlooked — but not Williams. Having been a multi-sport star in high school, Williams learned to hone his craft in basketball by taking bits and pieces from things he learned playing football and baseball. Having been under the radar coming out of high school, Williams was able to channel his grit and toughness to make it to the Ivy League.
If Penn is to be successful this season, it will need contributors from newcomers right away. The team couldn’t be better positioned to do just that with the additions of Roberts and Williams.
“Very excited for the season. I think it’s going to be a very good one, and I hope for it to be a very long one [as well],” Williams said. “I’m looking forward to the Villanova game because I love playing on the road. And I’m looking forward to the VCU game because my brother went to VCU.”
Lean on the vets to begin the season
As Penn’s revamped roster takes form over the season, I believe the team will need to rely a good bit on their vets to begin the season. Before the players get acclimated to Penn’s system, senior center Nick Spinoso and senior guard George Smith look to lead the Quakers with their plethora of experience.
Having played against a multitude of top 25 programs last season in the likes of Auburn, Kentucky, and Houston, the vets may be heavily relied upon to start. That being said, I believe the Quakers will win games down the stretch during Ivy League play by spreading the wealth and not depending on one player.
What this season will be defined by
I am going to be frank — if you put me in a time machine and I could fast forward to March, I would be shocked if I saw confetti coming down to celebrate the Quakers winning the Ivy League championship. Projected to finish No. 7 in the Ivy League according to an Ivy League preseason poll, a realistic goal for the Quakers is to make the Ivy League tournament.
However, like any season, the goal always remains to win an Ivy League Championship. But to me, I think success should be defined differently this season. I believe a successful season for Penn is to establish a winning culture, irrespective of the number that is in the wins column by the end of the season. Sure one can say there are no moral victories in sports, but I think it’s important to look at the context.
The last time the Red and Blue made March Madness was 2018. In fact, one could argue that the glory days of Quaker basketball lasted from the 1960s to the early 2000s. In the past three seasons alone, two of them have seen the Quakers have a losing record.
This year has been anything but smooth sailing for men’s basketball. Amidst massive roster turnover, I believe this is arguably the most pivotal season to define the standard, culture, and direction of the program moving forward. Instead of focusing on what could have been, I believe it is imperative to shed light on the 16 players in the locker room who will represent and fight for the Red and Blue with pride.
Because maybe, when things are seemingly at their worst, it can bring the best out of a team.
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