MADISON, S.D. -- After the 2016/17 Bellevue University men's basketball team reached the NAIA Division II Final Four for the fourth time in program history the Bruins are the favorites in the North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced by the league office.
Last season the Bruins posted a 25-11 overall record while going 11-5 in NSAA play. It was the 17th-straight season in which Bellevue recorded at least 20 victories and the 15th-straight season that they qualified for the NAIA National Tournament.
Bellevue earned 81 points and collected all nine first place votes to top the poll with Valley City State placing second after picking up 66 points to edge out third place Dickinson State who claimed 62 points. They were followed by Jamestown in fourth with 54 points, and Dakota State in fifth with 48 points.
Rounding out the Preseason Poll are Waldorf (6th place, 35 points), Viterbo (7th, 31), Presentation (8th, 16), and Mayville State (9th, 12).
Points are awarded on a 9-1 basis (9 for first, 8 for second, etc.) and coaches could vote for their own team.
Each NSAA member will be playing a total of 16 conference games this season, with each team playing home and away against every school during the conference slate.
The conference season gets underway on Saturday, Dec. 2 when Bellevue hosts Viterbo University at 5 p.m. in their conference-opener.
The North Star Men's Basketball Postseason Tournament Champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament to be held in Point Lookout, Mo. The National Tournament takes place from Mar. 7-13.
Coach Shane Paben returns for his 10th season at the helm. He is BU's all-time winningest coach with a 235-74 (.761 winning percentage) record through his first nine seasons. He'll have 10 letter-winners returning while welcoming nine newcomers for the 2017/18 campaign.
BU returns three of their double-figure scoring senior guards from a season ago in All-American BJ Shelton (13.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 60.1% FG), All-NSAA pick Nick Hilton (12.1 PPG, 46.2% 3FG), and Jalen Hall (10.3 PPG, 121 assists). Also returning are post players Jaffrey Stillman (8.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 9 double-doubles) and Blake Wilder (7.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG).
Junior guard Austin Moore and senior center Shelton Black each return as well after playing significant minutes in their roles last season.
New to the team for the 2017/18 season are senior forward Brandon Fagins (6-9, Foothill Ranch, Calif./Washburn (Kan.) U.), junior forward Andrew Saunders (6-4, West Palm Beach, Fla./West Hills (Calif.) College), junior guards Richard Reed (5-10, Sacramento, Calif./American River (Calif.) College), AJ Nolen (6-1, Victorville, Calif./Merced (Calif.) College), sophomore guard Connor Dukes (6-2, Plattsmouth, Neb./Peru State (Neb.) College), and freshman guard Drew Apsher (6-1, Sedalia, Mo./Smithton HS).
The remaining newcomers – Isaiah Laughlin (Fr., G, 6-3, Lincoln, Neb.), Josh Lindsey-Hunter (So., G, 6-3, Mobile, Ala.), and Josh Meier (Jr., F, 6-8, Justice, Ill.) – are all expected to redshirt along with returning sophomore guard Garret Ford (5-9, Eastvale, Calif.)
The Bruins open their season at the York Classic on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 27-28 with games against Friends University and York College.
Bellevue fans can catch their first glimpse of this year's squad on Tuesday, Nov. 7 when BU hosts Morningside College at 7 p.m. in their home-opener.
