Oilers Basketball look to contend for a conference title

By: Dylan DeWitt
Twitter: @dd_witt

Another year and another projected standing as Findlay Oilers basketball team receives the number one spot in projected standings.

The Oilers are projected to finish first in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference which is voted on by the coaches and others in the involved in the conference.  This comes after a season that saw the team reach the Sweet Sixteen of the tournament. 

The Oilers are coming off a 28-win season, and a 19-1 record in G-MAC play. The Oilers will look to build off the previous season with another exciting and successful season.

Coming back from the team from 2017-2018`s roster will be seniors Alex White and Trey Smith. The senior leaders will look to lead the team and fill the shoes of their teammates Taren Sullivan and Martyce Kimbrough who are now pursuing professional careers in basketball. White is coming off a season where he averaged 9.6 points per game along with 6.6 rebounds. Smith remains one of the top defenders on the floor and will look to add to the offensive scheme with a 5.4 points per game average.

Along with the seniors, Aaron Overhiser will be looking for a successful season after a year that he saw a 6.8 points per game average off the bench. This season, he will look to secure an influential role to the team`s success. With these three having to take on their respectable heavier roles, the team will look to some of the younger guys to step up with the experience gained throughout the year last year. Players like Tommy Schmock, Matt Ashley, Anthony Masterlasco, Chazz George, and Katwan Singleton are among the players looking to make an impact under Coach Ernst.

Coach Ernst is entering his eighth season as a head coach of the Oilers men`s basketball team. He currently holds a .754 win percentage and an overall record of 159-52. At Croy Gymnasium, Coach Ernst has a win percentage of .905 and a record of 96-10 at home. He will be looking to improve on this mark once more and make another run at the conference title and postseason run.

The Oilers first game will be against Truman University at the annual GLVC/G-MAC Crossover on Nov. 9 at 8:30 p.m. This game will be played at Gen. John J. Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Missouri. As practice has officially begun, the winter season is soon approaching and so is a crowd-filled gymnasium rooting on the Oilers.