But the good thing is most of the primary players from last year’s team are coming back and most importantly innovative coach Maury John was not ‘stolen’ by a bigger program from a power conference.  John has only been here a short time but has turned this program around with his ‘belly-button’ defense and aggressive offense.  He is not afraid to make changes as he started having black and white players room together on road trips even in the deep south way before that was vogue.  He knows how hard it is to recruit to Des Moines so he has not been afraid to take chances and gets players from everywhere including a healthy amount of JC kids.  After all John led Moberly College to back-to-back national title in the national Juco tournament so he has some good connections and understanding of that process.  Sometimes that is hard to keep the continuity up when you rely on JC but John makes every player feel like he is a spoke in the wheel that moves this program forward.  He believes in them and they believe in their coach. 

Probably most disappointed by the outcome was Senior guard Willie McCarter.  McCarter is the leader of this team and will not have another chance at glory in Des Moines.  This kid from Gary Indiana put it all on the line this year and had one incredible season for the Bulldogs.  McCarter can flat make shots but is even better making sure he is leading the team.  He is not a true point guard but he is the man the other guys all look in Des Moines.  He stirs the drink that is Bulldog basketball.  McCarter is more of a scorer than a passer (he was a modern point guard before that became the way to play the position) but he was sure to get the ball to the right guy.  He had some games where he barely scored and others where he would go for 25.  He just flat knows how to play.  His leadership and ability will be sorely missed next season.  He may be as good a leader as their is in the country and whoever gets him at the next level will be very happy.

Fellow senior big man Bob Netolicky is a terrific big man who can play this game.  A solid player who can mix it up but also has the skills to be a great offensive weapon, Netolicky has become the number one guy with the fans.  His hard-nosed play is enough but when you are a six nine guy who can hit 18 footers like layups the fans love you.  ‘Neto’ is especially popular with the ladies of Des Moines and has his own co-ed rooting section.  Born in San Francisco and raised in Iowa this kid has a flair for originality whether it is his Mod lifestyle or rare collection of pets (lion, ocelet anyone?) he beats his own drum.  But don’t get me wrong Netolicky can flat play even though at times he is a little better suited for the four than the five he had to play on the Bulldogs with their lack of verticality.  At 6’9 220 Netolicky has some size but plays much of a more mobile game then you would expect which is great when he is bringing out the other team’s big man to the perimeter and taking them away from the basket they tend to guard.  But on the opposite end, Big Bob is not much of a rim protector himself.  He can guard the big guys but this team could use a goalie specially with their pressure man defense.  Netolicky is not your typical back to the basket post player as he loves to handle the rock and hit his outside jumpers but do not get him wrong he will mix it up in the paint.   He is adept at going for offensive boards as he loves to score (and we do mean that in more way than one).  He might not be the best defensive player in the world but when you got the ‘moves’ and game this dude has then it really does not matter.  This guy will play at the next level and should be a legend wherever he ends up.  A funny side story on Neto.  After his altercation with Daniels of the Lobos he went into the locker room and invited the big man one out for a beer.  The two went down to a legendary drinking hole and by the end of the night they say the two were best of friends.  That describes why Neto is so Neto!  Ha

 Fellow Senior Dolph Pulliam took on a role as defensive stopper and lost minutes to the onslaught that was Lloyd but did not mind.  Pulliam from Mississippi has overcome much more adversity than being put on the bench as his parents were murdered when he was a child.  He continued as his role as primary motivator and the vocal leader of this team even from the pine and no one on the roster is more respected than Pulliam.  Pulliam may be the best athlete and the most unselfish on the team.  He has a bright future in whatever he does. 

Senior Willie Wise is also solid forward who can really play and brings style and pinache to the Midwest.   He is workmanlike but always shows up and plays hard defense and produces good numbers.  He is a true team player who could have probably scored more but would rather win.  He has been called the best ‘two way player’ in the Midwest which means he does not take off trips on the defensive end.  As a matter of fact Willie says he loves playing defense more than offense.  He does not look much like the great all-around player he is with a little bit of a belly and looking much older than his age but when he gets on the court he shines.  Wise, born and bred in San Francisco, knows how to play. He played out of position at the four much of his first season in Des Moines (yes, he is one of those aforementioned JC kids).  He can guard anyone though so that was not a problem and he is a gifted board guy with desire and smarts once again ruling over athletic talent.  Wise does not get much publicity but is the kind of player that every team needs as he does not need to score to be effective.  A gifted passer Wise will make some pro team a great addition.  He will be impossible to replace.   

Senior Phil ‘Red’ Murrell got passed up on the rotation last year but still contributed some solid minutes.  He is a good scorer but does not have the athleticism of a Wise and thus became a role player.  Is another big time juco recruit when he came in from Missouri (where he left the team to join a JC).  Murrell quickly became a primary offensive weapon for the Bulldogs.  With his ability to hit the long range jumper and also score and board in the paint, Murrell helped put Drake basketball on the map.  He was never quite big enough at six four to be a great defender but John had coached him on the JC level and knew this kid would be an offensive star even in the MVC and brought him to Des Moines.  The rest is history.  Murrell was the star attraction here and his legend is safe in Des Moines.  There are rumors he could get a year returned to eligibility (he never even played a game at Missouri) and he might just be coming back for more

Al Williams is a four year guy who got some valuable minutes coming off the bench up front after starting his sophomore year in Des Moines.  Big Al is a bruiser inside who used all of his 6’6 195 pound frame to do damage in the paint.  He is not quite big enough to handle centers but he manhandles other power forwards.  A true banger who can board and does score some, if he was 6’9  he would start and might even be a start but he does bring some much needed toughness to this program since he stepped on campus three years ago.   I wouldn’t quite say he was Netolicky’s bodyguard (Neto does not need that unless it’s in the night clubs) but he is the ‘enforcer’ for the team.  Williams was not the only Bulldog who John used invaluably off the bench.  Junior Wayne Kreklow is another former starter that had to become a role player with Lloyd in town.  Kreklow can shoot with a high springing jump shot as his signature as yes white guys can jump so Neenah. Neenah, Wisconsin that is (his hometown) as Kreklow also has good size for a two guard (6’4) and also has a huge propensity for another game with a ball that requires leaping.  Volleyball could be Kreklow’s future.  That kid is nuttier than squirrel shit!  The M and M boys gave Coach John some mighty muscle in supporting roles.  Senior McCoy McLemore and Sophomore Melvin Mathis are similar in that they are lunch pail players.  McLemore was the number one guy off the bench (after a legendary Juco career at Moberly, John has connections there, in Missouri after playing high school ball in Houston).  He is solid on the boards and can score a bit and is a great team player.  McLemore loves thrift shops but had to play out of position most of his first year here at center.  At 6’7 230 he has got some size but like Williams is better suited for the four.  Mathis is another post player who is a good board guy and defender.  He was the only Bulldog that did not miss a game as this team suffered with injuries and consistency.  Another relatively undersized kid at 6’7, Mathis is a warrior who can really mix it up down low but is nowhere near the talent of some of his teammates.  The M and M boys made their living the old fashioned way.  They earned it.  John had several other upperclassmen especially at the forward spot who were stuck behind the marvelous group the Bulldogs had.  Seniors Gus Guydon and Al Cerf forwards who played much more in seasons past.  Neither are big enough for post play and do not have the complete game of a Wise so were stuck primarily on the bench.  Guydon has become a quasi assistant to John but he would trade that in for more minutes his senior year.  Juniors Ken Harris and Larry Haralson do indeed have a shot at eating up some big minutes in Des Moines.  They were still primarily JV guys last year but player well and are looking to move into some open roles for John. Harris is a 6’7 board guy who can also score and was superb last year after coming off an injury plagued freshman year.  Haralson is 6’9 and will get a shot to back up Neto down low.  He is less consistent then Harris but has bigger upside as he can block a shot and really finish on the rim.  This Jonesboro Georgia kid (John goes everywhere) is not as physical as you would like down low and his board work must improve but there is a huge opportunity in front of him. Starting is not in their future this next year but the year after who knows.  They might not have played many D-1 minutes yet though I would not be surprised if somebody took a shot at one of these guys at the next level if they play the way did last year on the JV.  John Rennickie, Gene West and Gus Orrlich are senior back court guys in the same boat stuck behind McCarter and company.  You do not want to get a hickey from Rennickie as he is a physical guard who loves to defend and has a role on this team.  This 6’3 195 pounder from Aurora (scwhing) might even begin the year starting if he can beat out Kreklow and some high profile juco kids.  West is a 6’4 205 pound shooter from up the road in Ankeny and will play.  Orrlich began last year as the starter but only goes 5’11 and lost his job to these bigger wings.  A gamer, Gus will be back to win his job back and he is smart and tough enough to get it but 5’11 is 5’11.  

That was this season and this is now.  The Bulldogs thought they had a legitimate shot at competing for the ‘Valley’ crown and they did for a awhile last year.   Now Coach John will supposedly put all of their marbles into their upperclassmen and some juco recruits once again.  The returning upperclassmen who joined Haralson and Harris on the JV are Sophomore Sam Roark and junior Napoleon Gaither.  Roark who will compete with Mathis and Neto and others for the two post spots.  Roark can score and board and though only six foot seven can hang down low.   ‘De Plane’ is one of the best passing big men in the league and will play much more this season as he got into a grand total of varsity games.  He got into the JV lineup by volunteering to play center even though he was undersized and he showed what kind of gamer he is.  John loves him and he has some game.  Junior Gaither did not play much last season on varsity but will get a shot this year after leading a good jv squad.  There is opportunity there with McCarter being more of a two guard and has great size for a point at 6’3/ He is not the talent of McCarter but we all know size does matter, just ask Neto.   

The Drake Bulldogs have an experienced team ready to make a run to glory this season.    Of course they might not even win with these two around as what this team really needs is a guy who can score about 25 a game.  If this team has any chance of competing with the elite in the super tough ‘Valley’ next year John’s magical juco connections better have a ‘Black Magic.’   That great Senior class led by a tough leader running the show, a legendary shooter, one of the best two way players in the game and the ultimate Flake will be back to make Des Moines winter nights a little more warm.  But they have shown that they are fun to follow and will compete they are going to need some help to get these characters cutting a rug.  And we are not talking about the ‘Winter Dance Party!’   They want to show their moves at a much bigger dance and one they don’t have to fly to in early February or March.