Head coach
Mike Schauer (PICTURED ABOVE) says of his 2012-13 Wheaton College Men's Basketball team, “My biggest concern coming into this season was that we are so young and inexperienced that I assumed that we would struggle with how to practice. But we have actually practiced with great effort and enthusiasm from day one. A lot of that has been led by, or at least contributed by our freshman. It has been stunning to me, but we have a couple of freshmen with great spirit and attitude.”
In 2011-12 Wheaton compiled a record of 23-7 as the Thunder advanced to the Sectional Semifinal of the NCAA Tournament. It was Wheaton's second NCAA Tournament appearance in Schauer's three seasons as head coach. This season the Thunder has several new faces in place as five players graduated off of that team, including four starters.
Schauer says of what to expect from his squad this season, “This team will probably score more easily than it will stop people. Younger guys just don't defend as well as older guys.” He adds, “The biggest concern is that we are inexperienced in the post.
Nate Haynes is really the only returning forward who has played any minutes in college. Our ability to defend the post, rebound the ball and score in the post are all things that will be a work in progress.”
Schauer notes of blending his returning players with a solid group of newcomers, “The thing that will be interesting to see as the season progresses will be that some of our more talented basketball players are freshmen players. But, the more basketball savvy and reliable players are the veterans. So I think it will be a little bit of a juggling act at times between how many minutes to give new players, versus guys that may not be as basketball gifted but they know who we are better and have a better feel for our league.”
Junior guard
Tyler Peters (PICTURED LEFT) is the lone returning starter from last year's team. Peters started every game for the Thunder in 2012-13. He scored in double digits 13 times, including four times in Wheaton's postseason run. A standout defender, Peters also recorded a double-double in points and rebounds at Westminster (Mo.). Schauer notes, “Tyler has been great and has done a wonderful job so far. Tyler's practice habits and positive demeanor have been great.” Schauer continues, “One of my concerns coming into the year was that because he was the lone returning starter, Tyler would feel like he would have to put up big offensive numbers.” The Thunder head coach concludes, “What Tyler is best at is being an extremely versatile player. He controls the ball, defends the other team's best player and is a great rebounder for a guard.”
Schauer notes of two returning forwards, “Going into our first practice the biggest question I had was 'How will
Nate Haynes (PICTURED RIGHT) and
Peter Smith look?' Because if they haven't improved significantly it could be a long year. Really the two biggest surprises as players have been Peter and Nate.”
Haynes, a junior for the Thunder, played in all 30 games last season. He averaged 14 minutes per game and shot 52.1% (25-48) from the field. Schauer states “Nate has continued to be a great defender and he understands that side of the ball. But he is being much more aggressive offensively and he has a much greater confidence in his own abilities. He has a lot of responsibility this year so his development will need to continue.”
Peter Smith (PICTURED LEFT) played in 24 games last year as a freshman. The athletic forward shot 50% (17-34) from the field in his debut season. The Thunder head coach says of Smith's performance early in this season, “At times Peter has been among our best players. As a freshman he was so tentative physically. This year it has been exactly the opposite. He has been our second-best defender on the perimeter after Tyler. He has been very versatile, become very physical and a confident offensive player.”
Sophomore guard
Brayden Teuscher joins the Thunder after transferring from Washington University in St. Louis. Teuscher played in 27 games as a freshman for the Bears last season, averaging 17 minutes per game, with 7.4 points per game as a freshman. Schauer comments, “Brayden has got the chance to be a really high-level CCIW guard. He has a high basketball IQ, is really strong and is picking up what we do very quickly.” Schauer continues, “He Is making the adjustments to a very distinctive system from the one he played at for Wash U, it is very different. I would anticipate that he plays a lot of minutes for us and is among our leading scorers.”
Junior captain
Jon DeMoss (PICTURED RIGHT) battled through injuries last year to play in 19 games. A physical defender, DeMoss has been hurt early this season. Schauer states, “We miss Jon. He definitely would have been in the mix to see a lot of minutes. If Jon is healthy, with his physical presence on our team, he will get minutes whenever he is capable.”
Senior guard
Nate Serenius (PICTURED LEFT) will be serving as a team captain this year. Serenius played in all 30 games last year, averaging nearly six points per game, with a 49.3% (66-134) field goal percentage. Schauer says of him, “I have been real pleased with Nate. He is in a tough spot because
Jon DeMoss is hurt and so he is the lone captain on the floor with a very young team. What I am most pleased with is how enthusiastic this team is and how hard they play in practice. Nate deserves a lot of the credit for that.” He concludes, “It says a lot about the type of kid that Nate is that he was a walk-on here and he has fought for his for playing time and into being a captain. He works so hard.”
Junior guard
Tad Fisher (PICTURED RIGHT) played in 21 games as a sophomore in 2011-12, with solid playing time. “Tad has the highest basketball IQ on our team. He is so reliable, so dependable and such a great leader. Tad is going to end up on the floor because I trust him,” says Schauer.
Sophomore guard
Michael Kvam (PICTURED LEFT) debuted with the Thunder last season after sitting out the 2010-11 campaign with an injury. Kvam played in 12 games last year. Schauer says, “Michael does one thing at a level that is as good as anybody in the country, and that is shoot the basketball. He shoots the ball at such an exceptionally high level and at his height he can get that shot off against a lot of defenders.” The Thunder mentor concludes, “Given the number of points that we graduated, Mike's offense is really vital to our team. He is continuing to progress defensively and in some other areas.”
Caleb DeMoss returns for his sophomore campaign at guard. He played in 15 varsity games as a freshman for the Thunder. “Caleb is in an interesting situation,” says Schauer. “He is one of the only true point guards we have in the program, so his ability to handle the ball, make decisions in transition and pressure the basketball is all very unique on our basketball team.”
Six-foot-nine-inch
Joe Sokovich is back for his sophomore season, after playing in eight varsity games as a Thunder freshman. Schauer notes, “Joe is an important person in our program, given our situation at forward. We need Joe to develop and secure some of the forward minutes that are available.”
Returnees
Chase Almen,
Billy Berglund and
Spencer McCreary all saw a mix of varsity and junior varsity playing time last season for the Thunder. Schauer says, “Chase, Billy and Spencer are program guys. They have paid their dues in the program. They are guys that love Wheaton basketball, know what we are about and show up every day and compete. I don't know how many minutes they will get, if any, but their value to program is immense. Those of us inside the program are aware of their contributions and the sacrifices they make every single day.”
Six freshmen join the program this season. Forward
Michael Berg (Manito, Ill./Midwest Central) earned two Illinois All-State nods as a prep player. Schauer comments of the six-foot-six-inch newcomer, “Berg has been about what I expected he would be. He is a very, very talented forward and he will eventually be a very good to potentially great CCIW-caliber player. He has had great enthusiasm and practice habits early on in practice. He does have some things to learn, but I anticipate that he is going to get some minutes as a freshman.”
Joel Smith (Indianapolis, Ind./Heritage Christian) is also a 6' 6” forward who joins the Thunder this season. As a senior at Heritage Christian High School Smith averaged 18 points per game with an All-State honorable mention nod in Indiana. “The biggest surprise of the freshmen has been
Joel Smith,” says Schauer. He continues, “He is one of the most pleasant surprises as a freshman I have ever had in 20 years of coaching. He has great size and can shoot the ball. Additionally, he has a wonderful passion and disposition in practice. He plays hard, has great enthusiasm and is going to get a lot of minutes.”
Drew Wikelius (Austin, Texas/Westlake) is a 6' 7” center for the Thunder and has sat out the early portion of the season with an injury. Forward
Luis Miller (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian) averaged 21 points per game as a senior at Westminster Academy, earning All-Miami Dade County honors. Guard Jonathan Bentsen (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) averaged 17.2 points per game as a high school senior, finishing his career as the fifth-leading scorer in school history. Guard
Riley Teuscher (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Christian) averaged 11.5 points per game as a senior at Rockford Christian High School, while shooting 41 percent from three-point range. Schauer says of the trio, “
Luis Miller,
Jonathan Berntsen,
Riley Teuscher are talented guys and important to the future health of the program.”
