Basketball. You think of it as a winter sport, except the Ursinus Men’s Basketball team has been in the gym since September 23rd getting ready for the upcoming season. With a strong roster of 16 athletes, the Bears are ready to show off their talents in just one month as they kick off the 2024- 2025 campaign with a tip-off tournament on November 8th.
Led by fifth-year senior Trevor Wall and junior Nick Nocito, the Bears are expected to do some damage on the offensive end, especially with 6’10” forward Cole Grubbs ‘24. The Bears are welcoming three first-years who are excited to start their collegiate athletic journey with the team: Porter Kelly ‘27, a 6’4” guard from Memphis, Tennessee, Jamie Murphy ‘27, a 6’3” guard from Long Island, New York, and Nico Gordon ‘27 , a 6’8” forward from Surrey, England.
Head Coach Kevin Small says, “I am so excited to be back on the court. This is such a special group and they have been working so hard both on and off the court in preparation for the season.”
The team’s fitness test consisted of a 64-minute sprint interval workout, simulating a regulation game. They have been practicing twice a week with coaches, lifting three days per week, and playing pickup on their own time. The group is dedicated and committed to putting their best effort into everything they do for each other and it truly shows.
Grubbs says, “I’ve never been a part of a team like this. We all truly love each other. We always say we’re a family, and it’s true. We fight like brothers but at the end of the day there is nobody else I’d rather have by my side than these guys”. Grubbs, a Virginia native, has made an impact on this team since his freshman year and continues to set the example for what it means to be a part of the Ursinus Men’s Basketball Team.
The Bears kick off their season on November 8th in a tournament with Wilkes, Washington and Lee, and Immaculata. They play tough non-conference competitors, such as TCNJ and Widener, in preparation for a tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where they will play in the Cruzin’ Classic. They kick off Centennial Conference competitions on January 11th against Washington College.
This year, the Centennial Conference has split for select sports, basketball being one of them. Rather than playing each team twice, they will play the teams in their division twice, and every other team once. Their division includes Washington College, Swarthmore, Muhlenberg, and Haverford. While this may be an adjustment, the hope is that it allows more playoff spots and thus, a longer season.
With a longer season, rounding out to about five to six months, it is critical that the team stays as healthy as possible. In recent years, a number of players including seniors Will Allain and Cole Grubbs and junior Nick Nocito have battled through injury.
Nocito says, “It is never a good feeling watching a teammate get hurt, but we all know that we have to step up to get the job done. When I tore my ACL after my freshman season it was devastating but I took the time to complete physical therapy and was fortunate to come back and continue playing. I could not have done it without the support of the rest of the guys helping me out and believing in me.”
The Ursinus Men’s Basketball Team shows what it means to work for and with each other. They are excited to be back in the gym striving for greatness as they prepare for their opening games. In order to succeed, they push the limits and work towards something bigger than themselves. Mark your calendars for November 8th and pack the den as the Bears take on Immaculata in their Tip-off Tournament.