Portland State’s head men’s basketball coach Heath Schroyer has high hopes for the Vikings men. This season marks his second as a head coach at PSU, and there seems to be nothing standing in the way of himself and a Big Sky Victory.
Last season, Schroyer began his rookie year as a head coach under some severely diverse circumstances but had faith in his new team nonetheless. Stepping in, to lead a team that had not come out with a winning season record in two years, Schroyer was also faced with the loss of four of the team’s starting players – Two who left the team upon the arrival of the new head coach, and another two who stepped away from the team mid-season. The biggest loss for the team, however, came when two of its leading offensive players, Seamus Boxley and Marshal Hartman, were forced to redshirt the majority of the season due to injuries.
“I have a vision for this program,” Shroyer said at his arrival to Portland State. “I have a vision that a lot of people might not share, but that is were we’re going. When I look to the future, I see us winning in the Big Sky Conference and going to the NCAA Tournament. I’ll be honest with you. I love ring ceremonies, and I love hanging banners in gyms.”
Although Shroyer and the team were unable to walk away from last season with a winning record, the team did improve in some very important areas of its game. The team improved its rebound margin by a whopping seven per game and pushed opponents down from hitting 48 percent of their field shots to only making 44 percent total.
Shroyer and company have plenty of reason to believe that they have got what it takes to be the Big Sky Conference’s number-one contender this season. Having recruited seven fresh faces onto the team, Shroyer is working with a very promising clean slate. Moreover, the remaining players from last season are now healthy and ready to play some serious ball. Both Boxley and Hartman are off the redshirt list and in the game rotation.
The Viking men’s basketball team has got a long season ahead; the better to prove themselves with. These men mean business and every one of their Big Sky competitors had better realize the threat the Vikings pose, or else be prepared for their wrath.