Bucknell Basketball Roster: Who’s Who for the Upcoming Season

Get to know the Bucknell basketball team for the upcoming season with this helpful guide.

Introducing the 2017-2018 Bucknell basketball Roster

The 2017-2018 season is just around the corner and that means it’s time to start getting to know your Bucknell Bison! This year’s team is looking to build on last year’s successes, and with a strong roster of returning upperclassmen and some very talented newcomers, they just might have what it takes to take home the Patriot League title. Here’s a quick introduction to the team:

Sophomore guard Kimbal Mackenzie is one of the team’s most explosive scorers. He averaged 12.5 points per game last season, and he’ll be counted on to provide even more offense this year. Senior forward Zach Thomas is the team’s emotional leader and one of its best defenders. He averaged a double-double last season (11.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game) and was named First Team All-Patriot League Junior center Nana Foulland is one of the best big men in the league. He averaged 11.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game last season en route to being named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.

Rounding out the starting five will be junior guard Stephen Brown and freshman guard Avi Toomer. Brown is a solid all-around player who does a little bit of everything for the Bison. Toomer is one of the most highly recruited players in Bucknell history, and he should make an immediate impact on both ends of the court.

The bench will be deep this year, as Head Coach Nathan Davis has a number of talented players to choose from when looking for someone to give his starters a rest. Among those who will see significant minutes are junior forward Dachon Burke, sophomore guard Jimmy Sotos, freshman forward Bruce Moore, and freshman guard Walter Ellis Jr.. Burke is an excellent shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim. Sotos provides good outside shooting and solid defense in relief of Mackenzie at point guard Moore is a high energy player who can provide a spark with his rebounding and hustle plays; while Ellis is an excellent shooter with deep range who can also put pressure on opposing defenses with his quickness off the dribble

Senior Spotlight: Guard Stephen Brown

Stephen Brown, a senior guard on the team, is one of the most experienced and talented players on the roster. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Brown has played a vital role in the team’s success over the past three years. He is a strong offensive player and is known for his Three-point shooting ability. Brown is also a good defender and rebounder. He will be one of the team’s leaders this year as they look to make a run at the conference championship

Junior Spotlight: Forward Zach Thomas

Bucknell men’s basketball will feature a deep and experienced roster when the 2017-18 Season tips off this November, with 12 upperclassmen and nine players who have started at least one game in their Bison careers. But while head coach Nathan Davis has a wealth of options at his disposal, there will be no mistaking who the team’s go-to player is. That would be junior forward Zach Thomas, who despite being just 20 years old and in just his second season with the team, has already established himself as one of the nation’s Top Players

A First Team All-Patriot League selection last year, Thomas averaged 16.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field, 37.9 percent from three-point range and 79.2 percent from the Free Throw Line He ranked in the top 10 in the PL in all three of those categories, and his 2.4 offensive rebounds per game were second only to Navy’s Justin Bates (2.5). Thomas was also 19th nationally in double-doubles (seven) and 26th in total rebounds (257).

Sophomore Spotlight: Guard Kimbal Mackenzie

Sophomore guard Kimbal Mackenzie enters his second season with the Bucknell Bison Basketball team looking to build on an impressive freshman campaign in which he was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year.

Mackenzie, a 6’3″ guard from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 assists per game last season while shooting 41.7% from three-point range. He was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team and was a unanimous selection for the league’s Rookie of the Year Award

Mackenzie will once again be counted on to provide a spark for the Bison offense as they look to make a run at the Patriot League title this season. He is a talented shooter and playmaker who has the ability to take over a game offensively when he gets going.

Keep an eye on Mackenzie this season as he looks to build on his strong freshman campaign and help lead the Bison to glory.

Freshman Spotlight: Forward Nana Foulland

Bucknell’s men’s basketball team will have a distinctly international flavor this season, with players from eight different countries on the roster. That includes freshman forward Nana Foulland, who hails from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in West Africa. Foulland is one of four freshmen on the team, and he is expected to contribute right away as the Bison look to build on last year’s 20-14 record and second-place finish in the Patriot League.

Key Reserves

Bucknell will look to its key reserves to provide a spark off the bench this season.Leading the way is sophomore shooting guard D’Andre Basco, who averaged 5.3 points per game last season. Basco is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc and will be counted on to provide a scoring punch for the Bison this season.

Also look for junior forward Jimmy Boehm to see increased action this season. Boehm is a versatile player who can play both inside and out, and he give Bucknell another potential scoring threat in the frontcourt.

Rounding out the key reserves are sophomore point guard Jordan Hassell and freshman wing Malik Paige. Hassell will back up starter Kimbal Mackenzie at point guard while Paige will provide depth at the wing position

The Coaching Staff

The Bucknell University men’s Basketball team will look to continue their recent success under the leadership of Head Coach Nathan Davis. After taking over the program in 2016, Coach Davis has led the team to two consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament

Assistant coaches Jody Pratt and Jacob Rabinowitz will also return for the upcoming season Coach Pratt joined the staff in 2017 and has been instrumental in helping develop the team’s big men Coach Rabinowitz, who joined the staff in 2018, has helped improve the team’s shooting and has been a key recruiter for the program.

The team will also have a new addition to the Coaching Staff this season, as Matt Langel was recently hired as an Assistant Coach Coach Langel comes to Bucknell after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at La Salle University

The 2017-2018 Schedule

The 2017-2018 schedule is as follows:

Nov. 10 vs. Lehigh (away)
Nov. 12 vs. Colgate (away)
Nov. 15 vs. Lafayette (home)
Nov. 17 vs. Penn (home)
Nov. 21 vs. armor (home)
Dec. 1 vs. Stony Brook (away)
Dec. 3 vs. Hofstra (away)
Dec. 6 vs Akron (home)
Dec 10 vs Binghamton (away)
Dec 16 vs Rider (home)
Dec 19 – 23: Semester Break

Mar 2 – 4: Patriot League Tournament ( TBD )

Bison Basketball History

Bucknell basketball is steeped in tradition and history. The program has produced many Great players teams, and moments over the years.

This season’s team is looking to add to that history. Here is a look at the roster, with a brief preview of each player:

#GoBison

The Bucknell Bison men’s basketball team is set to take the court for the upcoming season Here’s a look at the roster and some things to know about the team.

Tyler Brown – Tyler is a 6’4″ guard from Reading, Pennsylvania. He played his High School basketball at Wyomissing Area high school where he was a 3-time All-State selection. He led his team to a state championship as a senior and was named the tournament MVP. Brown was also a member of the AAU squad that won the National Championship in 2016. He is expected to be one of the leaders of this year’s team.

Jimmy Sotos – Jimmy is a 6’3″ guard from Hellertown, Pennsylvania. He played his high school basketball at Saucon Valley High School where he was a 2-time All-State selection. Sotos is a true point guard who averaged over 8 assists per game as a senior. He also has good range on his jumper and isn’t afraid to take Big Shots Sotos will be one of the main ball handlers for the Bison this season.

Nana Foulland – Nana is a 6’9″ center from Senegal who played his high school basketball in Massachusetts at Wilbraham & Monson Academy Foulland is an excellent shot blocker and rebounder who averaged a double-double as a senior. He should be one of the anchors of the Bison defense this season.

Avi Toomer – Avi is a 6’6″ forward from Easton, Pennsylvania. Toomer played his high school basketball at Phillips Exeter Academy where he was named captain as a senior. Toomer is known for his shooting ability, but he is also an excellent passer and rebounder. He should be one of the more versatile players on this year’s team.

Zach Thomas – Zach is a 6’7″ forward from Lewistown, Pennsylvania. Thomas played his high school basketball at Lewistown Area high school where he was named captain as a senior. Thomas led his team to two district championships and was named district MVP as a senior. He averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game during his High School career and should be one of the top scorers for the Bison this season