2016-17 Men's Basketball Video Season Preview

BEVERLY, Mass. – Coming off a 2015-16 season that saw the Endicott men's basketball team win its second-straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship, the Gulls are hungry for a chance to three-peat.

Third-year head coach Kevin Bettencourt, Bucknell '06 has led the Gulls to a 42-17 overall record (28-8 CCC) in his tenure and is the second coach in the team's history to bring his team to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. His program returns a handful of starters and brought in a talented group of new faces. Here's a preview of the upcoming season, which begins this Saturday, November 19 against Anna Maria at 1:00 p.m. in the Babson Tip-Off Tournament. The Gulls look to build upon the recent success of the team heading into 2016-17.

RETURNING CAST (ROSTER): The Gulls' key returners include the very decorated senior guard Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.), along with 2015-16 CCC Second Team selections in senior guard Max Motroni (West Warwick, R.I.), and senior forward Daquan Sampson (Germantown, Md.). The Gulls' senior class also includes Chris Lipscomb (West Springfield, Mass.), Stephen Basden (Lynn, Mass.), and Drew Sawyer (Norwalk, Conn.).

Together, these six have compiled an overall record of 60-27 (39-15 CCC) over the previous three seasons, and have made three straight trips to the postseason, including claiming back-to-back conference championships. If this year's Gulls win at least 24 games (which would be a program-best), the senior class will become the winningest group of Gulls in a four-year span in program history, surpassing the efforts of the 2002-03 to 2005-06 squad that three-peated from 2004-06 after appearing in four-straight title games (83-31, 56-8 CCC). To follow along with potential milestones to be reached this season individually and as a team, visit our Career History page.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR (SCHEDULE): Endicott tips off the 2016-17 campaign on Saturday, November 19 against Anna Maria in non-conference action at 1:00 p.m. as part of the Babson Tip-Off Tournament. The Gulls will play seven non-conference opponents (Anna Maria, nationally-ranked Babson, Middlebury, Salem St., Bridgewater St., Southern Maine, Regis). Endicott begins the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) slate with the home opener set for Wednesday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. against Curry inside MacDonald Gymnasium. For the full schedule click here.

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, February 18 is the Gulls' final regular season home game (1:00 p.m. vs. Western New England) when the team will recognize seniors Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.), Max Motroni (West Warwick, R.I.), Daquan Sampson (Germantown, Md.), Chris Lipscomb (West Springfield, Mass.), Stephen Basden (Lynn, Mass.), and Drew Sawyer (Norwalk, Conn.) in the annual Senior Day ceremony.

PRESEASON PLAUDITS (POLL): Endicott was picked to finish first in the CCC Preseason Poll after receiving 99 points and nine of 10 first place votes from the conference's head coaches. The Gulls are also receiving the most votes in the D3Hoops Top 25 Preseason Poll for a team not ranked.

2015-16 YEAR IN REVIEW: Endicott, the two-time defending CCC Champions, posted a 19-11 record overall in 2015-16, which included a 12-6 showing in conference games. Endicott celebrated the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with an 84-76 victory over host Catholic in the First Round before falling to Wooster, 91-83, in overtime. The Gulls are coming off a season that saw Walker and Motroni each score their 1,000th career points as team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in program history.

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