Scouting the 2009-10 South Suburban College men's basketball team

Who's back: Only three players with any semblance of experience with the Bulldogs return, led by redshirt sophomore Tremell Adams, who broke his foot last fall and missed the entire season. Adams will be a captain and probably lead the team in scoring most nights, with the ability to post points in bunches and a new and improved mid-range game. He played a key role on a Bulldogs squad that was fifth in the nation in 2007-08. Joe Pope played well at the national tournament this past spring and carried that momentum into the offseason and this fall's preseason jamborees. Jason Ham-Rodney, meanwhile, has played about half a season combined over the past two years due to numerous injuries.

Who's new: Fourteen of the 17 players on the roster are new Bulldogs. The find of the summer was Jack Houpt, who graduated from Chesterton in 2008, then attended Bridgton Academy in Maine for year before coming home to find he was off the radar of most Division I teams. "His maturity and basketball IQ will be very helpful for the team," SSC coach John Pigatti said. "I'm anticipating him, after this year, taking off and going to a four-year school on scholarship." Others traveled long roads as well. Antoine Fisher did not go to school last year, opting to sit out and save money to come from Atlanta to South Suburban. Andre Quarles, slated to be the team's starting point guard, played for Wabash Valley two years ago, then went to Kankakee Community College, where he chose to abstain from athletics. "His experience and leadership will be big for us," Pigatti said. Allen McGaha, a transfer from Rochester Community College, is supposed to help the cause as well.

Outlook: The Bulldogs can make NJCAA Division II history with one more regional championship, which would bring their streak to an unprecedented four in a row. South Suburban has won Region IV titles each of Pigatti's three years as head coach and placed in the top 10 at the national tourney in all three seasons, finishing seventh this past spring. "It'll be a very, very tough task," Pigatti said. "This team will be improving continuously throughout the year." A season removed from having a team that hit the ground running and went 30-6, Pigatti said this is his most challenging project since his first team at SSC. However, that first team was 6-6 and then finished 26-10 with a national tourney berth. "As time goes on they'll understand more and more what it takes to play at this level," Pigatti said. "It'll be a year of chapters. ... I just hope the end of the book has a climax to it."

Roster

No. Name Ht. Yr. Pos. High School (Hometown)

10 Allen McGaha 6-0 So. G Proviso East (Chicago)

14 Johnathon Franks 5-10 Fr. G T.F. South (Harvey)

20 Eric Hilbring 6-4 So. F Evanston Twp. (Evanston)

21 Joe Pope 6-4 So. F Firestone (Akron, Ohio)

22 Andre Quarles 5-10 So. G Bremen Twp. (Chicago)

23 Jason Ham-Rodney 6-1 So. G Champlain St. Lambert College Prep (Montreal, Quebec)

24 Tremell Adams 6-2 So. G Curie (Chicago)

30 Donnie Timmons 6-2 Fr. G Etowah (Attalla, Ala.)

32 Antoine Fisher 6-4 Fr. G/F Redan (Atlanta)

33 Mudiaga Eruteya 6-0 Fr. G Notre Dame (Chicago)

34 Davarius Davis 6-2 Fr. G Marshall (Chicago)

35 Jack Houpt 6-7 Fr. F Chesterton (Chesterton)

40 Sean Liggett 6-4 Fr. F Fenger (Chicago)

41 Leon Van Hook 6-4 So. F Marian Catholic (South Holland)

45 Erasmus Williams 6-5 Fr. F Smith Cotton (Mo.) (Basseterre, St. Kitts)

50 Glenn Flenorl 6-7 So. C Rock Island (Rock Island)

54 Jamie Canty 7-0 So. C Warren Twp. (Gurnee)

Schedule

November

4 at Black Hawk East College 7:30 p.m.

10 Waubonsee CC 7 p.m.

13 College of DuPage 5 p.m.

17 at Wilbur Wright College 7 p.m.

21 at Elgin CC 3 p.m.

24 Sauk Valley CC 7 p.m.

28 Morton Radio 3 p.m.

December

1 Prairie State 5 p.m.

5 Wabash Valley CC# 3 p.m.

6 Malcolm X College# 3 p.m.

8 Oakton CC 7 p.m.

12 at Lake Michigan College 2 p.m.

19 at Harper College 1 p.m.

22 Triton College 7 p.m.

29 at Henry Ford CC 6 p.m.

30 at Mott CC 6 p.m.

January

2 College of Lake County 3 p.m.

7 Southeastern Iowa CC 7 p.m.

12 at Olive-Harvey College 7 p.m.

17 at Illinois Valley CC 3 p.m.

18 Robert Morris 4 p.m.

23 at Kishwaukee CC 5 p.m.

26 Kankakee CC 7 p.m.

30 at Black Hawk College 3 p.m.

February

6 Moraine Valley CC 3 p.m.

11 Black Hawk East College 7 p.m.

13 Carl Sandburg College 3 p.m.

16 at Truman College 7 p.m.

18 Northwestern U. Basketball Club 7 p.m.

20 East-West University 7 p.m.

Feb. 25-March 6

NJCAA Region IV tournament, semifinals and finals at Illinois Valley Community College

March 16-29

NJCAA Championships at Danville Area Community College

#--Prime Time Classic at Highland Community College in Freeport, Ill.

All home games to be broadcast on WJOB-AM (1230).

-- Compiled by Paul Trembacki

MEN'S BASKETBALL