The buzz around Lake Land hasn’t felt like this in a while. With a win over a ranked opponent early in the season, the Lakers mens basketball team are starting the season off strongly. With a 4-0 record, the Lakers return to Laker Fieldhouse to take on an up-and-coming Danville Community College squad. 

Team Records: Lake Land (4-0) vs. Danville Community College (2-1)

Where: Laker Fieldhouse

Tickets: Tickets can be purchased at Laker Fieldhouse

Tip-Off: 7 p.m.

Opponent’s Past Results: Danville opened up their season with a 69-52 victory over Olivert JV. The team participated in the Wabash Valley Classic last weekend. That included a 67-56 win over Wabash Valley and a 71-55 loss to Lincoln Trail. 

Danville’s Top Players: Kendall Taylor, a 6-foot-5 point guard, leads the team with 13.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game but comes off of the bench. Ramelle Arnold is second on the team with 11.0 points per game. As a team, Danville averages 73.6 points per game and shoots 44.1% from the field as a team, 34.1% from he three-point range, and 70.8% from the free-throw line. 

Danville’s Potential Starting Lineup

G: Ramalle Armstrong, 6-foot-0 freshman: 11.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG

G: Dameriz Merriweather, 6-foot-1 freshman: 9.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG,  2.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG

G: Ahmoni Weston, 6-foot-0 freshman: 7.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG

F: Stephen Atkinson, 6-foot-5 freshman: 4.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.0 BPG

F: Tacouba Traore, 6-foot-7 freshman: 2.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Lake Land’s Past Results: Lake Land participated in the John Wood November Classic. The team defeated Kirkwood Community College, the No. 18 ranked team in NJCAA Division II, 79-74. The team swept the weekend with an 85-72 win over Rock Valley College. As a team, Lake Land is averaging 91.3 points per game, shooting 51.8% from the field, 40.2% from three-point range, and 69.6% from the free-throw line. 

“We are taking the right steps into becoming a really good team,” said head coach Julian Larry. “It’s really early but I feel we have progressed toward becoming a good team. We are taking it one game at a time. We celebrated the wins over the weekend because it was a win, but we know that what matters is what happens in March.”

Lake Land’s Potential Starting Lineup

G: Arnardo Camacho, 6-foot-4 sophomore: 5.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG

G: Johnny Close, 6-foot-4 sophomore: 16.3 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG

G: Dailliss Cox, 6-foot-6 sophomore: 17.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG

F: Amar Kuljuhovic, 6-foot-9 sophomore: 10.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG

F: Yassen Hussein, 6-foot-9 sophomore: 15.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.8 BPG

What Lake Land Said: “ “My first two years, we had a lot of talent but couldn’t play together as a team,” said Larry. “We had individuals, but this team has no selfishness and is willing to buy into what I am selling. They are doing a great job of playing as a team from passing the ball to running the defense.”This team can shoot very well. Their coach has done a nice job. He coaches them hard and always has them ready to play. They are going to make us work for a victory.”