MILWAUKEE, Wis. (April 6, 2017) – The Bryant & Stratton College Bobcats men's basketball team inaugural season is officially in the books and was certainly a year full of excitement. The Bobcats finished with an overall record of 11-18 including 7-8 in NJCAA Region IV competition.

Averaging just shy of 70.0 points per game as a team and shooting an overall 44 percent from the field it is safe to say the Bobcats are definitely on opposing college's radars for next season and will be a force-to-reckon with in the region.

Starting the season the Bobcats came out strong winning six of their first nine games but hit a slump midseason which forced the team to come together and put their focus on the back-end of the schedule.

"This season was a year that we started off on a good note but then hit a roller-coaster midseason," Bobcats head coach Brian Richert said.

Part of that rollercoaster was due to the Bobcats star player Lincoln Wieseman suffering a season ending injury early on in the year. Wieseman was leading the team in scoring at 17.5 ppg before breaking his wrist on December 10th, 2016. 

After Wieseman went down co-star Lewrenzo Byers had to step up and make sure the team continued with a positive mindset throughout the remainder of the season.

Byers took on a leadership role and became the motor for the team. Averaging 14.7 ppg and shooting 41.5 percent from the field Byers was able to earn a spot on the NJCAA Region IV Second Team All-District team. Awards

Setting aside the wins and losses, coach Richert's main focus this year was establishing high standards for the program which includes athlete's performances in academics, athletics, and behavior on and off the court.

"We made sure our players knew what the standards were before the season began and we will continue having those same standards and expectations with future recruits as well."

Richert has found that setting these standards has made parents feel very satisfied sending their sons to Bryant & Stratton College

"Establishing these standards has made parents very comfortable allowing their sons to compete here."

As a first year program the NJCAA would not allow the Bobcats to compete in the regional tournament which forced the year to end after the last regular season game. Richert is looking forward to compete in the tournament next season and will hope to make a run at the title game.

"This offseason we will be going on the road to different states to recruit players," Richert said.

"It is our mission to develop a winning culture here and recruiting the right student-athletes will make that possible and also make us competitive in the regional tournament next year."

Bryant & Stratton College is very proud of the hard work and success that players and coaches had as a first year program and will be looking forward to next season. 

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