After finishing in a tie for eighth in the Lycoming College men’s basketball team’s first year in the Landmark Conference, the team will use that first season as a building experience as the 2024-25 season gets underway on Friday when it heads to Hilbert College for the Hawks Against Hunger Tip-Off Tournament.

The Warriors return two starters and several other key returners from that squad, including junior Isaiah Valentine, who averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and sophomore Hayden Pardoe, who posted 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

“Lycoming basketball has a proud tradition built on respect, competitiveness, and togetherness. Our team is eager to carry on that tradition while starting to form our own identity. I am excited about our group and the vision for the program that we all share,” third-year Lycoming coach Mark Linebaugh said. “The foundation of this team is built on trust with people that value all the things that it takes to be successful, including a daily commitment to helping each other be the best version of themselves. With new roles being filled up and down the roster, I am pleased with how our players have embraced their new opportunities to this point.

The Warrior backcourt will get a facelift in 2024-25 under third-year head coach Mark Linebaugh, as the team will have to replace two starters and also find the right mix as two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and six first-years vie for time.

Junior Isaiah Valentine gives the team a solid scoring option that can swing in between the No. 2 and No. 3 guard slots. He shot 45 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point range while finishing second on the team with 12.2 points per game in 2023-24. Valentine finished second on the team with 52 assists and led the team with 29 steals as well.

Senior Ivan Komitski also returns, as the swing player appeared in 23 games and averaged 5.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

Sophomore shooting guard Misaias Herrera (1.9 points, 0.4 rebounds), senior point guard Bernard Rogers (0.3 points, 0.3 rebounds) and junior swing player Lane Yoder (1.1 rebounds) also return after seeing action in the team’s first year in the Landmark.

Sophomore Connor Shanahan returns after injuries kept him off the court in 2023-24. A 1,000-point scorer in high school, he will provide a boost at the point guard slot.

Six first-year players will also immediately compete for time, including Gyasi Miller, Blessing Ekwuazi, Brian Kopp, Christian Eppley, Princeton Layton and Charlie DeStefano.