CALIFORNIA -- At least one thing hasn't changed for the California University men's basketball team.
Like last preseason, the Vulcans are the choice to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's West Division. Everything else, coach Bill Brown warns, is completely different.
Gone are the Vulcans' top three scorers last season: do-it-all forward Ishmieal Kamara (15.8 points per game), three-point marksman Ryan Stefanski (13.1 ppg) and inside presence Tom Frederick (12.9 ppg). Although Brown has lost more than 1,300 points to that exodus, don't look for the Vulcans to slow down and delve into a defense-first shell.
"Quite to the contrast," Brown said. "We'll be pushing it more with our athletic big people to get easy buckets."
Returning to lead Cal U (25-9, 10-2 last season) are a mixed bag of six seniors, headed by forward Michael Johnson. The 6-foot-5 senior averaged nearly 10 points and seven rebounds per game last season.
Johnson can work down low, as well as shoot from the perimeter. He'll be asked to play shooting guard, as well as small forward and power forward spots.
"Michael leads by example and wears his emotions on his sleeve, but he's all about team," Brown said. "These guys don't care who scores. They'll make the extra pass, and from a chemistry standpoint, this will be a nice team to have."
With potential star newcomer Brian Kortavich out for the year with an ACL injury, the starting lineup will be mostly by committee.
"This team has flexibility," Brown said. "Who plays will be determined with matchups and what teams are playing against us."
The key component to that plan is senior point guard Gerrmar Ballard (5-foot-10, 175 pounds), who led the team last season with 91 assists. He is also the team's best returning three-point threat.
Ballard will be challenged for time in the back court by sophomore Guillaume Beyl (5-10, 175) and lanky freshman Sharif Bray (6-3, 170), a highly touted recruit from the Greater Philadelphia League.
"We might not shoot 15 to 20 3-pointers a game, but there's more than one way to skin a cat," Brown said. "We've discovered some inside players that were underutilized because we had such a perimeter personality."
Two of those post players are seniors Kevin Handy (6-7, 215) and Ryan Boles (6-8, 210). Boles grabbed 136 rebounds last season, second on the team, and collected a team-high 33 blocks. He and Handy both shot over 50 percent from the field.
A trio of French forwards -- Julien Busseuil (6-10, 255), Martin Diaw (6-7, 215) and Boris Elisabeth-Mesnager (6-7, 235) -- will also split time down low after playing sparingly last year. Diaw is the best shot-blocker of the three.
"This group is a lot of guys who were sitting on the bench waiting for their time," Brown said. "This is their time."
Anyone looking for a sleeper should keep their eye on junior collage transfer Sherman Brittingham (6-4, 200), who should get action at guard and small forward.
As for the rest of the West, the pre-season coaches' poll lines up with Edinboro, coming off a 17-11, 8-4 season, as the consensus No. 2 team. Although the Fighting Scots return three starters, including superstars Rob Sims at guard and Jakim Donaldson at forward, veteran coach Greg Walcavich paints a gloomy picture.
"Our A.D. came by practice the other day and said we looked sloppy and I totally agreed," Walcavich grumbled. "Just because you're getting players back, does not mean you're a better team."
The No. 3 team is Indiana University of Pa., which returns all five starters after a fifth-place finish. The Indians (16-11, 5-7) are led by PSAC West Rookie of the Year Ed Peterson at guard and quintessential center Fannar Olafsson.
"I don't look for us to be strong early on with injuries," IUP coach Gary Edwards said. "Once we get into conference play, we'll be fine."
Clarion, which handed Cal U both its conference losses last season, tops out at No. 4. The Golden Eagles (19-10, 7-5) feature sophomore guard Terrance Vaughns. Clarion, though, does not boast a single senior on its 16-man roster.
"We have two sophomore captains; that will tell you the situation we're looking at," Clarion coach Ron Righter said. "One day, it looks good. The next day, it looks ugly."
Slippery Rock (8-17, 2-10) comes in at No. 5 after taking its lumps last season.
No. 6 Lock Haven (10-17, 6-6) has just one returning starter and will look to push the ball up court while No. 7-ranked Shippensburg (8-19, 4-8) starts anew with eight freshmen on its roster.
"I had Edinboro picked first," Brown said. "IUP might have the most talent, but they might have a chemistry issue. Clarion is a well-coached team that's always in the hunt and Slippery Rock is dangerous because of their talent level."
Things might seem the same for the favored Vulcans, but Brown believes last season's success will be difficult to repeat.
"This is going to be a typical PSAC-West where you can lose any given night," he said. "I'd take a 10-2 (PSAC record) right now."
VULCAN NOTES: Defending PSAC champion Millersville (26-6, 11-1) is the consensus choice to repeat in the East ... Brown will red shirt freshman forward London Houston (6-7, 185) ... Brown has compiled a 152-53 record in seven seasons with Cal U ... The Vulcans will play a number of tough non-conference games including at Pitt-Johnstown and District of Columbia ... In Walcavich's 14 years at Edinboro, the Scots have never been ranked above Cal U in the preseason polls.
