New year brings new energy as Hawks inject sense of urgency into pursuit of victories

QUINCY — The chatter the Quincy University men’s basketball players have heard across campus this fall has them anxious and intrigued to see just how loud Pepsi Arena might get this weekend.

“Family members, students, faculty members are all talking about it,” junior guard Mark Bradshaw Jr. said. “They’re ready to see us play and perform.”

The crowd wants to be the sixth man the Hawks desperately needed last season.

“The students are excited to get rowdy and get in the ref’s ear like they usually do,” junior forward Adam Moore said. “Our family members are excited to be back in here, too. We want to see it packed and hear how loud it will be.”

Only two players on the Hawks’ roster know what that is like.

Moore and senior guard Charles Callier are the holdovers from the team that went 14-14 in the 2019-20 season. Five others return who were part of last season’s 6-15 squad, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, they played in front of empty arenas.

There hasn’t been a crowd in Pepsi Arena since a 75-74 victory over Drury on Feb. 22, 2020.

“It’s exciting and a lot different than last year when I came in and played my first college season in front of no one,” sophomore guard Paul Zilinskas said. “It’s going to be exciting to see my family in the stands and a packed crowd. It’s going to be totally different.”

And challenging just the same.

The Hawks open their season at 7 p.m. Friday against the University of Findlay in the GMAC-GLVC Crossover at Pepsi Arena. It’s the start of a four-game homestand.

“The guys understand there’s a sense of urgency with where we’re at and where we want to go,” said QU coach Ryan Hellenthal, entering his fifth season in charge. “They have a sense of having ownership in the program and knowing where they want to take this program.”

That’s to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament for the first time since 2017.

Here are five aspects that will determine if that becomes possible:

Learning to win is crucial

The Hawks haven’t experienced sustained success for nearly a decade. In the last nine seasons, they’ve finished with a record better than .500 only twice, and understanding how to win in critical situations is an art this team hasn’t perfected.

“It’s a really overlooked part of being an athlete,” Moore said. “If you’ve been through the wringer and know how to win, you’re going to be more experienced and help the team win.”

So Hellenthal and his staff loaded up on players who have a winning pedigree.

Bradshaw Jr. helped Des Moines Area Community College win the NJCAA Division II national championship last April. Junior guard Jalen Stamps won a state championship at Indianapolis Howe High School, and junior forward Reece Efole helped Ranger Community College win 22 games last winter.

“We have a lot of guys who like to win and like to compete,” Bradshaw said. “We don’t have a losing mentality. We want to come in here and work hard as a team. We may have our ups and downs, but we always overcome them.”

Bradshaw’s voice resonates because of his championship ring.

“I tell the guys we can do it because we have a lot of talented dudes,” Bradshaw said. “If we stick to the plan and stick together, we’ll be great.”

Aggressive backcourt play to set tone

A year ago, the Hawks had just 12 practices prior to the season opener. That came on the heels of no fall workouts either. It left them feeling like they were always a step behind.

“We were in a bad spot,” Hellenthal said.

Time has changed everything. A full preseason included a 62-61 exhibition victory over SIU-Edwardsville that showcased the grit Hellenthal hopes to see. Bradshaw, Stamps and senior point guard Jamaurie Coakley are get-in-your-shorts defenders who want to attack off the dribble, while senior guard Silas Crisler and sophomore guard Nate Shockey are knock-down shooters.

It’s the kind of energetic mix in the backcourt Hellenthal wants.

“We’re kind of playing with a chip on our shoulder and a lot of guys want to get their spot,” Moore said. “No one is taking a shortcut to get that spot. They’ve been trying to earn their spot by working hard and doing things correctly.

“No one has taken any shortcuts, and that’s one of the things I like most about this group.”

Hawks must improve defensively

Quincy finished last season ranked second-to-last in the GLVC, allowing 80.8 points per game. Opponents shot 46.8 percent from the field, and the Hawks were last in the league in steals, forcing just 4.9 per game.

Holding SIUE to 39.7 percent shooting from the field and 18.8 percent from 3-point range in the exhibition victory is a solid start to improving.

“We have to deliver some shots,” Hellenthal said. “That’s the urgency we have to play with. We have to go out and prove to people we still have a winning program and this group is committed to getting over the hump and making our mark.”

The Hawks are confident it will happen.

“We have an edge to us,” Zilinskas said. “We’re more mentally tough.”

Everyone must contribute up front

Size is a perpetual concern, and the Hawks hope to negate some of their lack of size with aggressive play from every angle. The 6-foot-8 Efole and 6-6 Malik Hardmon, a junior forward who transferred from Alcorn State, give the Hawks a solid base to build the frontcourt around.

Jamal David, a 6-6 transfer from Pfieffer University, has the chance to be a force. And Moore is the swingman whose versatility is vital. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds last season, numbers the coaches expect to improve.

“We have to stay out of foul trouble,” Hellenthal said.

And the guards must contribute on the boards.

“Those guys have to pick up the slack for what we lose from a physicality and toughness standpoint,” Hellenthal said.

Confidence is key

As much as the Hawks understand the exhibition victory over SIUE matters little in the final landscape of the season, the confidence born from winning on the road against an NCAA Division I program is huge.

It’s why Moore made sure to hug Callier, Hellenthal and graduate assistant coach Troy Potts — people who have been dedicated to this program for years — in celebration.

“I know people say this every year, but this really does seem different this time around,” Moore said. “The chemistry is really starting to build. We didn’t have much at the beginning, but coming around to this first game, we have a lot of team chemistry.