MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off the program's first 10-plus win season since 2018, Spring Hill College men's basketball head coach Craig Kennedy previewed the upcoming year.
 
How are preseason preparations going?
"I think it's going pretty well. Obviously, having a veteran team with eight returners has helped. In some ways you have to do a lot less coaching and put the emphasis on the guys to teach and coach. So, I think I think things have run really smoothly."
 
What impacts have the returners made in the preseason?
"It's huge because you've got guys who kind of understand now how we want to train. We're not having to educate them on how to train. They understand the pace and the tempo. Bo Barber, Walter Peggs Jr., Steven Lyles and Timothy Reilly, that's a pretty solid four right there. Luka Erdtmann, unfortunately, has been out a little bit, but is another one who's got the work ethic. Jorclay Kaniki is just trying to get consistent. I told those guys 'Listen, you eight alone, we shouldn't need anybody else.' Fortunately, we have the other guys who are really good too. It's nice having a veteran team who understands how we need to train."
 
"We can't forget Collin Coates and Jayden Webley, who has to be on every scouting report. This is the first summer Eli Lenihan didn't go back to Ireland. So, that's been kind of different from him, but he feels he's in really good shape right now. He can play multiple positions, can play four really for us in so many ways. Rolontae Knowles, who's had a fabulous, fall, scoring the ball and shooting the ball. One of the most beautiful shots I've ever seen. We've got him as well in our, in our package."
 
Who looks to fill in the role of Isaiah Veal?
"Losing Zay was tough because he really had some great moments last year where he really took his game to another level. Physically, he's a big guard, strong guard, so we lose that. He's been outstanding as a student assistant. My gosh. I think in some ways he's been better as a student assistant than as a player. His insight into things has been just fabulous. Really, it's been a real blessing having him. We had Bo starting sometimes and then Zay starting sometimes, so that kind of gives Bo the opportunity. The guy who's really stepped up, he's like a mini me of Zay, is Jaden Emory.  Jaden has just had an outstanding fall, he did a great summer working out back in the ATL. He has just been fabulous."
 
What impacts have the newcomers made so far?
"Rocco Lamuno, who was a left-handed guard, long and lanky. He can shoot the ball, tremendous work ethic, he's got a great future ahead of him. Jordan Franklin is just, defensively, a pain in everybody's butt. I believe Jordan sees the floor better than any high school kid I've seen in 15 years. He is a pass-first point guard, wants to get the balls to the bigs. He's got a real motor on him. We're really excited with J. Frank in there."
 
How is the team looking to carry over the momentum from the success of last season?
"Well, the guys want to finish what we started from last year and didn't get done, which was getting knocked out in the first round and not winning the conference championship. So, that's always our goal is to win the conference championship, play to the best of our ability. Obviously, the big thing that always affects every team is the intangibles, which is, can you stay healthy? That's a big one, and we've dealt with some stuff this fall, but I think right now we're probably the healthiest we've been in a long time, so we're pretty happy about that. This is obviously new territory for the guys. We're not the underdog anymore. So, this will be really interesting from the perspective of seeing how we handle this new role.  We're really looking forward to that. I love the way the guys are pushing the ball and shooting the ball. We did a shooting drill the other day and [Jayden] Webb hit eight threes. I said to the guys, 'We have eight guys I know can shoot the ball.' Webb looked at me and goes, 'Who are the other seven?' So, he's got a confidence, he's come back real fit. I think we have depth at many positions. Now the challenge with every team comes is your cohesion level, keeping everybody on the same page. This is a group that historically wants to do well, wants to win, and is all about team.
 
Who's emerging so far as the leader of that group?
"Steven and Eli are our captains this year. That's something I haven't done before, which is name captains early. They're always helping set the tone, whether it's emotional intensity we need in practice. They're very vocal leaders, which has been really good for us."
 
What's the mindset going through the first month of games, especially on the road in Florida?
"We did that last year and had our first ever win over a Sunshine State Conference team. We played Flagler here, such a disappointing one-point loss here to them. Flagler's been so good. They're such classy guys. They've come here three years in a row, so we owe them going back. This sets us up going into the tournament. Being ready, do we have to play back to back games, get a day off, play again? This is the whole reason we do this. To look at different teams, how they play, and give our guys a chance to see something a little different. Then we come home and we aren't ducking anybody. We know we work hard and now we have to face really good competition and see how that makes us better. I think going back even to my first year here, we played number one or the number two team in the country. When we're playing Bellarmine and UIndy, teams like that, we haven't, we haven't ducked anybody and it's been a learning curve for our guys, figuring, how do we have to play at this level?"
 
What should we expect to see from Walter Peggs Jr. after being named an All-American?
"His maturity, his ability to hit big shots, he's worked hard this summer on diversifying his game. So, that's going to be an interesting facet, what he's done with that, and just his demeanor on the court, his competitiveness. He's such a good man in the locker room and he's always trying to raise people up. That's a real, real good quality with Walter."
 
The Badgers open the season at the South Region Crossover in Winter Park, Fla. against Rollins on Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. (ET).
 
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