Individual and team improvement will be key to the success of this year’s Briar Cliff men’s basketball team. Gone are 2nd team all GPAC selection Jaden Kleinhesselink, starters Kyle Boerhave, and Nick Hoyt and sharpshooter Conner Groves. Mark Svagera enters his seventh season at the helm of the Chargers after one of the more challenging summers of his tenure, where he’s challenging his role players to become the go to players.

Returning senior starters Matthew Stilwill and Quinn Vesey are the veteran team leaders who will be called upon to lead the inexperienced group. Stilwill comes off a season where he started the year as the sixth man but worked his way into the starting lineup and averaged 12.2 points per game. Stilwill is excited with the new roster additions, as well as watching a few players make solid improvements.

Vesey meanwhile elected to play one more year after being named third team all GPAC, averaging 11 points per game, and was 4th best in the GPAC with 44 steals. The tenacious defender has tremendous confidence in his teammates entering the season.

Briar Cliff opens the season Thursday night with the home opener at the Newman Flanagan Center against Dakota State.