Dover, Del. (Oct. 31, 2019) --- Delaware State men's basketball fans can get a sneak peek at the Hornets' 2019-20 squad during an exhibition contest against crosstown Wesley College on Saturday (Nov. 2). Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at DSU's Memorial Hall.
The Hornets return five letterwinners, including two starters, from their 2018-19 squad, which posted a 6-25 overall record and 2-14 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference under first-year head coach Eric Skeeters.
Among the highlights of Skeeters' first season at the helm was the team's first MEAC Tournament victory since 2015 with an upset of No. 6 seed Savannah State. The Hornets were eliminated from the 2019 MEAC Tournament by eventual champion North Carolina Central in the quarterfinals.
The 2018-19 Hornets also posted impressive road wins at Delaware and Coppin State in Skeeters' first season.
Topping the list of returning DSU lettermen is point guard Pinky Wiley (jr.; 5-11), a 2019-20 All-MEAC Third Team selection.
As a sophomore in 2018-19, Wiley was third on the Hornets in scoring at 9.5 points per game, including 10.8 in MEAC contests. He was No. 1 in the MEAC in steals (2.1 pg) and fourth in assists (4.4 pg), while ranking second on the Hornets with 53 three-point field goals a year ago.
Forward Ameer Bennett (jr.; 6-8) is in his third year with the Hornets. Last season, he appeared in each game, averaging 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds.
Ronald Lucas (so; 6-6) gained valuable experience as a true freshman in 2018-19, averaging 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds while appearing in each game.
The Hornets will also welcome the return of forward Faheim Jenneto (so.; 6-8), who missed the last 18 games of the 2018-19 season due to a knee injury. Jenneto averaged 6.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13 games as a true freshman last season, highlighted by a career-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field (3-4 3pt. FG) vs. Longwood.
While Jenneto returns, 2018-19 returnee D'Marco Baucum is expected to miss a significant part of the season due to a foot injury suffered in preseason camp. Baucum averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17 games as a freshman last season.
The list of 2019-20 Delaware State newcomers include former Baltimore high school standout John Crosby (sr.; 6-3), who sat last season after three seasons at Dayton University of the Div. I Atlantic 10 Conference.
Former Delaware high school star John “LJ” Stansbury (so,; 6-3) joins the Hornets this season. Stansbury was a standout at Hodgson Vo-Tech before a year at Kirkwood CC in Iowa.
Swingman Omari Peek-Green (fr.; 6-6) and guard Leroy Moore (so.; 5-11) also join the Hornets this season. Peek-Green was a big-time high school scorer in the state of Ohio, while Moore is a former Philadelphia high school product.
Seven-three Chris Yannick (so.) is scheduled to join the Hornets in December. The tallest player in team history, Yannick, a former ESPN four-star recruit, previously competed at Georgetown before enrolling at Delaware State in the 2018-19 school year.
The 2019-20 Delaware State men's basketball regular season tips-off on Fri. Nov. 8 at home against Rider (7:00 p.m.). The Hornets will play 14 home games in Memorial Hall this season, including the MEAC opener on Sat. Jan. 4 against Morgan State at 2:00 p.m.
DSU's four Saturday home MEAC contests (Jan. 4; Jan. 11; Feb. 1; Feb. 15) will tip-off at 2:00 p.m. this season, followed by the women's game.
On Dec. 16, the Hornets will face the University of Delaware at the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
