2007-2008 Concordia Falcon Basketball (14-11, 9-9 NAC)
Men's Basketball Game Notes / Season Recap
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Guard Kevin Courvoisier attempts a layup against Aurora.
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..."Satisfying but unfinished business" for the Concordia WI Falcons
Mequon, Wis. – The 2007-08 season was a satisfying turnaround, but "left much work to be done" according to first year head coach Shawn Cassidy. The Falcons entered the season with the return of senior David Lipanot and junior Andy Becker from ACL injuries along with a cast of other returning veterans. Hopes were high.
CUW started the season with a rare conference game as a season opener against Concordia Chicago. During the upset loss, the Falcons could not find a way to put the basketball in the hoop, as they finished with 36% from the field and a dismal 5.6% on 1-18 from outside.
They then traveled to Milwaukee, WI for games against Carroll College, Bethany Lutheran and Wisconsin Lutheran in the Wisconsin Classic. In the first day, the Falcons squared up against Carroll College and after trailing for most of the game, they again could not shoot the ball well enough to find a way to win. In the consolation game, against Bethany Lutheran, the Falcons found their shooting touch as they came out in the second half and shot 51.5% from the field and caused 28 Viking turnovers. Sophomore John Ulrich started for the first time in the season and scored 25 points, on 9-11 shooting and 5-6 from the three-point range.
Over the next five games, the Falcons would go 3-2 against the likes of Trinity International, Lakeland, Rockford, Maranatha and Marian. In those contests the Falcons would average just less than 80 points, 17.2 steals per game and cause their opponents to turn the ball over 27.2 times per game. With an average of 17.2 steals per game, the Falcons moved into the top ten in all of Division III for team steals per game.
During Christmas break, the Falcon men would travel west to California and Las Vegas for a ten-day trip. In those ten days, the Falcons would play the likes of California Lutheran and Bethany Lutheran, once more. On day one of the tournament, the Falcons faced a more physical team, as the Falcons were out-rebounded by eight and were forced to shoot 1-19 from behind the arc for a depressing 5.3 %. In the consolation game, the Falcons faced the Vikings of Bethany Lutheran for the second time in the season. This time the Falcons would have a battle with the Vikings as the game had to go an extra session. In the extra session, the Vikings would only manage 9 points on 18.2 % compared to the Falcons 21 points and 72 %. In addition, during the contest the Falcons would grab a season high 49 rebounds and score a season high 101 points.
The Falcons kept their bags packed in February, as they did not play a home game for 55 consecutive days. During the month of January, the Falcons would travel over 1,000 miles to play five conference games and the Concordia Invitational Tournament. You could say the month January was the Falcons, as they would finish 6-1 over the month, move into third place in the conference at one time and win their first ever Concordia Invitational Tournament in men’s history. In the Concordia Invitational Tournament, senior Travis Moulton would score a career high 17 points during the championship game, while securing the tournament MVP trophy. In addition, for the Falcons senior David Lipanot was selected to the all-tournament team. For one senior, David Lipanot, he had a game to remember, as he would score 32 points, grab seven rebounds and assist on seven shots against Wisconsin Lutheran to the end the month at home.
On the other hand, the month of February could be considered, frigid, as the Falcons went 2-5 over their last seven games and took themselves out of the conference tournament. On the positive side three seniors on this years squad entered into the Concordia WI record books. Seniors Josh Atkinson, David Lipanot and Travis Moulton would enter in the scoring, rebounding, steals and assists categories.
The Falcons would be led by senior David Lipanot in minutes played (749), field goal shooting percentage (44.1 %), rebounding (5.5) and in scoring (15.4). Other leaders for the Falcons were senior Travis Moulton with 116 assists (4.64 per game) and 55 steals (2.2 per game), senior Josh Atkinson with 40.6 % three-point shooting and senior Steve Huenink with 73.6 % from the line.
Coach Cassidy will lose 41.7 points (52.5 %) of his team's scoring, 16.4 rebounds (44.1 %), 211 assists (65.1 %) and 128 steals (41.7 %) with the graduation of four seniors Josh Atkinson, Steve Huenink, David Lipanot and Travis Moulton.
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