Men's Basketball Ranked in Three National Polls

Greensboro, N.C. (11/14/07) -- Three national media outlets ranked Guilford College's men's basketball team among the top-11 NCAA Division III squads in their 2007-08 preseason polls. D3hoops.com has the Quakers fourth in its poll, The Sporting News tabbed Guilford eighth and DIII News picked coach Tom Palombo's team 11th.

The preseason national ratings are the Quakers' first since joining the NCAA Division III ranks in 1991. In addition, Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men's basketball coaches put Guilford atop their preseason poll for the first time in history.

Guilford officially opens its 2007-08 season this Saturday (Nov. 17) at home against Villa Julie College at 7:00 p.m. The Mustangs, like Guilford, participated in the 2006-07 NCAA Division III Tournament.

Returning experience and talent undoubtedly contributed to the Quakers' lofty projections. Palombo welcomes back three starters and 10 letter winners from last year’s 24-5 team that reached the national quarterfinals. Senior Ben Strong, a 6-11 center, returns after winning the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Co-Player of the Year and the D3hoops.com Player of the Year awards. The Sporting News and DIII News both tabbed Strong as their preseason 2007-08 NCAA Division III Player of the Year.

A year ago, Strong averaged 25.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in Guilford’s best season since 1974-75. He enters his senior campaign ranked 13th in school history with 1,494 career points. In 2006-07, Strong ranked fourth among Division III leaders in scoring, ninth in rebounding and 12th in blocks per game. He won the ODAC's Player of the Year Award and poured in an NCAA Division III Tournament-record 59 points in Guilford’s 129-128 triple-overtime win over Lincoln (Pa.) University.

In addition to Strong, Palombo returns senior point guard Caleb Kimbrough and senior power forward Eric Belkoski, who like Strong, have started for the past two years. Kimbrough, Strong’s teammate since middle school, is a three-year starter and averaged 6.5 points and 2.9 assists per game last year. Belkoski is a 6-3 forward who showed an improved scoring touch as a junior, averaging 8.4 points per game.

Sophomore guard Clay Henson provided key backcourt minutes off the bench in his rookie campaign, which will help him contribute more in 2007-08. Junior power forward George Neville and 6-10 sophomore center Tyler Sanborn return to provide frontcourt depth. Senior Ray Edmond, a defensive specialist on the perimeter, appeared in all 29 games with Neville and Sanborn.