ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Another season of Elmira College men's basketball is just around the corner, as the Soaring Eagles open the 2016-17 campaign on the road tomorrow night with a 8:00 p.m. matchup against the Hawks of Hilbert College. Elmira will be looking to bounce back from a four-win season a year ago, and with a reloaded roster from the previous season, the Purple and Gold should not be taken lightly by their opposition.
 
A quick glance at the statistics from the 2015-16 season will paint a very clear picture of the Soaring Eagles – they lived and died by the three-ball. Elmira's identity as a three-point shooting club was undeniable, as the EC men broke the program's all-time record for the most made three-point attempts in back-to-back seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
 
Although Elmira returns two of its most lethal shooters from the arc, the team will more than likely not rely on the three-ball to carry them this season. Instead, the Soaring Eagles will hope to use a more balanced approach on offense and utilize its size, a luxury EC has not enjoyed for many years, to help create favorable matchups throughout the season.
 
"I think we have changed our strengths this year," said Head Coach Randie Torgalski, who enters his ninth season with the Purple and Gold. "The last two years we broke the college record for three-pointers made because we had the guys to do it, but we don't have as many threats to do that this year. But we do have more guys that can get to the paint and get to the rim."
 
Last season, Elmira's three-point shooters knocked down 230 attempts from distance, accounting for 40.4-percent of the team's total scoring output. With new size in the paint and the return of a handful of key contributors, Elmira could make some serious noise within the Empire 8 Conference.
 
Key Returners
JUSTIN PORRETT '19
The six-foot one-inch do-it-all guard returns for his second stint with the Soaring Eagles, following an excellent freshman campaign that saw the Dumont, New Jersey, native claim Empire 8 Rookie of the Week honors three times. Porrett enters the season as Elmira's top-returner in several statistical categories, including points per game (11.0), rebounds per game (4.4), assists per game (3.8) and steals (22). Look for the bulk of production on both ends of the floor to fall on Porrett's shoulders throughout the 2016-17 campaign.
 
"We are looking for Justin to be more consistent this year," said Torgalski. "We want him to take another step forward in being more of a vocal leader, even as a sophomore. He's no longer a secret to the teams around the league, so he will have a target on his back for them to stop him."
 
HAYDEN HARKINS '18
A sharp-shooting forward with good size at six-feet five-inches, Harkins is back after producing career numbers across the board in 2015-16. His effortless stroke from three-point range was on full display last season, as Harkins led the E8 with 3.1 makes per game, an average that also ranked 26th in the nation. However, Harkins will be counted on this season to expand his offensive arsenal to become more of an all-around scoring threat than just a spot-up shooter.  
 
"Hayden has basically been a shooter for the past two years, but we are asking him to expand his game into the post, do more rebounding and make more decisions with the ball," said Torgalski. "He's been a contributor over the last two years and has a pretty good presence on the court for us, but he has to elevate his leadership game as a junior, especially being a captain."
 
HENRY CUFFEE '19
Cuffee averaged 12.2 minutes per game during his rookie campaign, but do not let the lack of time fool you, as the Bel Air, Maryland, native will surely see his playing time vastly increase in 2016-17. With good height and a visibly stronger body, Cuffee will play an important role for Elmira as one of the team's most dynamic players. Look for him to create matchup problems in the post with his ability to score in the paint and knock down jumpers from mid-range.
 
"Henry is a really high-energy player," Torgalski simply stated. "He can make a lot of things happen on the boards, driving to the basket and scoring inside. He has the ability to knock down shots from the outside, so he can be a really tough matchup for bigger guys to go inside-outside, which makes him a very dynamic player in the conference."
 
ANTHONY ABATE '19
The 2015-16 season saw Abate provide quality minutes off of the bench as one of the team's most fearless slashers to the basket. Abate, a six-foot three-inch native of Orange Park, Florida, averaged 15.5 minutes per game as a freshman and logged 4.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest. A versatile threat with good range on his jumper and the ability to create contact around the hoop, look for Abate to be consistent scorer for the Soaring Eagles during upcoming season.
 
"He's another high-energy guy that can make jump shots from the three-point line, drive to the basket and get to the foul line," said Torgalski. "He was a contributor last season, but now we are asking him to step into a different role this season, something he is more than capable of doing."
 
PAUL BISCHOFF '18
Despite averaging 4.8 minutes per game in 10 contests as a sophomore, Bischoff will join Harkins as a leader on this year's team as one of Elmira's two captains. Bischoff has pushed his teammates during practices over the last two seasons and has also provided Elmira with depth at the forward position. His worth ethic will be something that hopefully rubs off on a fairly young Soaring Eagle squad.
  
Top Newcomers
KYLE MCCREERY '20
Standing at six-feet eight-inches, this rookie forward has the ability to be an immediate contributor for the Soaring Eagles this season. McCreery is coming off a senior season at Monticello High School, where he averaged 14.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game en route to 2016 Sullivan County Player of the Year honors. Keep an eye on McCreery to log significant time as an inside-outside threat.
 
"He's a guy who can really shoot the ball from three-point range and from 15-17 feet," Torgalksi said. "He's very long and has the potential to earn multiple all-conference awards during his college career and has shown glimpses of being very skilled player already."
 
JEREMY EVERY '20
Year after year, Elmira prides itself on having one of the league's top guards. From the limited time the coaching staff has had with Every, it looks as though the Soaring Eagles might have another quality ball handler waiting in the wings. Although he is smaller in stature than EC guards of recent history, Every more than makes up for it with his quickness and playmaking ability. Look for the Sacramento, California, native to push the tempo for the Purple and Gold this season.
 
"He's a very quick point guard from California," Torgalski stated. "He's another guy that can really get up and down the floor and create chances at the basket. He's a playmaker, a little different from what we have had in the past."
 
ADAM PARK '18
Although Park is new to Elmira basketball, he is anything but a rookie on the hardwood. Park comes to Elmira after spending two years with the Tompkins Cortland Community College men's basketball team. A local native a Spencer, New York, Park adds a strong inside presence to Elmira's front court.
 
"Adam is a big, thick, strong-body and we are looking for a physical presence from him inside the paint," said Torgalski. "He's going to be doing the work for us in the paint, grabbing rebounds, banging down low and hopefully getting a few baskets as well."
 
General Outlook
Elmira's days of averaging 25-plus three-point attempts per game look to be a thing of the past, especially with the team's influx of size in the post. With more height than in previous years, Elmira will have the flexibility to produce a handful of different looks within its lineup, whether that be small, big, or a combination of the two.
 
In addition to size, Elmira also added speed to its roster, something that Coach Torgalski says will help the Soaring Eagles play at a faster pace in the upcoming season.  Although, do not discount Elmira's three-point shooters, as the Soaring Eagles still possess a bevy of threats from the arc.
 
However, one major challenge that will be interesting to watch during the early stages of the season is the absence of a home contest until the month of January, a whopping 10 games into the 2016-17 schedule. Making matters even more difficult for Elmira is the quality of competition the team will face during its non-conference schedule.
 
Despite the rigors of a tough non-conference slate, all of which take place on the road, Coach Torgalski remains optimistic on what a nine-game road stretch can have on a relatively young squad.  
 
"It's a good chance for our guys, especially with us being a young team, to go through these trials and tribulations of playing very good teams on the road. They will be spending a lot of time together and learning how to stick together through all the tough times, and positive ones, you have on the road. It gives us that chance to say there is nothing we haven't seen yet or gone through once we hit conference play. We have the potential to play one of the hardest non-conference schedules we have ever played if we play all the tough teams that we have the chance to play against, which will only help us out down the road."
 
Season Opener
Elmira's 47th season of collegiate hoops begins tomorrow night, November 15th, as the Soaring Eagles travel to the Hafner Recreation Center in Hamburg, New York, home to the Hawks of Hilbert College. Tuesday's season opener marks the fifth meeting between the two programs, as the Purple and Gold will look to snap a two-game skid to the Hawks; EC's last win dates back to the 2013-14 season, when the Soaring Eagles claimed a 74-64 victory at Speidel Gymnasium.