Jan. 30, 2008

EASTON, Pa. - The best teams are comprised of individuals who work together toward a common goal. A look at the senior class on Lafayette's men's basketball team shows a group of five student-athletes who come from extremely different backgrounds, yet have formed an unlikely bond that sets the tone for the entire team. For the first time in their collegiate career, they are enjoying substantial success on the court as a result of it.

"We're really different guys from different places. We cover the whole U.S. and then overseas," said senior captain Matt Betley. "We have different roles but we have all come together as seniors. We've been through it before - four years of the practice and the drills - and all of us share a role in leading the team."

The team consists of 13 members from nine different states and four countries. The senior class is just as diverse with players coming from as close as New Jersey and as far away as Ireland. Just as their backgrounds are different, so are their personalities and style of leadership.

Betley is an Economics & Business major from Mount Laurel, N.J. As captain, the forward serves as the voice of the Leopards. He led the team in scoring and rebounding last season after being moved to the forward position from guard.

"Any senior serves as a vocal leader to an underclassman, but Matt does such a good job of keeping these guys in check, both on and off the court," Ted Detmer said.

While Betley is the most vocal of the seniors, Paul Cummins prefers to work behind the scenes. A Psychology and Music double major from Kildare, Ireland, the 6-3 shooting guard sees himself as a confidence builder for the team. The oldest of the group, Cummins often plays the role of the big brother off the court, and "an offensive spark" on the court.

"If I can come in and make some shots and get hot, then I can change the game or get the guys up," Cummins said.

Guard Bilal Abdullah, who hails from Anchorage, Alaska, acts as the jack of all trades on the team. He etched his name into the Lafayette record book earlier this season, when he became the 35th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

"Bilal does a little, and sometimes a lot of everything," said head coach Fran O'Hanlon. "He's a very gifted all-around player."

Averaging over 15 points and five rebounds per game, Abdullah is often matched up with the opponent's top scorer.

Detmer comes to Lafayette from Scarsdale, N.Y. Described by his teammates as "the funny one," the Government & Law major's efforts don't always show up in the box score.

"Ted is an unsung hero," O'Hanlon said. "He does all the dirty work for us. He may have the best in understanding what we do."

"I hope to just serve as a model and example on the floor of how to run Coach O'Hanlon's system and how to effectively execute his plan," the forward said.

Everest Schmidt brings size to the floor. The 6-7, 270-pound forward from Orleans, Calif. is one of the most improved players on the team and has given the Leopards a post presence this season.

The senior leadership began to take hold on the team's trip Italy in May where Lafayette reeled off four wins and emerged with a fresh perspective on the game.

"We knew we had to change," Betley said. "Last year we were in last place, so obviously what we were doing wasn't working. We knew we had to put a lot more time and effort into it."

"I think the Italy trip was huge as far as how our team gelled in the beginning of the season," Cummins said. "It allowed us time to find our identity and spend more time together on and off the court."

The team parlayed its 4-0 trip to Italy into a solid preseason that set the tone for the 2007-08 campaign.

Coming into the season, Lafayette was picked to finish last in the preseason poll, but the five seniors guided Lafayette past its 2006-07 win total just one week into conference play, knocking off Holy Cross and Bucknell in the opening round.

"The Patriot League is a league where senior-dominated teams are the ones that find success," Detmer said. "It's nice that after such a long time we've found a class that buys into each other and what Coach O'Hanlon teaches everyday in practice."

"We know what it takes to win now," Abdullah said. "We're finally learning when it's time to take the tough shots and when to come up with the big defensive stops and how to close out plays better."