Mercer men's basketball team ready for next Southern Conference step

Mercer's first season in the Southern Conference went well.

The Bears finished third in the regular season and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament. But after winning the A-Sun title and reaching the NCAA tournament (and beating Duke) in their final season in the A-Sun, the Bears were not satisfied with last year's results.

They will look to make up for that beginning Friday when they host Allen at Hawkins Arena.

"That has motivated us a lot," senior point guard Phillip Leonard said of the loss to Furman in the Southern Conference tournament in March. "We think about it all the time. We just didn't get it done last year, and it motivates us every day. We have to be better each possession, each game. We have to be focused and execute the game plan. We have to practice hard every day and be ready every time we go out.

"I think we have a chance, but it's a good conference, and there are good teams each night we go out and each team can beat you. We have to be ready to play each day whoever we are playing, Whether it's the best team in the conference or the team with the worst record. we have to be ready."

Mercer doesn't have to focus on conference games until January (the other opener is against Samford), but before then, the Bears have plenty of big games on their schedule. After a three-game home stand to open the season, Mercer plays at Davidson and takes part in a holiday tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.

In December, the Bears have road games with Auburn, Arkansas, Ohio State and Kennesaw State to end the calendar year.

"Our communication is not where it needs to be," Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman said of his team's preseason preparations. "That's a hallmark of our program. We weren't near as good at it last year as we need to be. That's something we need to build on. Our defensive principles still are not there yet either, and that's usually how it is at this time of the season, but those are the things we need to shore up to be in the position we need to be in, especially with the schedule early on playing a lot of high BCS teams.

"To beat one of those teams we are going to have to be together, communicate better and get better in our defensive principles."

Hoffman said one of the team's strengths entering the season should be rebounding, led by sophomore Stephon Jelks, along with new big men Andrew Fishler and Desmond Ringer. Hoffman said the Bears likely will play with a quicker pace this year with Leonard and Jordan Strawberry pushing the ball from the point guard spot.

"The team is looking good this year," senior guard Jestin Lewis said. "We are so together this year; we are like one big family on the court. We all push each other every day and make each other better every day."

Bears sign two: Hoffman's program signed two players Thursday -- Ross Cummings and Darius Roy. Cummings is a 6-foot-3 guard from Charlotte, Tennessee, while Roy is a 6-2 guard from Lawton, Oklahoma.

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Mercer men's basketball team ready for next Southern Conference step ."