Preview: Chargers host Yellow Jackets, journey to Dragons in huge convention week

Schedule
Cedarville (8-6, 3-3 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (6-9, 3-4 G-MAC) | 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 15 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Hillsdale (6-9, 3-4 G-MAC) at Tiffin (4-10, 0-7 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 17 | Gillmor Center | Tiffin, OH
 
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Cedarville Roster | Tiffin Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Cedarville Stats | Tiffin Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats

Projected Starters

Hillsdale: #1 Caleb Glaser, Jr., F, Appleton, WI/Appleton East (10.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg) #2 Ashton Janowski, Sr, G, Pewaukee, WI/Pewaukee (12.1 ppg, 2.3 apg); #11 Cole McWhinnie, Sr., G, Toledo, OH/Christian (8.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.4 apg); #22 Tommy Morgan, rFr., G/F, Brunswick, OH/Brunswick (8.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg); #24 Garrett Bolte, Jr., F, Chicago, IL/Hinsdale South (8.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

 

Cedarville: #0 Jaylen Davis, So, G, Richmond, KY/Madison Central (14.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1 spg); #3 Anthony Ruffolo, Jr., G, Dayton, OH/Archbishop Alter (15.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.2 spg); #11 Sam Johnson, So., F, Worthington, OH/Worthington Christian (13.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg); #12 Ethan Sellars, Sr., G, Ashland, KY/Paul G. Blazer (6.2 ppg, 1 spg); #15 Will Gibson, So., F, Floyds Knobs, IN/DeSales (6.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4 apg)

 

Tiffin: #1 D’monyae Davis, Sr., G, Fort Worth, TX/East Texas A&M U. (7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg); #4 Jonah Nesmith, Sr., F, Conway, SC/Tyler JC (9.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg); #22 Michael Lucarotti, Sr., G, Erie, PA/Gannon U. (18.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.8 apg); #24 Demar Burton, Jr., F, San Antonio, TX/Coastal Bend College (11.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4 apg, 1.1 spg); #35 Jacob Pleiman, Sr., F, Botkins, OH/Botkins (11.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)

 

Scouting the Opposition

Cedarville: Cedarville travels to Hillsdale on Thursday in an enormous recreation for each squads as they appear to solidify their standings in a wild and hotly-contested G-MAC race.

 

The Yellow Jackets have been a stylish darkish horse decide for the G-MAC title coming into the season primarily based on spectacular returning expertise, however inconsistent play have stored them from the highest of the G-MAC standings. That stated, Cedarville is as harmful a staff as any within the league due to its top-end expertise, led by the robust sophomore duo of guard Jaylen Davis and submit Sam Johnson. The pair took the G-MAC by storm as freshmen and have remained wonderful in 2024-25.

 

They’re properly supported by high-scoring junior Anthony Ruffalo, who leads the staff in factors per recreation. That trio offers Cedarville a terrific basis, however the Yellow Jackets may use extra from a supporting forged that features veteran guard Ethan Sellars and Liberty transfers Curtis Blair and Will Gibson.

 

Hillsdale has had nice success in opposition to Cedarville through the years, with a 17-3 mark all -time in opposition to the Yellow Jackets, however two of Cedarville’s three wins have come within the final two seasons in opposition to the Chargers.

 

Tiffin: It’s been a tough begin to the 2025-26 season for the Dragons, who’ve misplaced their first seven G-MAC contests and at present sit on the backside of the standings. That stated, an early-season win over Lewis and aggressive losses to Cedarville, Malone and Kentucky Wesleyan present that Tiffin has higher expertise than its file, and the Dragons may have a greater second half than the primary.

 

The Dragons discipline a lineup with measurement and athleticism headlined by ahead Jonah Nesmith and guard Michael Lucarotti, two gamers who have been part-time starters in 2024-25 however have turn out to be focal factors of the staff’s assault this season. JuCo switch Demar Burton, a 6-foot-8 wing, additionally has been a key participant for Tiffin within the early going, whereas one other second-year participant, D’monyae Davis, additionally has turn out to be extra necessary because the Dragons get deeper into the season.

 

In addition to the starters, redshirt freshman Noah Smith and JuCo switch TJ Pangonas additionally play important roles within the rotation. Tiffin will likely be searching for extra from two returning starters who’ve battled accidents and been out and in of the rotation – KJ Pruitt and Caleb Bates – within the again half of the season.

 

Tiffin has been among the best defensive groups within the convention, holding opponents to simply 66.8 factors per recreation, third within the G-MAC, however have struggled offensively, rating lifeless final within the league by nearly seven factors a recreation.

 

Hillsdale has traditionally dominated the matchup with Tiffin, with a 36-6 file all-time in a collection that dates to 1977. The Dragons, nonetheless, received the latest matchup in Tiffin, 72-58 final season, to snap a 16 recreation Chargers successful streak within the collection.

 

Scouting the Chargers

Hillsdale is trying to reload, not rebuild in 2025-26 after a 20-win marketing campaign final season and heavy commencement losses that noticed 4 starters depart.

There is upside for Hillsdale, because the Chargers rolled with a deep bench final season, which means that regardless of the departures, there’s nonetheless loads of expertise returning for Hillsdale to work with in 2025-26.

The Chargers’ lone returning starter is level guard Ashton Janowski, a double-digit scorer in 2024-25 and a key chief and ground common at an important place to have expertise at for any younger staff. Along with Janowski, Hillsdale additionally returns junior CJ Yarian, who began 28 video games at middle in 2023-24 and remained an necessary a part of the rotation within the submit final 12 months.

So far this season, Hillsdale has gotten stable returns from a submit rotation that features Yarian in addition to stretch 4 Garrett Bolte, dynamic middle Caleb Glaser and expert ahead Connor Stonebraker, who play a major chunk of minutes off the bench. Bolte, Glaser and Stonebraker are all on monitor to submit profession highs in practically each stat this season.

On the perimeter, guard Cole McWhinnie has moved into the beginning lineup alongside Janowski, who continues to be a frontrunner for the Chargers. McWhinnie is also posting profession highs. Freshmen, each redshirt and true, are making a major impression for Hillsdale, with Tommy Morgan beginning on the wing and guards Braylon Morris and Paxton Giertz additionally getting huge minutes off the bench. A 3rd true freshman, Matt Buckman, made his season debut earlier than Christmas break after lacking a lot of November and December with an damage, and will add much more high quality depth.

Hillsdale is hoping for the return of junior Mikey McCollum, the staff’s sixth man off the bench in 2024-25 who completed because the staff’s second-leading scorer with 12.1 factors per recreation final 12 months. McCollum has battled accidents and has missed the beginning of the 2025-26 season but when he can get wholesome he would supply a serious increase offensively.

Returning for his third season as head coach of Hillsdale College is Keven Bradley, who has a 38-20 file thus far main the Chargers. Bradley is joined by two new assistants, Jackson McLaughlin and Braeden Proctor, for the 2025-26 marketing campaign.

 

Other Notes

• The Chargers have been picked to complete fifth within the G-MAC Preseason Poll launched in late October. Defending champion Findlay was picked to repeat with eight first place votes, whereas Ashland and Thomas More have been picked second and third, respectively, with two first place votes every. Cedarville was tabbed to put fourth. Since becoming a member of the league in 2017-18, Hillsdale has by no means completed decrease than third within the ultimate standings.
• As a senior captain and Hillsdale’s solely returning starter from final season, Ashton Janowski is linchpin participant for the Chargers. With 650 profession factors coming into the 2025-26 season, he has an opportunity of changing into the 42^nd participant in Hillsdale College males’s basketball historical past to surpass 1,000 factors with an enormous ultimate marketing campaign. He’s off to a formidable begin in 2025-26 thus far, main Hillsdale with 12.1 factors per recreation and burying a game-winning shot with one second to play in a 74-72 victory over Ohio Christian on Nov. 22.
• Junior Caleb Glaser was inserted into the beginning lineup on Jan. 3 in opposition to Malone and has confirmed that was a sensible choice with a string of spectacular performances, together with a 19 level, 9 rebound effort in opposition to Walsh on Jan. 5 and a profession finest 21-point, eight rebound efficiency at Kentucky Wesleyan on Jan. 8. Always a high-energy participant all through his profession, Glaser at present ranks second on the staff in scoring (10.9 factors per recreation) and first in rebounding (6.3 per recreation).
• Freshman Braylon Morris has flashed critical potential off the bench for the Chargers to begin his profession at Hillsdale, with a pair of 20-plus level video games in victories for the Chargers thus far. Morris poured in 28 factors in a double-OT win over Lake Erie on Dec. 6, and led Hillsdale with 22 factors in a win over Truman State on Dec. 17. In each victories he shot over 70% from the ground and 50% from 3-point vary. As Morris continues to adapt to the faculty degree and develop extra snug, his inventory ought to proceed to rise.
• Senior Cole McWhinnie is a veteran chief for the Chargers and is taking part in a key function on the perimeter for Hillsdale in his first season as a starter. McWhinnie is averaging a profession excessive in factors whereas additionally rating first amongst Hillsdale gamers in assists (3.4 per recreation, eighth within the G-MAC) and steals (0.9 per recreation). He additionally ranks second within the G-MAC amongst all gamers in help to turnover ratio (2.7)
• Junior Garrett Bolte is approaching robust for the Chargers, with 4 double-figure scoring contests in a 5 recreation stretch in December to stand up Hillsdale’s scoring checklist this season. A stable rebounder and tenacious defender, Bolte has confirmed himself to be a worthwhile addition to the Chargers’ beginning lineup and can look to stay scorching offensively in 2026.
• A veteran presence with many video games beneath his belt, middle CJ Yarian has made a profession out of doing the soiled work down low for the Chargers. Yarian ranks second for Hillsdale with 5.2 rebounds per recreation in 2025-26, and has at all times been a keen and expert passer within the submit all through his profession, with a formidable 2.2 assists per recreation as properly. Yarian additionally ranks ninth within the G-MAC with 0.8 blocks per recreation and is on monitor to surpass 500 rebounds for his profession earlier than his time at Hillsdale is over, a formidable milestone that just a few at Hillsdale have reached.