Season Review: Men's Basketball makes gains, posts solid 16-10 record under first-year head coach Rich Bensman

By Shannon Jack

ADA – The Ohio Northern men's basketball team posted a solid 16-10 record in 2016-17 under first-year head coach Rich Bensman.

Northern tied for second in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a 14-4 mark, its highest finish since 2005-06, and was the No. 3 seed in the OAC Tournament.

A 101-91 victory over No. 13-ranked Marietta midway through the season sparked a 10-game winning streak for the Polar Bears, who then went 11-2 through the end of the regular season.

"I'm proud of our guys and the way we battled back. I'm very happy with the way we responded all year," Bensman said.

ONU is a program on the rise. In addition to posting its first winning season since 2013-14, the Polar Bears improved statistically with better team points per game, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentages.

Several players were also recognized for their individual efforts.

Senior Devon Allen (Lima/Senior) was named First Team All-OAC and was named OAC Player of the Week on Feb. 5.

Allen led the OAC with a school single-season record 90 made 3-pointers and ended his career ranked third all-time at ONU with an 87.7 free throw shooting percentage. Allen also led his team in scoring this season with a 15.4 ppg average.

He is also ranked eighth all-time at ONU with 205 career made three-pointers.

Sophomore Ryan Bruns (Chickasaw/Marion Local) was named Second Team All-OAC. Bruns led the OAC with an ONU sophomore record 66 blocked shots. He also ranked fifth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game and tied for third on the team in scoring at 13.0 ppg.

Bruns ranks fifth all-time at ONU with 124 career blocked shots.

Senior Joey Hurless (Van Wert) was named an Honorable Mention All-OAC Honoree for his second consecutive season. Hurless holds the ONU all-time assist record with 494 career assists, as well as the single season record of 195 assists.

Off the court, six Polar Bears received Academic All-OAC honors, including Hurless, juniors Grant Pepper (Oakwood), Alex Sibila (Zionsville, Ind.), Joey DiOrio (Columbus/Watterson) and Max Harnett (Kettering/Alter) and sophomore Sean Grady (Willowick/Eastlake North).

Junior Nate Burger (Dayton/Alter) was second on the team in scoring at 13.1 ppg,  senior Konnor Baker (Ada) tied Bruns for third in scoring at 13.0 ppg and senior Aron Thress (Lancaster/Amanda Clearcreek) was fifth in scoring at 10.6 ppg and second in rebounding at 5.8 rpg.

Thress ends his career ranked eighth all-time in ONU history with 56 blocked shots.