SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – Just days away from its season opener at home against Dakota State, the Briar Cliff men’s basketball team took part in its media day at the Newman Flanagan Center.

Head coach Mark Svagera and the Chargers were selected eighth in the GPAC Preseason Poll. The team lost a quartet of big pieces but return a pair of starters in Matthew Stilwill and Quinn Vesey. Briar Cliff also added a trio of impact freshmen.

Stilwill averaged over 12 points per game last season and scored double-digits in 17 games for Briar Cliff while Vesey was an All-GPAC Honorable Mention last season for the Chargers.

Eleven of the team’s fourteen losses came by single-digit decisions, which is something the Chargers are working on avoiding this year.

“I don’t like to talk about last year, or this or that. But, you look at a year ago and we lost a lot of close games and it really hurt us down the stretch. Now, we need to find ways to win those close games.” Briar Cliff men’s basketball head coach Mark Svagera said. “It comes down to toughness, it comes down to togetherness, and it comes down to trust throughout your program and that’s something we’ve tried to drive home and something I think our guys have done a really good job of and they’re ready to go play now.”

The Chargers will kick off the 2023-24 campaign at home against Dakota State on Thursday. Tip-off at the Newman Flanagan Center is slated for 7:30 p.m.