City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of our 2016-17 season coverage, which will run for the six weeks preceding the first official games of the year on Nov. 11. To access all of our high school and college preview content for this season, click here.)

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LANCASTER — Even when sitting behind the desk that’s parked comfortably in his second-floor office, Zach Filzen can peer through the tiny window cut into one wall and see the Horst Athletic Center court where even more work takes place.

Running shooting drills. Overseeing fitness work. Installing another defensive look or fine-tuning an offensive set that was put in a day or so earlier. Calling his players into a huddle for a quick pick-me-up or some needed constructive criticism.

Such is the day-to-day regimen of the 28-year-old Filzen, the youthful Minnesota native who last season checked into the bucolic Lancaster Bible College’s campus and promptly guided the high-octane Chargers to a memorable season flush with firsts.

These days, however, Filzen is diligently trying to take every single thing that occurred during a fantastic 2015-16 run and put it on a highly visible, historical shelf while coaxing his players to move on from what happened in the not-so-distant past.

A fresh start, if you will.

With just three players returning — and a number of transfers and untested freshmen comprising a 12-man recruiting class — what choice does Filzen have but to start anew? Even though a 27-1 campaign flush with highlights remains fresh along U.S. 222?

“It was fun, it was a great run, but now it’s time to refocus and kind of move forward,” Filzen recalled. “With 12 new guys on the roster, it’s a lot about getting these guys to buy into each other, learn the system, learn each other, understand each other as people and how they play. So, we’ve had a lot of conversations about that and a lot of different things to try to get our culture, and the spot where guys are together and willing to buy into each other and buy into what we’re doing.

“Our guys have been great, so that step has been going well. And it’s also about just getting better each and every single day,” Filzen continued. “With so many new guys, I’m not sure how long it’ll take for us to click — but we have a group that I really like as people and I really like as players. We’ll see what we can keep on building.”

What was already in place by the time the driven Filzen checked in from Minnesota, where he was working as an assistant women’s hoops coach, was a veteran crew full of athleticism and fresh from the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association’s 2015 Division II championship, a nifty run capped by LBC’s record 28th win.

So, Filzen’s primary objective was simple.

“My goal last year, being my first year here, was to try to take it to another level and see what we could accomplish,” said Filzen, who was tagged the NEAC’s coach of the year.

And, as it turned out, Filzen’s first LBC squad accomplished plenty.

Such as the aforementioned 27-1 record, Lancaster Bible’s first North Eastern Athletic Conference championship and the school’s first trip to the NCAA Division III tournament. Filzen’s Chargers also barged into the national rankings for the first time.

“It’s just crazy how we had two different teams pretty much, two different personalities,” said 6-1 junior guard Herbie Brown (Concord Christian), the Delaware native and one of LBC’s three returning players. “They both had that will to work hard and get better every single day. Same results, pretty much.”

If Lancaster Bible fielded teams with different personalities each of the past two seasons, that trend is likely to continue with so many newcomers on hand.

Hence, the day-by-day approach Filzen embraces as he and a coaching staff that includes Lancaster Bible athletic director and former head coach Pete Beers devise a two-way scheme that will allow this crop of Chargers to be successful.

Even Filzen’s mother — Tammy Metcalf-Filzen won 252 games in 15 seasons as a head coach at St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges in Minnesota — was in Lancaster last month for a visit, stopping by workouts to help install some defensive looks.

“They really enjoyed having her out here. They were great with her,” a grinning Filzen said of his players’ reactions. “It becomes very clear that she knows what she’s talking about right away, and they were great with that.”

And they’ve apparently been great throughout a retooling process needed since nearly 88 percent of Lancaster Bible’s offensive production — Filzen’s Chargers averaged 94.1 ppg and led D-III in assists — no longer sports red and white tinted gear. That sizable list includes departed All-American forward C.J. Dunston, the NEAC player of the year.

While Brown (9.6 ppg) last season averaged nearly 10 points per game coming off the bench, 6-1 junior guard Bill Livezey (0.8 ppg) and 5-8 senior guard Javon Cole (1.4 ppg), also reserves in 2015-16, are being counted on to play significant roles.

Same for transfers such as 5-11 sophomore Jason Kuntzelman from nearby Mount Calvary by way of Cairn University, 6-2 junior Micah Brown (Penn Manor/Messiah), 6-5 sophomore Austin Brown (St. Mary’s, Md.), 6-4 sophomore Alex Whitt (Lakeland, Wis.) and 5-10 junior Austin Feaster (Corban, Ore.).

“We have a good mix of guys that were kind of looking for a fresh opportunity that are great kids and who really fit what we want this program to be about,” Filzen said of his transfers. “They’re guys that have bought into the direction we want to go.”

Filzen & Co. also added four freshmen to their refurbished roster, including Lancaster Country products such as 6-8 Brett Cataudella (Garden Spot) and Beers’ 6-2 son, Luke (Lampeter-Strasburg). Everyone is trying to fit into roles while battling for PT.

“I’m not sure what the future holds, but I know we have guys that are willing to work hard every day,” Brown said. “Come in here and put the hard work in.

“We have a coach that loves us and he’s willing to get on us when we need to and give us what we need. As long as we work hard every day, I see the sky’s the limit.”

While Lancaster Bible will play 20 league contests — including two apiece against each of their NEAC South Division playmates — Filzen’s Chargers also have several formidable foes lined up on their limited nonleague slate.

Up first is a quick trip across town to face preseason No. 23 Franklin & Marshall — Filzen’s Chargers last season defeated Glenn Robinson’s club 94-66, so the Diplomats should be riled up — Friday in a four-team event also featuring York and St. Vincent.

LBC also will play Messiah, Juniata and No. 25 Susquehanna.

“It’s going to be a fun game to start us out, but it’s not gonna make or break our season,” Filzen said of the F&M opener.

“If we struggle and don’t play well, we’ll learn from it and keep getting better. If we play well, we’ll use that as a springboard to get better regardless.”

Although getting better has been heard over and over each time the retooled Chargers gather for practice in their cozy Horst Athletic Center digs or meet somewhere else just to talk, the aspirations for a Lancaster Bible program remain unchanged.

These guys remain committed to doing well and accomplishing plenty.

“The expectations are still pretty high, but at the same time we just take it day by day,” Brown admitted. “Just one goal for the day, seeing if we can reach that.

“And just keep trying to succeed and get better every single day.”

“We believe we’re a program that’s on the rise and we want to continue that process,” Filzen added. “We also understand that to get to the point that we want to get to and accomplish some of the goals, accomplish some of the things we’re chasing after, it takes embracing the process of getting better every day and these guys have bought in.

“Herbie saying that just shows that’s where their mindset is, too. We talk a lot about it. We talk a lot about great attitude, great effort every single day, competing every single day. As we do that, we can’t help but get better,” Filzen continued.

“As they do it every day, as they start clicking more and more, it could be a lot of fun.”