Last season’s SEMO men’s basketball team was a microcosm of the new norm. Battling inconsistencies and a deep league, the Redhawks – who were coming off an OVC title and NCAA tournament appearance in 2022-23 – suffered their worst single season finish since 2020 after falling to 9-22.

However, as the first official practice kicked off on Monday and the countdown to the 2024-25 season begins, there is a new wave of optimism surrounding the program.

SEMO will feature a roster of developing young talent, new transfers, and a small-but-crucial dose of experience, anchored by star junior guard Rob Martin. With three of last season’s top five scorers gone, including three-point machine Adam Larson (Chattanooga), change is still a constant. But if the recent past is a guide, excitement – for better or worse – should be too.

When asked about his current team and new crop of talent, fourth-year head coach Brad Korn was quick to describe them in one particular way.

“This is a group of workers, so they’ve just come in and worked,” he said.

That hard work and talent all starts with Martin, who, following strong freshman and sophomore campaigns, gives the Redhawks a promising foundation to build upon for the new season.

“I just feel like I’m more comfortable,” Martin said. “I have the experience playing last year in knowing just how to play the game. This year, I feel like I’m being more of a leader.”

Based on what Korn has witnessed first-hand, he agrees.

“The thing about a good player like Rob is there is much more growth with him not just on the court, but in watching film and trying to develop a little bit more of a leadership role as well.”

With Martin and junior guard Braxton Stacker, who, according to Korn, “had a really good summer,” returning to the fold – coupled with Korn ushering in six new JUCO transfers and a promising local freshman in Cape Central grad Jay Reynolds – the Redhawks boast a legitimate roster that is filled with more depth, optionality, and quality.

Korn believes that the JUCO transfer portal route has proven to be an effective way of bolstering his squad.

“Junior college basketball sometimes gets a bad rap,” he said. “I think it’s a great market for us and I am very pleased with the guys that we have.”

Along with junior centers Mason Hanback and David Idada, John A. Logan College transfer Elliot Lowndes now gives SEMO three 7-footers to an already-formidable frontcourt.

“Defensive rebounding – those are things you can control all the time,” Korn said. “You can't always control making every shot, so to add some strength and physicality and charity across the board, along with talent, is something we’re excited about and looking forward to.”

While the height advantage may prove to be a force, Korn said that it boils down to simply putting his five best players on the court this winter.

“They obviously have to mesh well, otherwise it's not going to work necessarily,” Korn said. “We have a lot more depth now... so you've got a lot of different combinations that you can use. And that's the beauty of the versatility of the older guys and the physicality of the guys that we brought in.”

As the preseason continues to roll along, the question facing SEMO is whether that talent will have enough time together to figure out how good they can be.

The Redhawks will be put to the test when they begin the season at Bradley University on Monday, Nov. 4, and at Vanderbilt University on Sunday, Nov. 10.