Another season of Wilkes men’s basketball is upon us and Coach Izzi Metz, in his twelfth season at the helm is returning quite a bit. 

After going 20-7 (13-5) in 2024-25, the Colonels return to the floor in another quest for a Landmark Conference title. 

After only graduating two starters last season,  the Colonels return many key pieces such as All-Conference Forward Lucas Lesko who averaged over 20 points a game a year ago. 

The two other seniors are Jack Argento and Colin Ackerman. Other returning players include sophomores Eli Becker, Dan Santaniello and Mason Fedor who all saw some time last season. 

These young players will see more time with the departure of All-Conference Guard Cayden Merrifield and Joey Zvorsky. 

The Colonels begin conference play Wednesday, Nov. 19 as they play Lycoming College, but they have played three non conference games so far. 

They are 3-0 on the year after wins against Rowan, King’s and Keystone. Head Coach Izzi Metz had some things he liked in his team through those three games. 

“I thought in long stretches of those games we played good basketball,” Metz said. 

“In the Rowan game we had a 19 point lead at one point in the second half and then in the King’s game we actually were up 23 probably like 12 minutes to go and we had a 20 point lead with five minutes to go.”

The Colonels won their first three games, however there are definitely some things the team is looking to improve on. 

“I think in both of those games we let those leads kind of slide and you know I’d like to finish games better.

You know it would be nice to win the Kings game a little more comfortably, same with Rowan it would’ve been nice to kind of maintain a double digit lead. We let it slip down to six and ended up winning by nine.”

The Colonels have made the Landmark Tournament the last two seasons and have fallen short after losing to Catholic both times. 

“I think the key is first of all if we are high enough seeded hopefully to have a home game and semifinal because I think in playoff basketball if you can play at home that always helps if not we got to play a complete 40 minutes and play from ahead as much as possible” Metz stated. 

The Colonels were projected to finish third in the Landmark Preseason Poll and so far are 3-0 heading into Landmark play.

Tip-off for the Landmark opener is set from 7 p.m. from the Marts Center.