The Milwaukee Panthers Men’s Basketball season is slowly approaching. The boys are officially back in the gym training to tilt the floor once again. Although last season for the boys didn’t end in their favor, this year’s season looks promising with Head Coach Bart Lundy leading the boys once again. The panthers have some familiar faces returning and also recruited some new members to the black and gold squad.
A Look Back at the 2024-2025 Season
The 2024-25 season ended with an overall record of 21-11, the boys made a 14-6 mark in the Horizon League which followed in a tie for second place. Coach Bart Lundy has been with the Panthers for three consecutive years with 20 victory seasons. This is the first time in program history this has been reached since 2002-2006. The Panthers have the most fast break points in the NCAA as well as placing 2nd place in rebounding margin. They were ranked 21 overall with 39.2 rebounds per game.
Coming Home: Familiar Stars Back in Action
Anticipation builds as the roster welcomes back several familiar standouts, eager to pick up right where they left off. Faizon Fields, the core of the Panthers, is making a return for the 2025-26 season. Fields wasn’t able to show his full potential due to limited injuries. He made 16 starts with his 21 appearances last season. Faizon averaged 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
John Lovelace Jr. is another returning core player, Lovelace is one of five players to appear in all 32 games of the season. He averaged 4.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Lovelace put together three games of 10-or-more points and secured 40.7 percent of field goals overall.
The Milwaukee basketball team will see the return of several key players for the upcoming season. Danilo Jovanovich is back after being limited by injuries in his first season, where he appeared in 17 games and shot an impressive 58 percent from the field. Simeon Murchison is also returning, maintaining his sophomore eligibility after redshirting last season due to injury. Austin Villarreal is another familiar face, having appeared in six games last season. Esyah Pippa-White will be returning after playing in 26 games off the bench in his debut season, where he contributed 34 points, 12 assists,and 9 rebounds. Lastly, Aaron Franklin is set to return after playing in 23 games and averaging 3.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Roster Refresh: A Look at Our Latest Basketball Recruits
Amar Augillard will be joining the Panthers to help tilt the floor this 2025-26 season. Augillard attended Fresno State this past season and averaged 13.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Prior to attending Fresno State Augillard played for Triton State and was selected as the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 player of the year. He averaged a total of 22.2 points per game. In addition Augillard was ranked number 2 in the nation in total points with 841, 296 field goals made and 122 three-point field goals made.
Isaiah Dorceus is coming into Milwaukee after having 2 extremely successful seasons at Daytona State College. Dorceus was named the Florida College System Activities Association Athletics Division 1 Men’s Basketball Player of the year after leading his team to a 28-6 overall record and a run to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Championship. Dorceus averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists, which he started in all 32 games.
Chandler Jackson, a forward out of Indianapolis, is set to play for the Panthers after last season at Parkland College in Champaign IL. Jackson was named a First-Team National Junior College Athletic Association Division II All-American. He averaged 17.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while helping the team reach the Midwest Athletic Conference regular-season title.
Seth Hubbard is showcasing his talent after a season at Toledo and two years at Western Michigan. Hubbard averaged 8.4 points per contest with 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He ranked fifth in the MAC in free throw percentage, finishing with a 85.6 percent.
Sekou Konneh, a transfer from Depaul with a full four years of eligibility with the Panthers. Konneh averaged 22.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists and helped his team to a 29-1 record. He finished out his season reaching five consecutive double doubles.
The last addition to the Panthers roster is Tate Mackenzie from Michigan, originally committed to play football for the Wolverines. Mackenzie played at Macomb Community College where he averaged 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game prior to transferring to Howard.
From Prep to Panthers: The New Wave of Young Talent
Josh Dixon, a point guard who is a younger addition to the team and came from Milton, Georgia where he was named the 2024-25 First Team Preseason GHSA 5A All-State before going into the season. Dixon is a ESPN 4-Star and 247 Sports 3-Star recruit in the class of 2025.
Stevie Elam, incoming Freshman coming out of Adrian High School in Michigan, was named one of the top players in the 2025 class. He was named the MVP of the 16U level of the NY2LA Association and also played with The Academy on the club circuit. A three-year starter for the school program, he went over 1,000 career points early as a junior and is closing in on 1,500 points and the school record for the Maples.
Ned Renfree is a 6-foot 2 combo guard from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Renfree is a top notch shooter and elite defender. Renfree helped his team win gold and silver and recently represented Australia at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship winning gold and a U18 All Tournament First Team honoree.
With a strong core of experienced players returning to Milwaukee, the panthers are poised for a significant season. Their returning talent, combined with exciting new additions creates a compelling blend of proven skill and fresh potential. As the Panthers integrate these new faces and capitalize on the growth of their established veterans, the stage is set for a season filled with renewed energy and a determined pursuit of victory. Fans can look forward to a team ready to compete and make their mark in the Horizon League.
Great article! Excited for the season to begin. Let’s win it all. Go Panthers!!!