After a winning first season under Billy Donlon, KC Roos seek success in Summit League
The task of battling through the COVID-19 era began months ago for KC Roos men’s basketball coach Billy Donlon, before his team assembled for the season.
While riding out an early portion at the pandemic at his in-laws’ place, Donlon gained some comfort-food weight.
“About 30 pounds over the first four months of COVID,” Donlon said. “There were M&Ms, Butterfingers, doughnuts — the things I love all over the house. I couldn’t say no.”
At least until his players started returning to campus for summer workouts. They were putting in the time getting in shape and so was Donlon, who said he has since shed more than half of the weight he had gained.
Keeping the Kangaroos in shape as the season unfolds presents its own challenge. Donlon became the second of the program’s seven coaches since jumping to Division I in the late 1980s to enjoy a winning record in his first season with UMKC. The 2020-21 Roos finished 16-14, and 8-7 — including four straight victories to close out the season — in their final year in the WAC.
Now they return to the Summit League, with a difficult non-conference schedule that includes Kansas State, Minnesota, Saint Louis and Toledo. They boast just two returning starters, but they’re important pieces: top scorer Brandon McKissic and top three-point shooter Marvin Nesbitt Jr.
McKissic, a senior from Ferguson, Missouri, averaged 11 points and also topped the team with 83 assists last season.
“Offensively, the ball is going to be in B-Mac’s hands a lot,” Donlon said. “He’ll be the one we give the ball to and he’s going to have to make a lot of plays down the stretch. There’s some pressure on him there. But when you’re a senior, that’s what you sign up for.”
Nesbitt knocked down 45 percent of his shots from behind the arc in 2020-21. The junior from Chicago averaged 7.1 points per outing.
The Roos also return a complementary group of guys with starting experience — Josiah Allick (5.7 ppg), Zion Williams (3.5) and Franck Kamgain (3.9) — but transfers will play important roles, too.
Forward Hidde Roessink appeared in 20 games for Oklahoma State last season. Guard Demarius Pitts was the CIAA freshman of the year at Virginia Union two years ago, when he averaged 13.1 points. And guard Kyle Brown averaged 24.7 points at Northwest College (Wyoming) last season.
Donlon wishes his team had been able to play a preseason scrimmage, but he believes his players will eventually come together.
“We have one of those teams that early on we’re going to get hit in the mouth some as all of these guys grow into their different roles,” he said.
The Kangaroos were picked to finish seventh in the nine-team Summit. The Roos left the conference in 2013 and now return to a more sensible league in terms of geography.
“I do think we’re a team that can compete for a Summit League championship (but) I don’t think we’ll see it immediately,” Donlon said. “If we don’t see it by January or February, then, certainly, criticize me. We have guys who need to get game experience.”
The Kangaroos opened their season Wednesday with a 105-35 victory over Culver-Stockton, and they’ll play Friday and Saturday at Avila University in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Tipoff Classic.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 6:30 PM.