BUFFALO, NY - Villa Maria College men's basketball head coach Don Silveri is excited about the talent the 2016-17 roster has from top to bottom.  The players are focused.  The coaching staff is focused.  And the Vikings are confident in their ability to practice and work towards a successful season in the program's second season.

Silveri returns for his second season as the school's athletic director and men's basketball coach.  The Vikings finished with a 7-24 overall record a season ago but return seven four starters and have 11 new faces.  Led by junior captain Justin Stokes (Buffalo, NY/Middle Early College), the Vikings will once again play a tough schedule with the first eight games coming away from home.  Silveri wants to see what his players are made of early on in the season and expects them to be up for the challenge.

"I think we have a lot of talent this year and I think we the early season tests will build character for the rest of the season," Silveri said.  "I'm looking forward to seeing the growth of the team this year and how good we can be if we stay together and work together."

Assistant coaches Damone Brown and Al Parker are both back for their second seasons as well.  A former NBA second round pick, Brown will continue to show and teach the Viking players some of the same things he learned in many years over the world playing against the best competition.  Parker is the glue holding the team together as his charisma and energetic attitude has always gotten Villa excited and up for any game.  His approach has led to the team's motto for the season, "One Team. One Family."

Stokes returns as the team captain following the 2015-16 season where he averaged 13.7 points per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor.  The junior also averaged 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.  He was a do-it-all player for the Vikings last year, often times playing all 40 minutes as they were shorthanded during the second half of the season.  He will play a big role once again if the Vikings want to improve their win total.

A trio of sophomores are also returning and looking to make their presence known.  Dominic Douglas (Bainbridge, GA/Bainbridge), DeJaun Owens (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry), and Malcolm Hendrick (Buffalo, NY/Cardoza) are all back and eager to get started.  Doulgas joined the program mid-season last year, averaging 10.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14 games.  Douglas has the potential to lead the team in scoring this season as he can score inside and out while possessing good size  at 6-foot-3 to play a variety of positions.  Owens is a knockdown shooter who has transformed his game to become so much more.  A good wing defender, Owens has shown improved athleticism and had one of the best offseasons of anyone on the roster.  Hendrick is a hard working player who never misses a session in the gym.  A 6-foot-3 guard/forward can rebound and score as he racked up three double-digit scoring games.

Also returning is senior Andre Diggs (Bronx, NY/Erie Community College), a 6-foot-2 shooter who is ultra-talented and has the potential to be one of the Vikings biggest contributors.  He is athletic and can make a high percentage of shots from behind the arc.  Rounding out the returning players is sophomore pass-first point guard Jayson Moore (Buffalo, NY/Sweet Home) and sophomore guard Shaquille Darby (Buffalo, NY/East) who is a unselfish player who will do whatever it takes for the betterment of the team.

Headlining the newcomers is senior guard Darale Young (Buffalo, NY/NYIT) who comes to Villa after playing last season at New York Institute of Technology where he averaged 6.3 points per game.  A strong physical guard who can also handle the ball, Young will provide a strong physical presence on the wing both offensively and defensively.  Another transfer joining the program is junior Kalil Sherrod (Manhattan, NY, St. Joseph).  Sherrod is a 6-foot-1 strong guard who can handle the ball if asked, but his main contributions come on the other end of the floor where he is a great on-ball defender.  Along with his on-court contributions, Sherrod is an honors student and is hoping to be a USCAA Academic All-American.

Villa will also rely on a number of freshman to make early impacts.  Eric Waters (Buffalo, NY/Oracle) is a 6-foot-4 athletic player who can get to the basket at will.  He is a long and lanky player who can defend the post but also make it challenging for opposing guards who get matched up against him.  Gerald Bibbs (Buffalo, NY/Oracle) and Julius Allen (Buffalo, NY/Oracle) are also Oracle graduates eager to get their chance.  Bibbs is a strong physical post player who's strong frame can allow him to win matchups against taller players.  He has the ability to finish near the basket and can shoot the long ball.  Allen is a point guard who can make things happen offensively.  He has the ability to make something out of nothing and create his own shot.

Freshman wing Damone Brown Jr. (Buffalo, NY/East) can be the X-factor for the Vikings this season.  The 6-foot-3 guard may be the most complete player for Villa this year.  He comes from East High School where he averaged 13.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a senior.  The son of assistant coach Damone Brown, the man they call "DJ" has the potential to be a USCAA All-American.

Freshman Jeriah Shambley (Brooklyn, NY/St. Francis) comes to Villa from Brooklyn, NY.  A true point guard, Shambley looks to get his teammates involved and going early.  He plays bigger than his size and can also provide energy on the defensive end of the floor.  Fellow freshman Brian Johnson (Buffalo, NY/Middle Early College) is a rebounding big man with good post moves and the knack for being in the right place at the right time.  He averaged 7.1 points and 11.2 rebounds last season as Middle Early College captured a New York State C-Class State Championship.

The Vikings will also add a second Stokes to the roster as freshman forward Demetrius Stokes (Buffalo, NY/Emerson) will add much needed size to the front line.  At 6-foot-5, Justin's brother is a ball hawk and will rebound anything he can get his hands on.  Damone Jackson (Lackawanna, NY/Lackawanna) rounds out the newcomers.  A guard who can shoot, Jackson is quick and agile and can score in bunches for the Vikings.

The Vikings averaged 75.4 points per game last season and nearly 14 assists per game.  The improved athleticism and depth of this year's team will help improve those numbers. It will more importantly help them defensively as they allowed 85.7 points per contest.

The Vikings will play 32 games this season with 12 coming at home.  They will participate in three tournaments and play schools from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association (OCAA), as well as the USCAA.

Villa will kick off it's season in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a pair of games against Marygrove College and Concordia University on October 29 and 30.  Follow the Vikings this season on Twitter (@villavikings), Instagram (villavikings), Facebook (www.facebook.com/villavikings) and on www.VillaVikings.com.