The Drew men’s basketball team opened its 2024-2025 season in the FDU-Florham Tournament, emerging 1-1 with two outstanding and record-breaking offensive performances.
The first game, Drew’s first of the season, took place at FDU-Florham on Nov. 8. Posting 100 total points, the highest point total in a season opener since 2010, the Rangers held FDU to a 30-point deficit.
Josh Kline (‘25) contributed 17 points while Matthew Zenker (‘27) tallied 15 points for the Rangers, landing them a spot in the championship game against TCNJ the following Saturday.
Pat Higgins (‘25) scored a career-high 3-point record, sinking five out of the seven shots taken. Rocco Checchetto (‘27), Ben Kipnis (‘28), Reid Chauhan (‘28), Benjamin Manns (‘28), Andre De Los Reyes (‘28) and Kevin Cotton (‘28) all saw their first minutes as Rangers. Checchetto earned his first career points as well, contributing five points in the Rangers victory against the Devils.
Advancing onto the championship game against TCNJ, the Rangers again scored in the triple digits, losing in overtime 103-102 against the Lions in a thrilling finish in which the Rangers fell just short after mounting a 23-point comeback in the second half.
David Musial (‘26) pushed the Rangers into the overtime period with a pair of free throws, earning a career-high 28 points and going 16 for 16 at the free-throw line overall. This performance earned Musial a spot in the record books as he tied the Landmark Conference record for free-throw percentage in a game, a record that was established in 2007. Musial also scored the second most free throws in team history, the most scored since 1992.
Despite the championship loss, the Rangers have already made an impactful and impressive start in just their first two games. Conference play is set to begin in late November, as the Rangers take on Goucher on Nov. 23 and the University of Scranton on Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Gymnasium.
Gillian Sampson is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in education.
