A roster bolstered by a pair of newly arrived transfers and some solid returnees has Lake Erie College men’s basketball coach Kyle Conley believing better times are ahead after last season’s 8-20 finish. “This team is deep, athletic and fast,” Conley said. ” We feel comfortable going 10 to 12 deep with different guys capable of  leading us in any given game.” Conley, in his ninth season at the helm, wants that athleticism and depth to translate at both ends of the floor as the Storm competes in the usually rugged Great Midwest Athletic Conference. “We got away from defense and rebounding last season and it really hurt us,” he said. “We have to get back to being hard to play against. That all starts at the defensive end.” The additions via the transfer portal of 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Cameron Johnson from now-closed Notre Dame College and 6-1 senior point guard Derrick Anderson from Gannon University should give the Storm big boosts in the front and back courts. Johnson averaged 5.7 points as a freshman at NDC. “He just scratched the surface last season and can be really good,” Conley said. Anderson averaged 6.5 points at Gannon last season as the Golden Knights advanced to the round of eight in the NCAA Division II tournament. Another likely starter is 6-2 senior guard Jake Leibacher, who averaged 8.2 points last season. When he makes his return from an off-season injury, 6-2 sophomore guard C.J. Hornbeck (9.4 points) will see time either as a starter or key reserve. Others vying for spots in the rotation include  6-7 junior forward Josh Irwin (West Geauga), 6-5 graduate forward Caleb Piks (Mentor), 5-11 junior guard Trace Bishko (Brush), 6-3 senior guard Joshua Dames, 6-7 junior forward Solomon Kuol, sophomore forward Ronnie Leonard, sophomore guard Andrew Fillipini, redshirt freshman guard Kai Bloom and freshman guard Micah Bays. Dames, Fillipini and Bloom are transfers from NDC. Lake Erie College men's basketball coach Kyle Conley. (Courtesy Lake Erie College)Lake Erie College's Derrick Anderson. (Courtesy Lake Erie College)Lake Erie College's Cameron Johnson. (Courtesy Lake Erie College)Show Caption1 of 3Lake Erie College men's basketball coach Kyle Conley. (Courtesy Lake Erie College)Expand LEC men’s basketball 2024-25 schedule (Home games in CAPS) November 8: Lake Superior St., 5 p.m. 9: Ferris St., 7 p.m. 12: BRYANT & STRATTON, 8 p.m. 15: GREAT LAKES CHRISTIAN, 6 p.m. 19: Clarion, 7 p.m. 22: MIAMI MIDDLETOWN, 6 p.m. 24: D’Youville, 2 p.m. 27: Slippery Rock, 3 p.m. December 3: Kentucky Wesleyan, 2:15 p.m. 5: Thomas More, 7 p.m. 14: MALONE, 3 p.m. 16: ASHLAND, 7:30 p.m. January 2: Northwood, 8 p.m. 4:Hillsdale, 3 p.m. 9: KENTUCKY WESLEYAN, 7:30 p.m. 11: Tiffin, 3 p.m. 16: THOMAS MORE, 7:30 p.m. 18: HILLSDALE, 3 p.m. 23: TIFFIN, 7:30 p.m. 25: Ashland, 3 p.m. 30: Malone, 7:30 p.m. February 1: OHIO DOMINICAN, 3 p.m. 6: Ohio Dominican, 7:30 p.m. 15: Cedarville, 3 p.m. 22: WALSH, 3 p.m. 17: NORTHWOOD, 7:30 p.m. March 1: FINDLAY, 3 p.m.