FARMVILLE, Va. – Consistency. A thing pursued, but often challenging to obtain in modern college basketball.
 
But this year, that has been the singular focus of a Longwood men's basketball team that over the last decade has become one of the premier programs in mid-major college basketball. Consistency in preparation, in competition and as the core of the team's identity.
 
Head coach Ronnie Thomas, who spent the last five years as an assistant coach, is more than a familiar face. He's been a consistent presence that has helped define one of the most successful periods in team history.
 
He isn't new to the core identities that have defined Longwood basketball for the past half decade. Instead, he helped craft them while part of a pair of Big South title-winning teams under Griff Aldrich—who departed to the University of Virginia in the spring. And his message resonates with the culture that has been building over the last seven seasons.
 
"Competition brings excellence, and our mission is to pursue excellence," Thomas said.
 
Now, Thomas aims to continue the run that began in 2018-19 and has seen the Lancers grow into one of the most competitive mid-major programs in the country—as attested by the team's 85 wins in the past four seasons.
 
"The love for Longwood basketball has grown, and that's something that has been important," said Thomas about entering his sixth season in Farmville. "The relationships around Farmville that I've been able to build have me excited. I feel honored, but I also feel a responsibility to carry on Longwood basketball for the people that I see walking on Saturday mornings, Sunday mornings. They are excited to be not just part of Longwood and Farmville, but they are excited to be part of a winner too."
 
The home crowds at the Joan Perry Brock Center have played a part in that winning legacy. The Lancers have ranked in the top two of the Big South in attendance since the JPB opened, and that full-throated support has made the JPB one of the toughest places to play in the Big South.
 
This season, the on-court product will also look similar to the teams of Lancer yore: depth, toughness, defense, rebounding and a teamover-self mentality for a squad that was picked to finish third in the Big South Preseason Poll.
 
"This is a team that values rebounding and defense, but it is also a team that has some really great athletes with a lot of good speed and length," Thomas said. "From a player standpoint, we talk a lot about sacrifice. We don't know who's night it is going to be, and sometimes that can be challenging as a team and as a coach. But if we buy into the togetherness, I think you'll see a team that any night could be a guy's night, and that can make it very hard for the opposition. That's a strength of ours, strength in numbers."
 
That depth features five returners, with four coming back for their third season at Longwood: forwards Johan Nziemi and Elijah Tucker and guards Emanuel Richards, KJ McClurg and Jaylen Benard.
 
Nziemi and Tucker provide a bruising frontcourt presence, with the two players complementing each other's game.
 
Tucker was a Preseason All-Big South First Team selection a season after ranking 16^th in the Big South in rebounding while averaging 9.7 points and five rebounds per game. An elite athlete, Tucker was also efficient while shooting better than 58 percent from the floor and scoring in double figures 16 times.
 
Nziemi is one of the strongest people in the Big South and is an efficient scorer, shooting better than 60 percent from the floor last season. He averaged nine points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
 
Richards, McClurg and Benard all provide depth and experience as well for the Lancers. At 6'4, 212, Richards brings a physicality and tenacity that helps set the tone on defense, and Benard blossomed as the season went on as a sophomore last year. McClurg, meanwhile, battled injuries a season ago but has the tools to be an explosive scorer all over the floor.
 
Even with five returners, the incoming cohort fits into Coach Thomas's vision for the team, and that means a Lancer group that is as deep as it has ever been.
 
"I think this team has the depth of our '21-22 team [that won a Big South title], and that's scary to think about," said Thomas. "But the difference for that '21-22 team is, we had all that depth, but we didn't realize at the time going into the season that we would end up having Justin Hill and Isaiah Wilkins who were first-team all-conference players. We have the depth this year, but now it is trying to figure out, do we have one or two guys like a Justin or an Isaiah who will step into those roles. We have to see…The key is, the teams that have been deep and won and been successful were the teams that were all about the team. Can they sacrifice for the team? That's the question that we're going to have to ask every practice, every day."
 
The newcomers at guard feature a mix of freshman and transfers.
 
Among the transfers, Jacoi Hutchinson brings two years of playing experience following his time at George Washington. Redd Thompson, Jr. transferred from James Madison after limited time a season ago on a JMU side that won 20 games. Alphonzo Billups III, who goes by Fats, transferred from VCU and can serve as a Swiss Army Knife on the floor. Elijah Jones, from the College of Charleston, also brings a varied skill set and can play almost anywhere on the floor.
 
From the freshman, Elijah Kelly is a guard that brings great versatility and scoring ability out of Miller School of Albemarle, and Gerald Burr III is a knockdown shooter who comes to Longwood from IMG Academy. Jerome Williams played point at Mt. Zion Preparatory Academy in Maryland and led his AAU squad, Team Thrill, to the Under Armour national title.
 
Up front, the team added length and physicality as well behind Nziemi and Tucker.
 
Isaiah Kalala is a forward out of Dallas Texas who played a prep year at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas, and he was rated a three-star recruit. Jaylin Payne, meanwhile, comes from Daytona State where he shot better than 68 percent from the floor while helping his team advance to the NJCAA National Tournament. Quadri Bashiru, affectionately nicknamed Bash by his teammates, played at The Hill School and helped his team advance to the state title game last year.
 
"Our biggest touch point and biggest milestone every day is the next step," said Thomas. "And the next step—and it's not just coach-talk—is just the next practice and the next game. I think that's so important. When you have a team with so much depth, if you start to look too far ahead, you never know who is going to be in what position or what spots. So we are trying to tackle every single day. That's what the mantra is: Consistency."
 
As the team uses in its hashtag on social media: #ConsistencyWins.
 
The Lancers host Mary Baldwin on Monday night at 7 p.m. to open the season. The game will air on ESPN+, and tickets are still available at www.longwoodlancers.com/tickets.
 
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