Quakers Player Profiles: Josh Sanger 50, Junior Forward 6'8", 235 lbs.

Averaging 8.4 rebounds per 40 minutes in 1999, Sanger was valuable in allowing veteran forwards Jed Ryan and Paul Romanczuk to rest. Sanger played 10.4 minutes per game last season. While the Charlotte, N.C., native will not replace either of those departed captains, he will continue to serve as an effective defensive replacement in the frontcourt. Sanger's best performance last year came in a Big 5 matchup with St. Joe's at the Palestra. He played 18 minutes, grabbed six boards and scored six points in a 66-58 Penn win. An all-conference tight end in high school, Sanger will be counted on to provide a physical presence in the 1999-2000 season. Against tough opponents with strong frontcourts like Auburn, Sanger will likely be asked to simply do what he does best -- play defense, crash the boards and maybe try to draw some fouls from the opposition's strong forwards. Harold Bailey 33, Freshman Guard 6'2", 190 lbs. Arriving into a crowded Penn backcourt, Harold Bailey may not see as much playing time this season as some other freshmen. Bailey will, however, be a force to be reckoned with in the future, and he will also have an effect off the bench this season. Bailey will definitely immediately be one of the best athletes on the Quakers. At Choate, he recorded the second-highest high jump in school history. His 6'4.5" jump would be good enough to leap over teammate Michael Jordan with room to spare. Bailey averaged 20 points per game over his three years at Choate, opening his career with a 41-point showing and continuing strongly from there. Andrew Coates 44, Freshman Forward 6'8", 200 lbs. Last spring, freshman power forward Andrew Coates could have been in the stands watching the Penn basketball team in action in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in his hometown of Seattle. But Coates had better things to do -- such as leading Eastside Catholic High School to the state playoffs for only the second time in the school's history. A four-year starter, Coates had his best year as a junior, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Ankle injuries slowed the two-time captain as a senior but Coates worked hard in the off-season and is healthy once more. Coates will provide the Quakers with another big body in the paint off the bench. A true marksman, Matt Langel was fourth in the Ivy League in three-point shooting last season (42.9 percent). He was named honorable mention All-Ivy and won two Big 5 games for the Quakers with clutch shots. And it wasn't even his best year. While impressive, Langel's three-point percentage was a dropoff from his '97-98 mark of 50 percent (45-of-90). His field goal percentage also declined last season, from 48.8 to 44 percent, and his scoring average dipped from 13.5 to 11.3 points per game. Langel, however, contributed just as much to the Penn cause in 1999 as he did in 1998, if not more. While his shooting numbers decreased marginally, Langel reached career highs in several other areas. The Moorestown, N.J., native posted 4.4 rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game, and swiped 23 steals while starting all 27 games for Penn. With the ability to drive as well as shoot, Langel scored 32 in a game against Harvard in '98. Langel shined in Ivy League play, but his best contributions were easily seen on the Big 5 stage. Against Temple, Langel played 44 of the 45 minutes in Penn's overtime win. He poured in 12 points, shot 3-for-4 from downtown and dished out seven assists. Against St. Joe's, Langel hauled in a career-high 11 boards and again hit a big shot to seal the Quakers' victory. Now just imagine if Langel's shooting touch can "return" this season. Geoff Owens 51, Senior Center 6'11", 240 lbs. Since he's a big fan of pro wrestling, maybe Penn center Geoff Owens should be known as the "Ultimate Warrior." The man in the middle returned last year from a medical condition that sidelined him in 1997-98 to make a strong impact with his interior defense, rebounding and offensive presence. Owens, the Big 5's 1998-99 Most Improved Player, was second in the Ivy League in blocks with 58, a new Penn record. But perhaps more importantly, Quakers' opponents shot just 40.7 percent, due to the presence of Owens' imposing 6'11" body filling the lane. Opponents shot 45.8 in 1997-98 when Owens was out. But the Audubon, N.J., native and Bishop Eustace High School product earned his stripes when a jaw injury nearly sidelined him for the remainder of the season on February 20, 1999. After sitting out a road game against Villanova, though, Owens had his jaw wired shut and played the last three games of the season, including helping the Quakers to victory with a 14-point, seven-rebound performance at Princeton. Owens, although an academic senior, has been granted an additional year of eligibility by the Ivy League for his medical redshirt year. Ugonna Onyekwe 1, Freshman Forward, 6'8", 225 lbs. A versatile forward, Onyekwe heads a group of six talented freshman joining the Quakers squad. Onyekwe, who played his high school ball at Mercersberg (Pa.) Academy, is originally from Nigeria, though his family moved to London when he was 14. Many among the Quakers faithful are already thankful Onyekwe -- or "U" as he likes to be called -- made the transatlantic trip. He was the 55th best high school player in the country according to Recruiting USA, and he averaged 15 points and 14 rebounds per game for Mercersberg. But it took an unusual turn of events to bring Onyekwe to Penn. Originally set to play at Long Beach State, he decided to transfer soon after arriving on campus in favor of a more academically oriented school. But by backing out of his letter, U would have had to to sit out a year if he transferred to another scholarship school. Instead, he chose to remain another season at Mercersberg before coming to Penn. Lamar Plummer 21, Junior Guard, 6'1", 185 lbs. While he might be best known as Michael Jordan's old high school teammate, Lamar Plummer will be a key factor if Penn is to repeat as Ivy League champions. After a solid freshman year, Plummer had to overcome eye surgery to repair partial tears in both retinas. Wearing protective goggles, he struggled to find his shooting touch last season after returning in December. The shooting guard did not convert on a three-point attempt, however, until his fifth game back, against Brown at the Palestra. To be productive this season, Plummer will need to find his groove from downtown early, as 61 of his 93 field goal attempts last season came from beyond the arc. The junior will also need to improve some on defense, as he recorded only two steals in his last 12 games. Plummer's favorite opponent last season was Columbia. In New York, he recorded a season-high 10 points; at the Palestra later in the season, he showed that the performance was no fluke, pouring in nine points. While Plummer has shown that he can play well in the Ivy League as a reserve, he will likely be pushed for some playing time this season by Penn's freshmen guards. Dan Solomito 13, Sophomore Forward, 6'6", 215 lbs. While Dan Solomito showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman -- he netted two threes and scored seven points in three minutes of a win over Brown -- the forward spent much of his time on the bench last year. But with a year of experience under his belt, Solomito could be poised to play a more consistent role on this year's team. He will mostly likely be asked to give Frank Brown a breather in the three spot. Although he only saw 23 minutes of action last season, the 6'6" forward emerged as a Palestra crowd favorite, as Penn fans chanted "Sol-o-mi-to" whenever he entered the game. Now, Solomito has an opportunity to show whether or not his freshman notoriety was well deserved. Although Solomito only scored 14 points last year, he was a standout senior at St. Andrew's High School in Florida, where he earned small school Player of the Year and second team All-State honors. Solomito was also a first team Jewish All-America selection in 1998. Koko Archibong, 2, Freshman Forward, 6'8", 200 lbs. Koko Archibong will be the first player in Penn history to wear No. 2 on his uniform, thanks to new NCAA rules. While the freshman won't be the last to wear the deuce on his jersey, there is a good chance that Archibong will be the most memorable one for a good time to come. One of the most prominent members of this year's exciting Penn basketball freshman class, Archibong was a McDonald's All-America nominee last season. As a senior at Polytechnic School last year in Pasadena, Calif., Archibong averaged a double-double with 16.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to go with 3.0 blocks. His performance led Poly to a 27-0 regular season record. Poly's first loss came against Santa Clara in the CIF Southern Section Division V-AA Championships. Archibong was the team's MVP as well as the Player of the Year for his region. At Penn, Archibong will be immediately important in the Quakers frontcourt -- rare for a freshman under coach Fran Dunphy -- helping to replace departed forwards Paul Romanczuk and Jed Ryan. While Archibong will not immediately be asked to fill that kind of a leadership role, his athleticism will be critical to filling the void up front. Archibong's full name is Aniekan Okon Archibong. Jon Tross, 52, Junior Forward 6'7", 190 lbs. Jon Tross is looking for a breakout season -- or maybe just a chance to give one of his teammates a break. Last year, the forward helped out the Quakers squad by allowing the starters to get a rest during the waning moments, playing 24 minutes. An athletic leaper, in his 11 appearances he showed his ability to run the floor and get off an occasional shot, scoring a season total of seven points. And against Brown, he snared four rebounds in just four minutes. However, on a Quakers team that is especially deep at forward, the 6'7" junior from Connecticut may find minutes difficult to come by. Tross was a high school star at Hamden Hall Country Day in Madison, Conn., where he averaged 22.2 points and 12.9 rebounds.