The 2024-25 season for the Mastodons could (and probably should) be labeled as a disappointing season to most Purdue Fort Wayne and Horizon League fans. The Mastodons finished with a respectable record of 19-13 and a decent 5th place regular season finish. The Mastodons’ season ended with a 67-72 loss to Youngstown State in the Horizon League quarterfinals.
The Mastodons had high hopes and even higher expectations entering the season. The Mastodons were voted to finish atop the Horizon League in a tie with Milwaukee in the Under Armour #HLMBB Preseason Poll, and probably rightfully so. The Mastodons were returning four of five starters, and Jalen Jackson (Preseason and Postseason First Team), Rasheed Bello (Preseason and Postseason First Team), Quentin Morton-Robinson (Preseason First Team) were at the core of a Mastodons team seemingly destined for greatness. Those three guards were the top scorers in all of the Mastodons’ games except for three. Two of those three games resulted in losses.
At the end of last season, the Mastodons looked poised for another very experienced team to return to the hardwood for this season, but the Mastodons saw Jalen Jackson (Butler), Eric Mulder (Iowa State), Chandler Cuthrell (Elon), Trey Lewis (Western Michigan), De’Vion Lavergne (Louisiana), Keaton Dukes (TBD), and Jordan Lomax (TBD) all look for greener pastures via the transfer portal. The loss of the seven players to the transfer portal and three others to graduation/eligibility exhaustion was recouped with the transferring in of five players and the signing of five other players.
The Mastodons made just one coaching coach in the offseason with the addition of assistant coach Tyler Slick. Slick has coaching experience at the high school, NJCAA, Division II, and Division I levels. Slick spent the last four seasons with Division II Lincoln Memorial. In those four seasons, Tyler helped coach the team to a combined 105-24 record with an even more impressive 57-1 home record. Not surprisingly, the Railsplitters would win the conference championship all four years and earn a birth to the NCAA Division II National Tournament all four years as well.
Returning Players
Corey Hadnot II, 6-3, G, Atlanta, GA
Hadnot comes into the new season appearing in every single Mastodons’ game up to this point in his career. His freshman season, he appeared in all 36 games, and last season appeared in all 32 games. Coming off the bench last season, Hadnot II averaged 22.5 minutes per game and scoring 9.0 points per game on 44.6% shooting from the field. Though the junior has many abilities on the court, an invaluable ability is his availability to be on the court every night. Look for Hadnot II to explode into a new role being the go-to scorer from mid-range and behind the arc.
Maximus Nelson, 6-8, F, Appleton, WI
Nelson is another dependable player to see on the court for the Mastodons. Like Hadnot II, Nelson appeared in all 36 games two seasons ago and appeared (and started) in all 32 games last season. Nelson lives on the perimeter with a high release that forces teams into a unique situation. Do you put a smaller defender on the 6-8 forward, or do you draw the big man out to the perimeter? Teams cannot afford to lose sight of Nelson behind the arc. Nelson shot 40.3% from three-point distance last year on a team leading 176 attempts. High volume and high efficiency could be a recipe for success in a spread-out Mastodons’ offense.
Chris Morgan, 6-2, G, Kaukauna, WI
Morgan appeared in 25 games for the Mastodons last season with his season high 16 points and six steals coming against Defiance College. Morgan played an important role last season in the 7.0 minutes per game that he was on the floor. Usually tasked with lock down perimeter defense on the opponent’s guards, Morgan gave head coach Jon Coffman a chance to rest his starters without worry that opponent’s ball handlers would dissect a defense with Morgan on the floor.
Fun fact – Morgan’s and Nelson’s hometowns in Wisconsin are less than 10 miles apart.
Deangelo Elisee, 6-9, F, Nassau, Bahamas
Elisee saw action in 31 of 32 games last season for the Mastodons. A significant increase in appearances from the year prior (three games) allowed for Elisee to start to find his footing on the court. Elisee had season highs of seven point and six rebounds, both happening in the same game against Green Bay. His defensive presence was made known during the game against Penn State when he recorded three blocks.
Mason Shrout, 6-5, G, Camden, OH
Shrout used the 2024-25 season as a redshirt campaign. In high school, Shrout could fill up the scorebook. While scoring over 2,000 career points in high school, Shrout also created for his teammates as he finished as the all-time assists leader. He earned First Team All-Ohio and District Player of the Year honors. As a senior, Shrout was named an Ohio Mr. Basketball Finalist.
Incoming Players
Darius Duffy, 6-8, F, Murray, KY (Milwaukee)
In one of four Horizon-on-Horizon crimes this offseason, Duffy trades in the black and gold for the black and gold. Appearing in all 32 games last year for the Panthers, He shot over 80% from the floor and led Milwaukee in blocks with 25. Five of the 25 blocks came in a single game against Horizon League foe Detroit Mercy.
Ja’Corey Lipkins, 6-1, G, Canton, OH (Charleston (D2))
Lipkins will be wearing No. 0 for the Mastodons this year, and it will be very hard for Mastodons fans to not have de ja vu. Lipkins plays with a style very similar to the most recent ‘Don to dawn No. 0 – Rasheed Bello. Quick, shifty, and strong, the left-handed Lipkins can score from anywhere on the court. Lipkins scored 42 points in his second ever start for the Golden Eagles.
Ebrahim Kaba, 6-9, G, East Orange, NJ (St. Bonaventure)
Kaba used the 2024-25 as a redshirt campaign for the Bonnies. He has great touch from the outside and play with a nice pace. The former 3-star recruit has solid handles and passing ability for his size as he is definitely more guard than forward in both ability and playing style. Kaba received 30 offers out of high school according to 247sports.com including five Atlantic-10 schools and now Horizon League foe Robert Morris.
Mikale Stevenson, 6-2, G, Fort Wayne, IN (Grambling State)
The Fort Wayne native returns home. The former South Side Archer spent the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons competing in the SWAC with Grambling State. Stevenson averaged 10.9 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists per game last season for the Tigers. He saw action in 58 total games during his time at Grambling State. Stevenson recorded a career-high 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists all early last season and helping the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
When asked in an interview with WANE 15 News on what brought Stevenson back to Fort Wayne to join Coffman’s team, he cited a pathway that has been laid out by other Fort Wayne guards who were in a similar position to where he was. “Their energy. What they’ve proved, and what they’ve done for other inner-city guards…A foundation of guards that did what they needed to do and kept pushing… having the city behind me with the support and love that I get from everybody is a blessing.”
DeAndre Craig Jr., 6-0, G, Chicago, IL (Denver)
Craig started all 29 games he appeared in for the Pioneers out of the Summit League. Nearly 30 minutes per game and a very efficient 49.4% shooting percentage from the field helped Craig be the leading scorer per game for Denver. Perhaps more impressive, Craig was the second leading rebounder on the team as a guard – something the Mastodons needed after being out rebounded in nearly every game last season.
Yuval Levin, F, 6-8, Haifa, Israel (Kiryat Ata)
Instead of the Mastodons sending a player to a professional league in Europe, the Mastodons went and signed a professional Eurobasket player. Levin played for Kiryat Ata in the Israel-Winner League. Additionally, he played for Israel in the FIBA U20 European Championship where he recorded 8.6 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game and 1.1 assists per game in 7 games. Levin looks for the European/FIBA play style to continue to succeed in the Horizon League after the success of former Robert Morris forward Alvero Folgueiras (Spain) took home the 2024-25 Horizon League Player of the Year award.
EJ Mosley, G, 6-0, Chicago, IL (St. Laurence High School)
EJ Mosley is yet another Chicago native that joins a list of some well-known household names of the Chicagoans of Purdue Fort Wayne – like Rasheed Bello, Anthony Roberts, Joe Edwards, and some guy named John Konchar.
“EJ is an intense competitor that fits with our style of play and is obsessed with player development! He makes those around him better, lives in the paint and can really, really pass the basketball! We are extremely excited about his ability to play in transition, create for other off ball screens and raise the intensity of those around him,” Coffman said via an interview with gomastodons.com.
Danny Kelly, G, 6-6, Fort Wayne, IN (Bishop Luers High School)
Kelly doesn’t have to travel far to get to his next basketball court. The Fort Wayne native travels from the south side of town to the north side for his next team. The 6-6 wing guard earned First Team All-Conference honors his senior year. In addition to hoops, Kelly is a decorated athlete on the track. Kelly competed at the State Track & Field Championship in high jump.
Solomon Richard, G, 6-2, Leo, IN (Leo High School)
Richard travels a little bit farther than Kelly, but not by much. The Leo High School graduate is a strong left-handed guard who can score inside and out. Solomon often put up nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds in his breakout senior season.
Quentin Morgan, F, 6-9, Glen Allen, VA (Deep Run High School)
Morgan broke onto the scene in 2023 when he averaged a double-double with 10.5 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and a ridiculous 6.5 blocks per game.
“He [Quentin] fills up the stat sheet, averaging a double-double as a junior in high school. We love his athleticism, versatility and skill coupled with his size as well as his commitment to player development,” Coffman said via an interview with gomastodons.com.
Projected Starting Lineup
Ja’Corey Lipkins, 6-1, G
Corey Hadnot II, 6-3, G
Ebrahim Kaba, 6-9, G
Maximus Nelson, 6-8, F
Yuval Levin, 6-8, F
Preview Week 2025-26
MBB: Preseason Poll | Preseason All-League | Preseason Awards
WBB: Preseason Poll | Preseason All-League | Preseason Awards
Cleveland State (MBB | WBB) | Detroit Mercy (MBB | WBB) | Green Bay (MBB | WBB) | IU Indy (MBB | WBB)
Milwaukee (MBB | WBB) | Northern Kentucky (MBB | WBB) | Oakland (MBB | WBB) | Purdue Fort Wayne (MBB | WBB)
Robert Morris (MBB | WBB) | Wright State (MBB | WBB) | Youngstown State (MBB | WBB)
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