At Tuesday’s Huskie Club Luncheon, NIU men’s basketball coach Jim Rosborough evaluated his team’s performance this season and projected optimism about the future.

“The foundation is laid,” said Rosborough, who indicated this season might have built the framework for a successful future.

“We could have gone for the quick-fix type of team, but instead, we opted to go with the long-term route and build a good quality team,” said Rosborough, whose long-term route made strong recruiting a priority.

Referring to his past recruits, Rosborough said, “I would venture to say that no other team has gotten the quality time out of their freshmen as much as we did.” These young players will be teamed up with three incoming recruits who Rosborough referred to as “an asset to the team’s future.”

While projecting a bright image of the team’s future, Rosborough did not leave this year’s team leaders out. He paid tribute to his four seniors who played their final college game Monday in an 87-81 loss to Eastern Illinois. The seniors were led by Rodney Davis, who has a chance to play professionally—NBA or elsewhere—after college, his coach said. Rosborough also expounded on Randy Norman, who Rosborowgh said “flourished under the system.”

Rosborough said, “It is not going to be done overnight. The pieces are in place—the wins are the only piece missing.” He said the wins will come from hard work in the summer.

“The key priority in the offseason is to get the guys on a weight program,” said Rosborough.

When asked about the 1988-89 slate, Rosborough told the gathering, “You’re going to like next year’s schedule—it’s going to be exciting.”