For the first time in a while, the Furman basketball faithful have something to get excited about.

It has been a successful early season thus far under first-year head coach Niko Medved. The Paladins have jumped out to a 2-0 start to the 2013-2014 season with wins over Sewanee and Gardner-Webb. The Paladins registered just one winning season in seven years under Jeff Jackson, who resigned following the 2012-2013 season.

Although Furman is Medved’s first stint as the head basketball coach of a Division I program, it is not his first experience with Furman’s basketball program. Medved served as an assistant coach for the Paladins from 2000-2007 and even filled the role of interim head coach prior to Jackson’s hiring.

Since his last tenure with the Paladins, Medved has served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Colorado State. At Colorado State, he played an instrumental role in revitalizing the program, which improved from a 7-25 record in 2008 to a 26-9 record in 2013, even gaining a berth in the NCAA tournament. At Furman, Medved will seek to relaunch a basketball program coming off a 7-24 record last season much as did at Colorado State. Dorian Green, who played point guard under Medved for four years at CSU, will serve as his assistant.

From what I’ve seen, Medved has made his presence felt since his first day on the job, and his approach to the game and his players has given new life to the Furman basketball program. This was apparent even months before the season started when, to reinforce the idea that hard work pays off, Medved awarded junior walk-on Aaron O’Neill with a scholarship for his work ethic and dedication.

In the first few games of the season, the Paladins have looked sharp and much more energized than they did last year under Jackson. The team features a crop of young and talented players on the roster, and with Medved’s exceptional ability to lure quality high school recruits, the Paladins should have a lot to look forward to this season and in the seasons to come.