Men’s Basketball Season Preview
Head men’s basketball coach Webb Hatch enters his 17th season coaching the Bobcats, and expectations are high for the upcoming season.
“So far there has been unselfish ball movement during the pre-season… there is outstanding depth at the perimeter positions this year,” says Hatch. “Right now our strong points are our guard play, we have some guys that can put up some points and we will be playing to their strengths.”
The Bobcats bring back the team’s leading scorer of the 2014-2015 campaign, Nick Smoot. The 5’10 senior guard from Baltimore is a good ball handler who has the ability to create his own shot as well as catch and shoot.
“I feel like we are going to have a good season this year. We’re working hard everyday to achieve that goal,” says Smoot.
Smoot’s backcourt mate, James Peters, feels that, “the season is looking good, our practices have been going smoother and we are starting to connect better on and off the court.”
Peters enters the season healthy after spending last season on the sidelines as a medical redshirt.
Peters will aim to pick up where things left off in the 2013-2014 season. After struggling with several injuries to his nose and foot, Peters led the team in scoring with 16.7 points per contest, including a season high 34-point performance against conference rival Salisbury.
“My role on the team is to shoot the three and attack the basket to try and make a play out of it, I have a good sense on the court and with my teammates I know where they want to catch the ball and I can set them up for [shots],” says Peters.
New comers, Shawn Bozier and Tavari Merriman will compete for playing time with returner Quinton Dodson at the point guard position.
“Having to make difficult decisions about playing time is never a bad thing,” says first year assistant coach Mo Williams. “We are in a position where we have 3 guys that are competing at that position and guys will start to separate themselves as the season progresses.”
All 3 players have different skill sets that they bring to the team this season. “Dodson is a past first player that knows the offense and sets his teammates up well for open shots on the floor,” says Hatch.
“Tavari is a very quick player whom can attack the basket and knock down the 15-20 foot jump shot.” Hatch says that, “He’s a guy that comes from a good high school program and has a good feel for the game at a young age.”
“Shawn is still trying to find the balance between making a play and finding a play,” says coach Williams. “He’s a guy with a high IQ and is showing constant progression.”
Another player looking to get back into the swing of things is returner Breon Powell. “Scouting him while I was at Salisbury, I would watch tape and say, ‘he’s not a player I would want to play against, he’s a dog,’” says Williams.
“Powell is a player who has a quick initial step getting past defenders with ease… Powell is also probably our best on-ball defender,” says Hatch.
Returners Zachary Coalman, Torrell Goodman and Shawn Henson enter the season at the post and power forward positions. Goodman feels the team can see success in the upcoming season and “really surprise people.”
The 6’2 forward is a versatile player on the block who can step outside for shots as well. Goodman is battling a hand injury, but has started both scrimmages despite of it.
“Zachary has been a lot more aggressive this year compared to last, and he is showing that he has gained confidence,” says Hatch. “We would like for him and Johnson to be more vocal on the block, calling for the ball and calling out screens.”
5th-year senior Shawn Henson is a versatile player who fits the trail 5 style of offense that Hatch runs. “Shawn shoots the ball well and is a strong competitor,” says Hatch. Henson lead the team in rebounds in the last scrimmage against UMBC.
“My game revolves around just playing hard. Playing the forward spot allows me to have a mismatch sometimes where I can use my strengths to shoot if the defense leaves me space and drive when the defender presses up. I feel as though rebounding is also a strength I’ve been trying to improve on which just comes with playing hard and effort,” says Henson.
“Henson has dealt with a bad knee, but we joke in practice about how he reminds me of myself… He can do virtually anything you ask of him on the floor and is completely invested in the team,” says Williams.
Williams played under Hatch from 2009-2012 before accepting the job position this offseason.
“I came here to be a part of something special… I’ve walked these halls and been in the same situation as a lot of the guys here. It’s a blessing to be back; I have a very special and genuine feel for what Hatch wants to instill in our players so there is definitely a sense of pride and passion,” says Williams.
“We want to create an environment where we love playing with one another. I wanted to come and help change the culture and everyday we are looking better.”
Williams describes himself as very “detailed-oriented.” Williams has been working one-on-one throughout the season with players looking to improve their individual games.
“A guy who has been leading the pack is sophomore Tyler Michael… he is an unselfish player that enters the season and is the 6-7th man off the bench and has been working to expand his offensive game.”
“Tyler understands that teams are looking to stop him from shooting the 3, so we’ve been working together to expand his game and look for alternatives to his outstanding shooting ability.”
“We won’t fall short this season because of talent,” says Williams.
The team faced division 1 team UMBC in Baltimore for their last test of the preseason. The game saw the Bobcats go up by 1 with about 6 minutes left in the game before the Golden Retrievers would go on a 12-0 run to seal the victory. “We had several defensive breakdowns in final minutes of that game… for any coach, defense if an important layer that you want to lay down,” says Williams.
Williams continues to say “There’s a quote from Doc Rivers that I love, he says ‘You can’t say that you’re playing defense if you’re not talking.’” The teams needs to improve in those areas but we will improve… We want to be playing our best ball in February.”
Last year the Bobcats fell short of the CAC tournament for the second consecutive season, missing qualification by one game. The team ended the season on a 5 game losing streak, which left a bad taste in players’ mouths.
The Bobcats open the season in Cresson, PA playing against Mount Aloysius on November 16th.
“I feel like we can be really good this season. There’s no reason that we can’t be one of the best teams in the conference. We are a really athletic team. We have size at every position and we have a lot of shooters. The biggest improvement that we made from the first scrimmage to the second is that we played together as a team,” says guard Chris Coston.
The Bobcats have been slated to finish 8th in the division this season. “If the players read it, they shouldn’t be happy about it. Some guys will use it as motivation,” says Hatch.
“Our major weaknesses can be easily improved on such as lack of effort and getting back on defense. We are in one of the most competitive divisions… nothing will be given to us this season.”
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