Post by aggiejazz on Aug 20, 2008 9:32:46 GMT -5
Winston-Salem State to start basketball practice this week
Rams preparing to play in Bahamas tournament at the end of the month
By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER, Published: August 19, 2008
Winston-Salem State's young basketball team will get a head start this year by opening practice Wednesday.
WSSU is taking advantage of an NCAA rule that permits a school to play in an early tournament once every four years. The Rams will have what amounts to 10 extra practices and then play two games at the end of this month in the Bahamas.
Coach Bobby Collins, who will be in his third season with the Rams, said: "I think this is great because we'll be able to bring them all together, and we'll see what we have real early."
The official opening day for other college programs is Oct. 15.
The Rams will open practice Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Gaines Center, and then have nine more practices before leaving for the Bahamas on Aug. 29. They will play two exhibition games and then return to campus on Sept. 1. Collins said that his team won't miss any classes.
"We'll play two exhibition games down there against two of their club teams," Collins said. "We don't know much about who we are playing, but that's OK. We just want to see where we stack up, and hopefully it will be a great experience for our guys."
The trip is paid for by the same group that sponsors the Illinois State tournament in which the Rams will play in late November. Collins said that was part of the agreement to play in that tournament for the next two seasons.
"And we still get the guarantee on top of that," Collins said.
The Rams lost two starters in point guard Roy Peake and Darrell Wonge, who recently signed a contract to play overseas. They went 12-18 in their second season in Division I and will head into their third season with just one senior (Jamal Durham) and one junior (Brian Fisher).
The Rams have five returning players and nine new players on the roster. Six of the new players are on scholarship and three more are considered walk-ons. Two -- forward Stephon Platt, 6-7, and guard Shelton Carter -- will redshirt.
"I'm hoping our young guys can respond and play well and our upperclassmen will be there at the end of games for us," Collins said.
The extra practices will give Collins and his staff a chance to make evaluations before the official start of practice.
Durham and Fisher were two of the team's top scorers last season at 12.2 and 9.1 points a game. Point guard Isiah Tucker, a sophomore, averaged 6.2 points and will likely replace Peake, a four-year starter. Center Paul Davis had an up-and-down freshman season as he battled shin splints all year.
Collins signed Lamar Monger from Ahoskie, who played in the East-West All-Star game in July. And Donald Sims, a point guard from Thomasville, was added as a walk-on.
"We needed to shore up that position," Collins said. "That was very important for us."
The Rams will play another tough schedule. They will open at Georgia Tech on Nov. 14 and will also play Wake Forest at Joel Coliseum on Nov. 24. They will play in the Illinois State tournament in late November, at N.C. State on Dec. 13 and at Old Dominion on Dec. 30.
Even though the Rams won't be eligible for the MEAC Tournament until next season, they will play a full schedule of conference games.
The MEAC Tournament will be at Joel Coliseum in March, and the Rams will play N.C. Central between the tournament's two title games March 14.
"Our schedule is tough, there's no doubt about it," Collins said. "That's another reason why these extra practices will give us a jump-start. I know the guys are looking forward to getting on the court and practicing as a full team."
Rams preparing to play in Bahamas tournament at the end of the month
By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER, Published: August 19, 2008
Winston-Salem State's young basketball team will get a head start this year by opening practice Wednesday.
WSSU is taking advantage of an NCAA rule that permits a school to play in an early tournament once every four years. The Rams will have what amounts to 10 extra practices and then play two games at the end of this month in the Bahamas.
Coach Bobby Collins, who will be in his third season with the Rams, said: "I think this is great because we'll be able to bring them all together, and we'll see what we have real early."
The official opening day for other college programs is Oct. 15.
The Rams will open practice Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Gaines Center, and then have nine more practices before leaving for the Bahamas on Aug. 29. They will play two exhibition games and then return to campus on Sept. 1. Collins said that his team won't miss any classes.
"We'll play two exhibition games down there against two of their club teams," Collins said. "We don't know much about who we are playing, but that's OK. We just want to see where we stack up, and hopefully it will be a great experience for our guys."
The trip is paid for by the same group that sponsors the Illinois State tournament in which the Rams will play in late November. Collins said that was part of the agreement to play in that tournament for the next two seasons.
"And we still get the guarantee on top of that," Collins said.
The Rams lost two starters in point guard Roy Peake and Darrell Wonge, who recently signed a contract to play overseas. They went 12-18 in their second season in Division I and will head into their third season with just one senior (Jamal Durham) and one junior (Brian Fisher).
The Rams have five returning players and nine new players on the roster. Six of the new players are on scholarship and three more are considered walk-ons. Two -- forward Stephon Platt, 6-7, and guard Shelton Carter -- will redshirt.
"I'm hoping our young guys can respond and play well and our upperclassmen will be there at the end of games for us," Collins said.
The extra practices will give Collins and his staff a chance to make evaluations before the official start of practice.
Durham and Fisher were two of the team's top scorers last season at 12.2 and 9.1 points a game. Point guard Isiah Tucker, a sophomore, averaged 6.2 points and will likely replace Peake, a four-year starter. Center Paul Davis had an up-and-down freshman season as he battled shin splints all year.
Collins signed Lamar Monger from Ahoskie, who played in the East-West All-Star game in July. And Donald Sims, a point guard from Thomasville, was added as a walk-on.
"We needed to shore up that position," Collins said. "That was very important for us."
The Rams will play another tough schedule. They will open at Georgia Tech on Nov. 14 and will also play Wake Forest at Joel Coliseum on Nov. 24. They will play in the Illinois State tournament in late November, at N.C. State on Dec. 13 and at Old Dominion on Dec. 30.
Even though the Rams won't be eligible for the MEAC Tournament until next season, they will play a full schedule of conference games.
The MEAC Tournament will be at Joel Coliseum in March, and the Rams will play N.C. Central between the tournament's two title games March 14.
"Our schedule is tough, there's no doubt about it," Collins said. "That's another reason why these extra practices will give us a jump-start. I know the guys are looking forward to getting on the court and practicing as a full team."
