1999-00 Season Previews

South Region page

Chowan
Bob Burke has been at this for 29 years and it never gets any easier. On the dawn of his 23rd year as a college head coach and his 20th at Chowan, Burke faces perhaps his greatest challenge since Chowan's transition to four-year status.

The 1999-2000 Braves feature a nucleus of eight returning players, but no returning starters. Eight talented freshmen round out the young Braves roster. Couple that with the fact that Chowan no longer has a junior varsity program to develop young players and the task seems daunting.

The Braves' top returning scorer is junior point guard Anthony McGruder (6'0, 170), who averaged 8.9 points a year ago. In addition to his scoring ability, McGruder led the team in assists (91) and steals (46) last season. He brings a tremendous work ethic as well as solid leadership and a great deal of confidence. He gives the Braves an added dimension because of his ability to penetrate as well as spot up.

Fellow junior Shawn Hubers (6'2, 183) returns to join McGruder in the backcourt. Hubers is the Braves' primary outside threat, having made 36 threes while averaging 6.4 points per game last season. Sophomore Armar Mays (6'3, 215) also returns at the swing guard position. Mays is quite possibly the team's most versatile athlete and averaged 6.5 points during the final 13 games. The tandem of Mays and McGruder will apply a lot of defensive pressure on the perimeter. Mays will be on the court somewhere, whether it's in the frontcourt or the backcourt.

Junior Marcus Webb (6'3, 197) also returns after a two-year layoff. Webb started for the Braves as freshman, but needs to get back into the competitive groove. Once he works off the rust, he will be a regular contributor. Hubers, Mays and Webb are versatile players and will see time at both the two guard or swing guard (three) position.

Two freshmen round out the backcourt. T. J. Whitt (6'3, 163) will handle some of the point guard responsibilities and can also play on the wing, while the athleticism and shooting ability of B.J. Timmons (6'0, 168) provides the Braves with depth. "The strength of all our guards is their quickness," said Burke. "This is the deepest and quickest backcourt we've had as a four-year school, but experience is a concern."

While the strength of this year's team appears to be the guard play, the Braves must reconstruct the frontcourt after losing four excellent post players. Center Curtis Poole (6'8, 250) returns as the team's lone senior. Last season, Poole contributed 3.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. In order for the Braves to be successful this season, Poole must make his presence well-known.

The most exciting and improved player in the frontcourt is junior Jamie Rhodes (6'5, 216). Burke is looking for great things out of Rhodes this season. Though his 1998-99 season was cut short due to injuries, Rhodes made things happen when he was on the court. An incredible leaper, Rhodes averaged 3.8 points in 11 games last season. One of the Braves' strongest players, Rhodes, along with Poole, bench-presses more than 300 pounds.

A pair of sophomores rising from the JV team will be in the frontcourt rotation. Jeff Clinton (6'7, 215) improved his strength and confidence during the offseason and is ready to contribute. His versatility will allow him to play any of the three spots up front. Bryan Christian (6'5, 190) is a great leaper and is savvy around the hoop. Burke is also excited about his freshmen frontcourt players. Headlining this group is Marcus Bowles (6'7, 192). As Bowles gets more experience in the system, he will have a great impact. Eric Mitchell (6'5, 196) is another newcomer who isn't afraid to mix it up down low. A hard-worker, Mitchell has a good future ahead of him as a block-to-block player.

As is the norm under Burke, Chowan will, once again, play a brutally challenging schedule. A year removed from playing eight games against NCAA tournament teams, the Braves find themselves with an equally demanding journey. Chowan will be tested early, as they open with Hampden-Sydney at the Tigers' tipoff tournament. The schedule also features as many as 11 new opponents, including Salisbury State, Savannah Art & Design, Worcester State, Roanoke and Lehman. The Braves will, of course, also entertain their normal Dixie Conference rivals, including a game against Methodist on December 18 at the new 15,000-seat Crown Center in Fayetteville.

As an independent, the Braves still face the challenge of playing two out of every three games on the road. In addition, the Braves will again play in five tournaments. "The reason I play this schedule is because we had nothing to shoot for," said Burke. "With no conference tournament we had to make our schedule the way it is to motivate our players. It is also important for our players to be able to get individual recognition and for our program to be seen."

Christopher Newport
The ultimate hope is that this might be one of the best years in Christopher Newport basketball history.

That sentence was actually the opening of the 1997-98 season preview, but it could just as easily refer to this year. That year CNU had a veteran squad, led by five seniors, and the results were along the lines of what everyone involved with the Captains this season are hoping will occur in 1999-2000. Two years ago CNU went 26-2 and was ranked No. 3. This year they are are in the D3hoops.com preseason Top 10.

And as was the case with that team, this version is truly a "team." Yes, there is some outstanding individual talent, players who will hopefully gain their rightful recognition at season's end. But the main reason why outstanding players like Brandon Jones and Antoine Sinclair did not receive the type of individual accolades one might have expected, was the outstanding overall depth of the CNU lineup. That depth will be quite evident in 1999-2000 as coach C.J. Woollum welcomes back the top eight scorers from last year's 22-5 team, plus a group of five newcomers that has Woollum truly excited.

The talent pool starts with two bona-fide All-America candidates, senior Brandon Jones and junior Antoine Sinclair. Jones, a 6-5 wing, led the Captains in scoring last season at 17.2 and has built a reputation as one of the most exciting players ever to wear a CNU uniform. A first team All-Dixie Conference and second team All-South selection last season, he didn't receive greater postseason honors a year ago simply because the Captains were so well balanced that he did not put up big individual numbers. But those who have seen him know of his explosive offensive potential that included a 39-point performance against Salisbury St. two years ago, which he did coming off the bench in just 27 minutes of playing time.

Complementing Jones perfectly is Sinclair, who, although he is also 6-5, is a force inside. His 15.6 scoring average and 8.7 rebounding mark earned him second team All-Dixie honors, but he probably convinced most observers that he really deserved first team recognition with his play in the conference tournament. He opened with a 23-point, 26-rebound effort against host Averett and then added 21 points and 14 rebounds in the title game against Methodist, and was an easy choice as tournament MVP.

Senior Tiran Matthews, a 6-3 wing, established himself as a great three-point shooter, hitting a school-record 68 threes en route to a 12.7 scoring average and a second team All-Dixie selection. At the five spot the Captains count on the duo of 6-9 junior Craig Dorosewicz and 6-5 senior Kenny Stokes, who combined for 12.7 points and 10.9 rebounds last year while splitting the duties.

The team has several options at point guard. Sophomore Albert Haskins, 6-0, gained valuable experience last year and will be a big key. Aaron Morris arrives from Florida State where he made the Seminoles squad last year as a walk-on. He's a 6-3 point guard who was All-Region at nearby Grafton (Va.) H.S. Veteran senior Jimmy Moorman, 6-3, will also figure in the mix at the point but will also be counted on to provide his steady leadership from a wing position.

Also at a wing is "Mr. Intensity," 6-1 junior Donte Henderson who averaged 8.0 points and made nine starts last year. Also returning for their senior years are big men Ben Matthews and Emery Knight. Matthews, a 6-7 wing who has the ability to hit the three, played in several important games last season, while Knight, at 6-8 and 240 pounds, can be a monster in the middle.

Then there are the newcomers. In addition to transfer Morris, there are four freshman that will key the future. Of the freshman, one has a name that CNU fans will instantly recognize. Jememy Boykins is the brother of the late James Boykins, one of the Captains' all-time greats. The younger Boykins is a 6-3 wing who was a first team All-State performer at Windsor (Va.) H.S. Daniel Plummer is a 6-6 forward and center from Ocean Lakes H.S. in Virginia Beach, while Tyrell Veney, a 6-4 forward, continues a pipeline from Lancaster (Va.) H.S. that has seen last year's only senior, Kenny Carter, plus Henderson from this year's squad, contribute to CNU's late '90s success. Louis Park arrives from Cox H.S. in Virginia Beach. He's a 6-3 wing.

But for all the offensive numbers the Captains have put up, their true strength may lie on defense. Over the past two years, the Captains have limited their opponents to 66.9 points per game, while averaging 81.3 themselves, and have out-shot their foes .478 to .392. Only two teams have managed to score more than 80 points in a game against CNU in the last two years, run-and-gun Salisbury State and 1997-98 NCAA runner-up Hope, which scored 81. Christopher Newport has also been one of the strongest rebounding teams in the country, leading the nation in rebound margin two years ago and finishing seventh in that category last year with an average margin of more than 12 per game.

There's even a little added incentive in the last season of the 1900s, as it will also be CNU's final year in tiny Ratcliffe Gym. Although looking forward to the opening of their new $16-million home, the Sports and Convocation Center in the fall of 2000, the Captains will miss the raucous atmosphere of Ratcliffe, in which they have won 85 of their last 100 games and are 271-92 in the 32-year history of the building.

Emory
The offseason is nine months long, but Coach Brett Zuver hopes his Emory University men's basketball team remembers last season like it was yesterday. The Eagles closed out the last campaign on a tide of momentum with wins in seven of the last eight games and Zuver hopes his squad can continue to ride the wave this season.

The turnaround began last season with improved defensive play. In the last eight games, the Eagles limited the opposition to 36.8% shooting from the field which would have tied for third best in Division III in team defense for the entire season.

Emory had a 6-1 record in February, the best winning percentage (.857) in school history for that month. Among Emory's victims in the closing surge were the three top teams in the conference.

While Emory graduated an all-conference forward, they return three starters and 10 other lettermen.

Top returning scorer is senior guard Neil Bhutta of Cincinnati (Indian Hill), who received honorable mention in voting for the all-conference team last season. Bhutta led the team in scoring with an average of 14.0 points per game and in free-throw percentage at 83.1%. He tallied at least 10 points in 17 of 23 games, including four 20-point efforts. Bhutta recorded season highs of 21 points, eight rebounds and four three-point field goals (three times). He was second in the conference in free-throw percentage and 10th in steals.

The second guard in a three-guard offense will be junior Michael Thompson of Marietta, Ga. (Wheeler), who set a school record with 65 three-point field goals last season and tied another with six treys in one game. He recorded at least four three-pointers in 13 of 25 games this season. Thompson recorded season highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds. He was third on the team with 10.0 points per game.

Front-runner in the middle is senior center John Dragseth of Suffolk, Va. (Nansemond-Suffolk), who averaged 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17 minutes per game. Dragseth had season highs of 12 points (twice) and eight rebounds.

Depth on the team comes from junior guard Maurice Middleton of Kennesaw, Ga. (Campbell), the team's Rookie of the Year last season, and junior center David Schaff of Germantown, Tenn. (Memphis University), who has been chosen the squad's Most Improved Player the last two years.

Middleton started the last 15 games after spending the previous season on the junior varsity squad. He averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Middleton's standout performance was in an upset win at conference champion Washington U. where he had 13 points, four assists, one rebound and one steal in 27 minutes. He made six of eight field goal attempts and one of two three-point attempts to help Emory beat Washington on the road for the first time ever. That game was one of six 10-point efforts for Middleton, including a season-high 18 points against Brandeis. He had season highs of six rebounds in back-to-back conference road games at NYU and Brandeis.

Schaaf averaged 3.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 11 minutes per game. Schaaf contributed to the team's biggest victory of the season, a win at conference champion Washington (Mo.) where he tallied nine points, a season-high 10 rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block in 18 minutes. Schaaf recorded a season-high 13 points at Huntingdon (Ala.).

Hampden-Sydney
Following a 29-3 season and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game, No. 2 Hampden-Sydney will again be expected to accomplish great things. The Tigers return their top four scorers from last season: Chris Fox, T.J. Grimes, Jeremy Harris, and Jack Jirak are all rising seniors and have considerable playing time between them. The four have combined to play a total of 350 games, including 210 starts. They have also claimed ODAC Championships in each of their three previous seasons and made the NCAA tournament as well. After a first-round loss as freshmen in 1997, they made the NCAA round of 16 in 1998 and the championship game in 1999. Expectations are high again for the Tigers, as H-SC is picked no lower than third in any national polls and carries two preseason no. 1 rankings.

A strong supporting cast of underclassmen and one of H-SC’s best recruiting classes ever will give the Tigers tremendous offensive punch and a deep bench to continue head coach Tony Shaver’s high pressure, pressing defense. Grimes has been H-SC’s leading scorer for the past two seasons, and was just seven points away from leading the team in scoring as a freshman. He is a two-time First-Team All-ODAC pick. Grimes should set a new standard for career three-pointers made by the end of the season, and could crack H-SC’s Top Five in scoring and assists.

Fox, Harris, and Jirak started about half of H-SC’s 32 games last season and give the Tigers tremendous presence on both the offensive and defensive ends. Fox was a Second-Team All-ODAC selection and has shared top two leading scorer honors with Grimes in the previous three seasons. Harris and Jirak split starting time during the season, and both flourished in the ODAC and NCAA tournaments. Harris was an all-tournament selection for the second year in a row at the ODAC tournament, and was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team after scoring 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the two games. Jirak set an H-SC single-season record with 34 blocked shots, and averaged 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in H-SC’s eight postseason games.

Fox and Grimes will be counted on for a majority of the minutes at the point and shooting guard positions. Fox split starting time at the point last season, but will assume the starting role full-time this year. Grimes will start at the off-guard, and will handle point duties when Fox is out of the game. Junior Kevin Swann will be the first guard off the bench and will see most of his time at shooting guard. Swann is a dramatically improved player, and has worked hard to make the transition from a pure-shooter to a strong all-around player. Freshmen Andy Gibbs, Marcus Gregory, and Philip Janney will work to learn H-SC’s offensive and defensive systems and push for time in reserve roles.

With eight forwards on the roster, Shaver will have opportunities to use both his team’s size or quickness at both small and power forward. Jirak will likely start at the power forward and will be counted on for sustained scoring and a higher rebounding role. Brett Thompson was H-SC’s first backup at the small forward position, and will challenge for a starting role this year. The junior is an intense player on both sides of the ball, and will be expected to get to loose balls, rebound, and defend the perimeter. Bobby Jackson came on strong late in the season as a freshman in 1998-99, and will look for an increased role this season. Junior Aaron Gibbs worked hard in the offseason to improve his strength, and with sophomore Andy McShane will fill out H-SC’s forward rotation. A trio of highly touted freshmen, Lane Brooks, Andy Jackson, and Matt McKeag, have progressed nicely in the preseason workouts and will be counted on for contributions throughout the season.

Harris is the only returning center for the Tigers this season, and will assume the starting duties for his fourth season. Shaver describes Harris as a "self-made player whose work ethic is beyond reproach." The senior has improved his game dramatically in each of the previous three seasons, and will be counted on for his size, rebounding, and leadership this season. Freshman Mark Brown will bring tremendous size to the paint with his 6-8, 280 pound frame. He has excellent mobility for a big man, and will look to improve his transitional game.

In addition to the 18-game ODAC schedule Hampden-Sydney will host two tournaments, the Northwestern Mutual Life Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 19-20 and the Taco Bell Grande Hoops Classic on Dec. 29-30. The field for the opening tournament features Goucher, an NCAA tournament team last season, and Averett, who is picked to finish second in the Dixie. The Tigers will play 14 of 24 regular-season games in Fleet Gymnasium where they are 30-2 over the past two seasons.

LeTourneau
The 1999-00 edition of the LeTourneau YellowJackets has one factor in its favor -- for the first time in three years the head coach remains intact.

Bernie Balikian is the first coach to coach consecutive seasons since 1996, meaning all-star players like point guard Brian Pace and forward Steve Cyrus will not have to learn another new system for the first time in their careers.

"For many players in our program, this is the first year they have had the same coach for consecutive years. That, coupled with a large number of returning lettermen, alone will make us a significantly better team," said Balikian.

The 'Jackets have four starters returning, including Pace, Cyrus, shooting specialist Kendrick Brooks and 6-10 Steve McDaniel to do battle in the American Southwest Conference's East Division. They played in just five winning games last season, but the entire team showed improvement as the season progressed and the outlook is much brighter this time around.

The last winning season at LeTourneau was the 1996-97 campaign.

"I think we are right on schedule in the building process," said Balikian. "I have been through this at every place I have ever coached.

"Seeing things coming together and seeing the players excited about the future of the program is what turns me on about coaching. I am not a 'quick fix' kind of coach, and we won't take short cuts.

"We need to consistently bring in kids that are not only talented but who also appreciate the distinctiveness of a LeTourneau University education."

With four starters back and entering the second year of "the Balikian's way", the YellowJackets could surprise some people and figure in the divisional race.

"We steadily improved and played some of the top teams in our conference very tough. I tried to keep things in perspective and remember that it was LeTourneau's first year in a new conference, it was our players' first season with me and my first with them," the second-year coach said.

Pace and Cyrus, senior co-captains, have three full years under their belt, so they will be solid since there isn't much they haven't seen offensively or defensively. Both have had their moments with 30-point games, as has Brooks, a three-point bomber who can quickly make a difference in a game against anybody.

"When he gets going, he can throw them in with his eyes shut," said Balikian in reference to the junior shooter.

Cyrus led the team in scoring last year with a 15.5 average, followed by Brooks at 12.2 and Pace at 11.8. Pace also had 108 assists.

McDaniel, a junior who averaged 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds will be one of the tallest players in the conference and Balikian said he improved tremendously over the course of his first full season. He was injured as a freshman and missed most of the season.

"As Steve gets stronger and learns how to play more balanced, he has the potential to be an impact player at this level," said Balikian.

Mark Malone, 6-2, is also a senior who can contribute with his experience, along with 6-6 junior Chris Aram and 6-5 sophomore Garrett Hilton.

Malone is a tenacious defensive player and can also shoot the three, while Aram and Hilton both came on strong near the end of the season.

Two more sophomores, guard DeVaughn Alexander and 6-5 forward Alan Cumming also return from last season's 5-20 squad.

Balikian, however, hopes to mix the nine returning lettermen with a sizable class of freshmen recruits and make a dent in the East Division race in his second season at the helm.

McMurry
It is hard to believe that a 22-win season can be disappointing but it was for McMurry, which has some unfinished business from last year. The Indians ran their way to a perfect ASC-West mark of 8-0 and had their sights set on not only the ASC title but a Division III playoff appearance only to have their goals derailed. The team was upset by Austin 95-93 in the ASC semifinals.

Coach Ron Holmes will look to take care of last season's business at the 13th Annual F&M Bank-Winchester Apple Tip-Off Classic at Shenandoah University. The Indians have to go into the tournament as the favorite. "We have our sights set on winning the West and then the ASC title first," says tenth-year head coach Ron Holmes. "I am excited about our chances and can't wait to start the season rolling."

Coach Holmes has built the Indians into a perennial winner as the team has a streak of six consecutive winning seasons. In those six seasons, he has guided McMurry to a 110-44 mark (.714) and was named the ASC West "Coach of the Year" last season. The Indians are picked to repeat as American Southwest Conference West Division champions for 2000. A repeat of their outstanding 22-3 record will be difficult in itself but will be a bigger challenge with a tougher schedule to be played.

"We will be the same kind of team and try to run the same time of plan but will be tougher than last year," Holmes tells. "In the eight-team Alamo Shootout (Dec. 27, 29 & 30th), there are four of the eight teams ranked going into the year and we are not one of them. The ASC is continually improving as well this year with teams like Schreiner and Mary Hardin-Baylor."

Martinez will lead a team looking to thrive on its vast amount of depth up and down the Indian roster. There will also be five seniors sprinkling the ranks along with a total of eight returning athletes.

"Our biggest asset this season will be our depth and our depth. We will go 12 deep with the guard position being the deepest along with a great deal of court experience they will bring to the each game," points out Holmes. Martinez will be the team's court leader. He gained both "Player of the Year" and "Defensive Player of the Year" honors in the ASC-West last season with his outstanding performance. The senior from El Paso finished second in the nation in steals with 4.3 per game along with leading the conference for the second consecutive year. The player who could put the Mission Impossible crew to shame has tallied 242 over his first three seasons with 93 coming last year in 22 contests.

Martinez also placed 10th in DIII in assists with 6.4 per game after totaling 141 to only 54 turnovers. Daniel chipped in with 7.8 points and 2.2 rebounds to round his efforts. "Daniel has all the credentials to be a legitimate All-American pick," explains Holmes. "It will all depend on what kind of a season the team has as to how high of honors he is named to for the season."

Martinez will be joined by seniors Abran Aragon and Rodney Gray as the team's main cogs. Forward Aragon is a three-year starter and ASC-West second team pick, who will be the team's top inside man. He will be counted upon to pick up some of the inside scoring and rebound slack since 1,000-point scorer and force Brian Tudman is gone. Aragon was in the Top 10 in field goal percentage at 56.2% while third on McMurry at 11.7 ppg and pulled in 4.5 rpg. He will look to have a break through season as the main man on the Indian frontline.

Gray comes to McMurry after transferring from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. According to Coach Holmes Gray should be garner All-American consideration but does not have the past credentials for a strong case. Gray is a solid 6-2, 210-pound guard whose versatility and build allow him to play at either small forward or shooting guard. The Katy product averaged 10.4 ppg last year for the Rattlers at St. Mary's in 14 games and should provide a big time player for the Indians' guards.

Two ASC All-West selections from a year ago will be counted upon this season in Rusty Reedy and Alex Denson. Reedy, an All-West Honorable Mention pick, will be the starter at the shooting guard spot. He was one of the team's four double-figure scorers at 10.5 ppg in the 1998-99 season. He hit a 42.3% rate from three-point range, which placed fifth in the ASC while clearing 2.6 rpg.

Another three-point bomber, Denson was the Indians' super sub with 12.6 ppg off the bench and was second on the squad. Denson, who was named to the ASC All-West Second Team hit 40.3% from long range while grabbing 2.7 rpg. The last two players in the McMurry guard rotation will be freshman Andre Green and transfer Travis Hull. Green will be Martinez's backup heading into the year. Hull played at Weatherford College last season and assisted the Coyotes to a 34-3 mark while averaging 12 ppg , 4.0 rpg and 2.0 apg.

Aragon will have only two familiar faces to join him in the frontcourt. Andrew Ottaro (Nairobi, Kenya) will see time at small forward and Damon Liverett at center hopes to provide more punch from a year ago. Ottaro returns with a 6.2 ppg while hitting 61.2% of his shots from the floor and 4.6 boards per game. Liverett, a 6-8 217-pounder, came off the bench in 22 games last season. He tallied 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest in a backup role.

Four newcomers will be relied upon heavily to log minutes along the baseline in Roderick Dickerson, Thomas Drakeford, Samuel Maina, and Anthony James. A junior transfer from Eastfield College, Dickerson was the team's MVP there last season. He and Drakeford will provide much-needed depth at both forward positions. Drakeford comes to McMurry with teammate Gray from St. Mary's. He sat out last season as a redshirt but will be a very solid frontline player this season and defensive stopper.

Maina and James will hover under the hoop at center. Maina, also a native of Nairobi, played at Frank Phillips Junior College where he put in six points and four boards per game. James comes from Cisco Junior College and will add a solid body in the team's frontcourt. Evan Graham and M.J. Classen are the last returning Indians back from a year ago. Graham chipped in with 1.7 ppg and 0.5 rpg while Classen, a 6-10 center, added 1.8 ppg and 1.6 rpg. Freshmen Ronnie Funari and Lance Welch round out the McMurry roster.

Mississippi College
How can Mississippi College head men's basketball coach Mike Jones top last year's season?

His Choctaws posted a record of 25-4, including a 9-1 mark against American Southwest Conference opponents. MC also captured its second straight conference title, winning the inagural ASC tournament championship 69-54 against Austin College. What may have made the season so memorable was the team's appearance in the NCAA Division III Sweet 16, a feat no other Choctaw team has accomplished since the school began playing basketball.

MC returns a solid group of guards from last year's team. With players like junior Curt Crain, senior Rusty Chapman and junior Travis Bernhard returning for another season of Choctaw basketball, MC's frontcourt should be one of the best in the conference.

Chapman, last year's co-ASC player of the year, brings to the table last year's team-leading 16.3 points per game, 41 steals and 31.3 minutes of playing time. Crain, who averaged 3.4 assists per game, will handle much of the frontcourt responsibilities. Bernhard will be a threat from three-point range, as he shot almost 43% from three-point range made.

"When you have the two points guards and Rusty back, I think it's a great accomodation to have to start your season," said Jones. "We need to try to build around it."

The backcourt features such players as seniors Bo Lewis and Derrick Davis. Davis leads all returning players in rebounds and averaged 60% in field goals last year.

"We're going to be bigger and stronger but as I told my guys the other day, bigger and stronger does not make you better unless you use your talent for our team's advantage," said Jones.

Jones is excited about his team's depth and the way they have performed during the preseason. However, his biggest concern is "attitude and team chemistry. I'm not saying we have bad attitudes because we don't. I'm saying the attitude as the season goes and the chemistry that we can create as a team is going to be the difference between us being successful or mediocre," said Jones.

If this year's team hopes to advance to its third consecutive NCAA tournament berth, it must do so against not only a hard ASC schedule, but against the toughest non-conference schedule since MC entered Division III.

"We're playing in the Alamo Shootout, which is the most prestigious Division III tournament. There are more road games than we've ever played. Our schedule is the most difficult it's ever been since we've been in Division III," said Jones, who begins his 12th season at the helm of the men's basketball program and has amassed a 334-100 career record.

Teams competing in the Alamo Shootout include Goucher, ASC-rival McMurry, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and University of Massachussetts-Darmouth. Goucher, ranked 30th in the preseason Top 25 poll, fell in the second round of last season's NCAA tournament but captured the 1999 Capital Athletic Conference championship. McMurry, who fell in the first round of the ASC tournament to Austin College, barely missed the NCAA tournament with a 22-3 record.

If the Choctaws hope to return to the ASC championship game, many quality opponents stand in their way. While the defending eastern divison champion Choctaws were picked as the favorite to win their division, Jones feels many schools may give his team trouble in MC's quest for the division crown.

Such schools as East Texas Baptist, University of Texas-Dallas, Austin College and the University of the Ozarks may give MC a run for their money for the eastern division title. "Those teams are capable of winning this league and hopefully we are," said Jones.

On the western division side, preseason favorite McMurry is picked to win their division. Jones feels other western division schools in addition to McMurry may pose a threat to MC.

"Schreiner College and Mary Hardin-Baylor will be right there with [McMurry]. To give you an inidication, our first road trip in December is at Mary Hardin-Baylor and Schreiner College, the two schools who are tied and are picked to finish second," said Jones.

Roanoke
Roanoke hopes to build upon the 1998-99 season, sort of. The Maroons have put the first half of last season behind them, way behind them. They must build upon the strong second half effort they posted last season. That finish, 11-6 over the final 17 games of the season, was a confidence builder that should have a great impact on the veteran squad this year.