Men's Basketball Preseason Report No. 2
10/21/2008 4:03:00 AM | Men's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. --- The Georgia Southern men’s basketball team held their fifth practice session Tuesday in preparation for the season opener Nov. 10 vs. Houston.
“We’ve been working hard,” said 10th-year head coach Jeff Price. “Because of our guys doing a good job in individual workouts we’re a little further ahead. But obviously, the fact that we only get three weeks to prepare puts us in a bit of a bind but it puts everyone else in the same situation.”
The stressing of defense during the team’s individual workout phase has paid dividends thus far.
“Our fundamentals in defense have been really good because we spent a lot of time in individual workouts on defense,” said Price. “Right now it shows because our defense is way ahead of our offense.”
AT THE POINT
One of the biggest holes to fill this season is at point guard. The team loses two-year starter and all-time assist leader Dwayne Foreman to graduation. Foreman ranked eighth in the nation in assist average his junior year and 19th last season.
As far as the competition for Foreman’s replacement, Price said, “It’s an on-going evaluation process.”
The Eagles could rely on a number of players before settling in on a consistent starter. Antonio Hanson, a transfer from Independence CC who was Jayhawk Conference Player of the Year in 2007-08, was brought in to be the heir apparent. But sophomore Willie Powers, a member of the SoCon’s All-Freshman Team, and junior Antoine Johnson are both capable of playing the position.
“Experience says Willie Powers is our most experienced point guard, but that’s not to say that he’ll play the point,” said Price. “But right now because of his experience in our program he’s further ahead than the others.”
Along with Hanson, freshman Ben Drayton III, who led the state of Georgia in scoring average last season at Camden County, is in the mix as well.
“Both of them are playing well,” said Price of the two newcomers. “It’s like anything that’s new ? there’s a learning curve there and they’re trying to learn our offense and the way we play and it’s just going to take time.
