Bowling Green State University Athletics
2008-09 Men's Basketball Outlook
October 16, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 16, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Optimism is high in the Bowling Green State University men's basketball camp, as the Falcons ready for the 2008-09 season. Head coach Louis Orr enters his second year in Northwest Ohio, and welcomes back all 10 players who earned letters in his initial season.
In his first winter on the BGSU campus, Orr and his team defied the experts. Picked to finish sixth (i.e., last) in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, the Falcons entered the final week of the regular-season race in the running for a top-four seed and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Brown and Orange more than doubled the MAC win total from the previous season, going 7-9 in league play, and BG finished 13-17 overall.
Orr and the Falcons played the MAC portion of the 2007-08 schedule with just one returning starter from the prior year. Two of those players had exhausted their eligibility, one was injured just before the season opener, and a fourth was declared academically ineligible in late December.
Obviously, with just one returning starter, Orr and his staff were forced to give some minutes to players with relatively little collegiate experience. A number of youthful Falcons were given on-the-job training in the form of tough games against MAC foes, and the BGSU head coach hopes those lessons will pay off in 2008-09.
"It is important that the guys who got a lot of minutes last year are able to build on that," said Orr. "A guy like Joe Jakubowski got a lot of minutes, probably more minutes than he should have as a freshman, but you hope it benefits you now.
"Darryl Clements and Brian Moten received much more playing time than they ever had. They each averaged right around 30 minutes per game in MAC play. Chris Knight, in his first playing season, was another guy who averaged close to 30 minutes. Otis (Polk) and Marc (Larson) split time at the center position, and they each got valuable minutes.
"So we had a number of players that received a lot of minutes, and you want to take advantage of that. And, I think their work ethic and their focus will make that possible. I think, from the little bit I've seen in the preseason, they've all improved. They've gotten stronger and they understand how we want to play."
Orr stressed the importance of `grinding out' games a year ago, meaning that the wins might not always be pretty, but that his Falcon teams were going to play tough defense, make the hustle plays, and look to run as much as possible. Those tendencies should continue this winter.
"Those are the basic things we are trying to do," said the coach. "We want to set the tone physically, with toughness and endurance, and we want to be a more up-tempo team. I think our guys are looking to run, looking to push the ball, but it all starts on the defensive end.
"You've got to be able to get stops, and you've got to be able to make people miss. We want to run after scores, but we don't want to constantly be digging the ball out of the net, and then trying to push. We want to be able to stop people, rebound the ball or force turnovers, and then convert at the other end. It's more of an up-tempo mentality with a strong emphasis on the defensive and the physical part of the game."
Last year, the BG roster contained no fourth-year players, and only two student-athletes - Clements and Moten - who were in their third playing seasons. Clements, Moten and Nate Miller make up the 2008-09 senior class, and will look to provide leadership to a team with an eye on the top of the MAC standings.
In addition to all 10 returning letterwinners from a year ago, the Falcons return an additional letterwinner - Erik Marschall - who sat out the '07-08 season due to injury. And, Orr and Company welcome three talented freshmen to the mix.
Miller is arguably the most experienced player on the roster, leading the returnees in career games started (51), minutes played and points scored. In just over a year-and-a-half, Miller has amassed 719 points for the Falcons. He led last year's team in scoring, with 13.6 ppg.
"Nate Miller, I think, is one of the toughest covers in our league," said Orr. "He is a guy who can affect the game in a lot of ways. He's our best playmaker, in terms of creating for himself and for others.
"Nate is very good with the basketball, he can put the ball on the floor, and he is a tough finisher around the basket. We want him to continue to attack the basket, to get to the line more, and to increase his shooting percentages. He gets his hands on a lot of balls on defense, and he has the ability to be a double-figure rebounder for us as well. Nate can do a lot of things for us, and we will be looking for him to have a strong senior year."
Clements, like Miller, started all 30 games last year, seeing much more playing time than in his first two seasons. In most categories, the Detroit native put up 2007-08 numbers that topped his totals for his first two years combined. He averaged 7.2 points per game, and was among the team's top four in rebounding, assists, steals and three-point field goals made.
"Darryl has a lot of experience now, and he can give us a lot of stability out there," said Orr. "We don't need him to be great, we just need him to be solid. We need him to be good in a lot of different areas.
"Darryl is a big guard who can hit open shots, can make free throws for us, and can be one of our best on-the-ball defenders. Perhaps most importantly, though, Darryl can really provide leadership for us. He is the one guy that we have named as a captain this year. You can count on Darryl to do the right thing, day in and day out."
Moten came off the bench for all by two games last season, and finished third on the team in scoring. In MAC play, Moten averaged 12.7 points per outing, the second-most of any Falcon. He was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year, the first-ever BGSU player to earn the honor.
Moten showed his explosiveness in a 24-point outing vs. nationally-ranked Kent State, hitting six of his team-leading 41 three-pointers in that win. He averaged 16.5 points over the last four regular-season games.
"Brian Moten had as good of a MAC season as anyone," said his head coach. "He was probably our most consistent scorer in conference play. He's one of the best three-point shooters in our league, and he's an excellent finisher in transition.
"'B-Mo' really knows how to get out on the break and finish. He has a chance to be an outstanding scorer for us, and he is improved in other areas as well. He is one of our best athletes, one of our top transition players, and I think he can be a very good on-ball defender as well. He had a very good MAC season, and I expect even more from him in his senior year."
In his first season at BGSU, Joe Jakubowski was thrust into the lineup at the Christmas break, and started the final 22 games of the year. Jakubowski, from nearby Rossford, averaged 7.8 points and led the Falcons with 3.0 assists per outing. He paced all league freshmen in both assists and assist/turnover ratio, en route to earning MAC All-Freshman Team honors. Jakubowski, like Moten, exploded in BG's win over Kent State in March, with 21 points and 12 assists.
"Joe, from what I've seen, has made great strides," said Orr. "From foul line to foul line, he's one of the fastest guys with the ball in this league. He is learning to change speeds, and has gotten better at the nuances of the game.
"Joe has added some weight and gotten stronger, and he's also improved his shooting. He is not what I would call a true point guard, but he has learned the position, and that's important. Joe is a very hard worker, and he leads by example. I could see him having a big year for us."
Two big men split time in the middle last season, as Otis Polk and Marc Larson manned the center position. Larson was one of three players to start all 30 games, while Polk played in every contest as well. Polk was second in the MAC in blocked shots, and his single-season total of 51 blocks ranked second in BGSU history.
Larson had 36 blocks, ranking fifth in the conference and giving the Falcons two players with over 35 blocks in a season for the first time in program history. At the offensive end of the court, the two combined to average 10.5 points, and the duo each finished in the Falcons' top three in field goal percentage a year ago.
"Marc and Otis gave us solid play last year," Orr said. "Both bring a physical presence, and they do things in different ways. We led the league in blocked shots last year, and they were a big reason why. They are probably two of our best help defenders as well.
"Otis became a presence on both ends of the floor last year, He is a difference-maker at times. He gives us a low-post presence, and he is definitely a guy you've got to deal with in the paint. Marc really improved as well last year. He gives us a number of options, too, and we expect more out of both of them this year."
Chris Knight burst onto the collegiate scene a year ago, earning MVP honors at the Peggy Cronin Classic in his hometown of Cincinnati in his opening weekend. Knight was second on the Falcons in scoring (10.3 ppg), and led the team with 7.3 rebounds per game. He also paced all MAC freshmen with four double-doubles on the year.
Knight hit double digits in scoring in 19 games in his first playing season, the second-highest total on the team. He reached double figures in rebounding six times, and had nine boards in no fewer than seven other games. Orr believes Knight's ceiling is incredibly high.
"Chris Knight had some nagging injuries throughout last year," said Orr. "He is one of our most talented players, and he can affect the game in a lot of ways. Chris is a very good runner, a good shooter with a good mid-range game, a solid offensive rebounder, and he also ranked among the league leaders in blocked shots.
"Chris is a guy who, once he gets his fundamentals down, has a chance to be a really solid player in this league. He will play both forward spots, and we look for him to continue to improve upon his successful freshman season."
Erik Marschall is an X-factor for Orr and the Falcons. The big man averaged over nine points and four rebounds as a sophomore in 2006-07, but was injured just prior to the start of the '07-08 season and sat out the year as a redshirt. If his injuries are behind him, he could add another dimension to this year's team.
"We could have used Erik last year, and we could definitely use him this year," said Orr. "His conditioning and strength levels have improved, and he gives us a lot of skill.
"In a healthy Erik Marschall, you've got a good passer, a guy who can put the ball on the floor, and a big man who can score inside and out. The key for him is just to stay healthy."
Junior Ryan Sims and sophomore Cameron Madlock play different positions, as Sims is a guard and Madlock is a post player. But, the two are similar in a number of ways, as each played sparingly off the bench a year ago, but showed glimpses of the players they can become.
Sims averaged 1.5 points per game and Madlock 1.0. Madlock showed signs of explosiveness, however, with six points and seven rebounds in just single-digit minutes of action in a game at Akron. Sims, meanwhile, hit some timely three-pointers, and saw his playing time increase, with double-digit minutes in six consecutive games to end the regular season. Their head coach is looking for similar things out of the pair.
"Cameron Madlock needs to be a high-energy player for us," said Orr. "He is our best athlete among the big guys. He is our most mobile big man, and he is our best runner. Cam has got to take advantage of his athleticism, and he's got to bring his energy, hustle and scrappiness to the game.
"Ryan Sims is another energy guy. He wasn't quite comfortable in our offense last year, but I think he has adapted. He had to handle the ball more in our offense (last year) than ever before. He is probably one of our scrappiest players, and one of our best help defenders. He needs to continue to give us a spark off the bench and do the little things for us, but I also think he will make more shots for us this year."
Junior Matt Karaffa rounds out the returning players. Karaffa made the team via walk-on tryouts last year, and saw action in six games off the bench. A junior, his status for the 2008-09 season is unknown at this point.
"Matt Karaffa is a solid team player," said Orr. "He is a hard worker who gives us great minutes in practice. But, he is still recovering from knee surgery. So, it may be a matter of time with him. We will have to see what he can do and when he can do it."
There are three freshmen on the 2008-09 roster in Darnell Brown, A'uston Calhoun and Scott Thomas. The latter two players will look for time in the land of the big men, while Brown will try to crack the guard rotation. Orr feels that all three will have their chances to shine.
"A'uston Calhoun is a combo forward; he can play either the 4 or the 3," said Orr. "As he matures, he has a chance to be a special player for us. He is one of our most talented players, skill-wise. He is very athletic, can shoot the three, can put the ball on the floor, can face the basket and can get rebounds in traffic. He gives us a lot of options.
"Scott Thomas fits our system well. He's got a high motor, and he really gets up and down the floor. Like A'uston, he can hit the three, and he can also put the ball on the floor. He's a true 6-6, an excellent offensive rebounder, and a high-energy guy. Scott just needs strength and experience, but you've got to let him go, because he's going to have a chance to be a good scorer in this league.
"Darnell Brown, for a freshman, is already like an old veteran. He is an old-school guy; he has a certain craftiness and toughness. And, he can make big shots. When the game is on the line, he's got the guts to make plays, and I really like that about him. Darnell will have to play the point for us, as well as some 2-guard. That's a role that he will have to grow into, but he just knows how to play."
Two additional newcomers will sit out this season after transferring from other Division-I institutions. Wings Darion Goins (San Jose State) and Adrion Graves each will retain two seasons of eligibility.
Orr and the Falcons saw in 2007-08 that there are no easy games in the MAC. The coach has repeatedly stressed the importance of trying to "win the day," to get better each and every day. The Falcons took steps toward a return to the top of the MAC, reestablishing a home-court advantage at Anderson Arena last year, and picking up some key wins in conference play.
But, the Falcons experienced both highs and lows last season, with the best example a two-game stretch in March. BGSU defeated Kent State, a nationally-ranked team at the time and the eventual MAC regular-season and tournament champions. Then, however, the Falcons travelled to Buffalo and suffered their most lopsided loss of the year to the team that would eventually finish last in the MAC's East Division. Orr believes the league will be just as rugged and unpredictable in 2008-09, with every MAC game being difficult.
"The MAC is wide open, which means it's a great opportunity for everyone," said Orr. "You take it one game at a time. The season is a marathon, not a sprint, so you can't rest on your laurels at any time. But, you can't get down. You are going to have peaks, and you hope you can limit your valleys. But, you have to be consistently tough. You've got to play hard, and you've got to compete at a high level. No matter who, when or where we are playing, we need to be tough, hard-nosed competitors. That carries as much weight as anything."
The Falcons will begin the 2008-09 season with a trip to Minneapolis, Minn., for the NABC Classic from Nov. 14-16. The home opener is Nov. 20 against Wayne State, and the MAC opener will be Jan. 10, 2009, vs. Buffalo at Anderson Arena.
