Observations from the Charlotte 49ers' first basketball practice, which tipped off today at 5 p.m. Charlotte is coming off a 10-20 season in which the 49ers failed to qualify for the Atlantic 10 tournament. Four starters return, with seven new scholarship players also coming into the program.
-- "Options." That was the word coach Alan Major used to describe the 15 players he saw on the court. Last season -- due to suspension, eligibility issues and injuries -- Major often had just two scholarship players on the bench. Now, with freshmen Pierria Henry, E. Victor Nickerson, Mike Thorne and Terrence Williams, transfers DeMario Mayfield and Ilija Ivankovic and sophomore Luka Voncina (who sat out last year due to eligibility issues), Major has a lot from which to choose.
-- Many of those options come from players like Mayfield, Nickerson and Williams, who can all play on the wing. The starting backcourt of Deuce Briscoe and Derrio Green is back. Both guards played heavy minutes last year, which might be why they each averaged about three turnovers per game and shot less than 40 percent. Henry and Voncina will provide depth -- if not push for those starting spots.
-- If there's a spot where the 49ers are thin, it's in the post. Starter Chris Braswell is back, as is K.J. Sherrill. The only other guys with any size are Ivankovic (6-10) and Thorne (6-10), but they'll need to develop quickly to contribute. Senior Javarris Barnett (6-7) might be asked to play some power forward, but he's more of a perimeter player.
-- Green, the team's leading returning scorer (13.0), worked on his shooting a lot over the summer. That's good, because he made just 33.4 percent of his shots last season and is a 34.9 percent shooter for his career.
-- The nonconference schedule, which opens at home against N.C. Central on Nov. 11, lacks pizazz. Most attractive home games are Dec. 10 against Davidson and Dec. 22 against Miami. The end of December brings two compelling games -- at Arkansas on Dec. 28 and at Memphis on Dec. 31.
Friday, October 14, 2011
49ers get basketball started
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16 comments:
There aren't any observations at all in this article.
My observation: They Stink!
Major wasnt fired? A real coach would have quit and moved down to coach YWCA or middle school.
uncc is so pathetic. that's probably because i'm a troll.
lol...losers.
ah..trolling before they even play a game. don't quit your $5 an hour day jobs people.
@10:02
As pathetic as you continually posting dumb comments in this blog.
awww....poor little, insignificant Niners!
thats not what your mom said about this Niner last night....
Thanks for dropping by basketball practice. This year should be much better, but doubtfully as good as our soccer team.
The Niner Soccer Team is still ranked in the TOP 15 and yet no mention in a printed article in the Observer? Is the sports editor afraid someone in Charlotte other than alum will become interested?
To Anon 5:12pm-The last time I checked App State was not that great at basketball either. What major basketball team did they beat because Charlotte took out Tenn and Xavier with only seven players last year. Don't confuse last year with a bad overall basketball program because the last time I checked App State was having problems beating UNC-Greensboro. Charlotte has only been in the A-10 conference for over six years and they have amassed over thirty conference championships; a lot more than most of the other teams in this conference so 49'ers can be proud of their school
Agree with the other poster here...what observations? You basically said what everyone already knew! "They used to have few players...now they have more....these are their names and heights..." Did you even GO to a basketball practice? I could have done this article by looking at a roster.
Agree with the comment about not printing article about the 49er's highly ranked soccer team. USC grad here. It gets old putting up with the non stop pimping the Observer gives to UNC while what looks like intentionally hiding successes of other schools much closer and with large fanbases. I cancelled my subscription 2 years ago because of this but they don't seem to care if they sell papers or not.
Today Rose needs to hire ex UNCC 49er graduate who took them to the Final Four in 1977 and a later NBA star and Hall of Famer Cedric Maxwell as head coach and tear up the other pretenders contract on the spot without advance warning.
The facts are solid and indisputable for Maxwell and besides UNCC has less than couple NBA players and certainly none who did what Maxwell did. The imposter is not even a cheap immitation. UNCC owes it to him now not tomorrow.
Just do it.
who cares.
@2:55.
Dear Cedrick: If we hire you, will you set foot on campus once in a while? There are no "facts" to support the hiring of Maxwell. Good NBA player does not equal competent coach. (See: Clyde Drexler of Houston )
basketball gameplay is very different to football. i dont think thats a good decison theyre making. dont loose hope 49ers. Guys letse help our team, go get 49ers Tickets
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