Page 12
Greensboro. N.C.
Men's basketball prepares for season, focuses on chemistry
Cory Williams
Staff Writer
Players streak to the
basket for a lay-up or
pull up and shoot a jump
shot. Junior Kevin Smith ele
vates for a 180-degree jam.
The sound of swishing nets
fills the gym.
This is Guilford basketball.
The Old Dominion Athletic
Conference (ODAC) presea
son poll ranked Guilford's
men's basketball team ninth
out of ten teams, ahead of
Eastern Mennonite. The
team's roster lists only four
returning players - none of
whom were starters. With so
many unknowns, judges hes
itate before ranking Guilford
any higher.
Gone are seven players
from last year's team who
finished with a 15-11 season.
They take with them 64
points, 30 rebounds, and 15
assists per game - not
including the experience that
comes from playing together
for four years.
To surpass expectations,
Guilford will have to receive
strong contributions from its
Return of "Cracker Box" basketball
games in the Alumni gym
Emily Place
The flyers were everywhere: "Come support
the men's basketball team, and recreate the
fun Cracker Box atmosphere from years ago!" To
the current students at the college, the term
"Cracker Box" probably makes no sense, but to
many alumni, it is something that can only be expe
rienced.
In the 1960s and 70s, basketball here was big.
"We played in national tournaments in 1966
through 1970, as well as 1973, 1976 and 1989,"
said Jack Jensen, who coached the basketball
team from 1965 to 1999. In 1973, the team won the
national championship. Four of the players from
that era, Bob Kaufmann '6B, M.L. Carr '73, World B.
Free '77, and Greg Jackson '74, went on to the
National Basketball Association (NBA).
"It was a tremendous advantage to play on our
home court," Jensen said. "During one run, we won
55 of 56 games played in Alumni gym."
In the times before cable TV and ESPN, students
and community members attended events like this
large group of first-year and
transfer students.
Junior forward-guard and
co-captain Robbie Poteat
commented on the incoming
group. "The first-year class is
really big, yet also very quick.
We have some tall guys and
the guards are all incredibly
athletic," he said.
There is a down side to
having so many talented new
comers.
"One thing that worries me
this year is that with all the
excessive talent, I don't want
anybody to get discouraged
because they are not getting
the playing time they would
on another team," said
Poteat.
New players showcased
their athletic ability and pen
chant for scoring during the
inter-squad scrimmage on
Nov. 6. They got up and down
the court very quickly and
several of the men exhibited
extraordinary leaping ability.
"We've got an extremely
good offensive team," said
Poteat. "We have five or six
guys that can go out and
score 20 points on any given
night."
Staff Writer
SPORTS
Junior center Genaro
Lawhorn agreed. "On offense
we have a two-headed mon
ster with me and Brandon
Clifford," he said. "Inside
we're scary. We get guys
double- and triple-teaming us,
and we kick it out to the
shooters. We have guys who
are pure shooters."
The offense will rely on post
play with two big guys in the
middle. As they draw more
attention, they free up oppor
tunities and space for the
smaller players outside. This
takes coordination and the
ability to play together.
If there is one concern for
the team, it is chemistry.
Lawhorn commented, "Early
in the season we might strug
gle with playing together, but
we're working on it every
day."
One thing that will help is
the presence of Coach Tom
Palombo. Last year, his first
year with the team, Palombo
shared the conference Coach
of the Year award with Bob
Johnson of Emory and Henry.
"Chemistry is critical," he
said. "Sometimes the teams
with the best players don't
with a vigor that is not as common today.
"Playing and watching a game in a
small gym is much louder and more electric than
watching in a larger environment," said Randy Doss
'B2, Vice President for Enrollment.
Jensen agreed. "There were times when it got so
loud that the players couldn't hear instructions dur
ing time-outs," he said. Back then, even with a seat
ing capacity of 933 people, the gym was standing
room-only for all games.
"Archie Andrews, who took up tickets, was a fire
marshal, and he had a counter," Jensen said. "When
it got to 933, no more people were admitted."
No one meant no one, not even the president.
"On some of those occasions, our president,
Grimsley Hobbs, arrived 15-30 minutes prior to the
game and he was turned away," Jensen said.
To make sure they got into the gym, many people
would arrive early, sometimes even an hour and a
half before the tip-off.
"There were games with High Point and Elon
when it was full at 6:30 for an 8 p.m. game," said
Jensen. "You couldn't get in even if you arrived 30
minutes before game time."
win. The teams that play the
best together win, and that's
chemistry."
On the court, it affects how
well the guys play defense
together. The players must be
comfortable with each other
for the defense to excel.
"No matter what, we are
going to have guys who com
pete," Palombo said. "If you're
willing to compete, you can
play defense and rebound,"
which will be the key to start
ing the Quaker's fast-break
offense. When the defense
begins playing well, this team
will be exciting and fun to
watch.
Everyone on the team is
optimistic about the upcoming
BOWEN/GUILFORDIAN
The Quakers beat the Italian Junior National Team 74-60 in
their season opener Nov. 10
Although most games are currently held in the
Ragan-Brown Field House, the athletic department
chose to have Wednesday's game against the Italian
Junior National Team in the Alumni Gym out of
respect for its past and the many great players who
played there.
"It (was) an opportunity for the community to come
back if they wished to see a game in this special
place," Doss said.
Current basketball head coach Tom Palombo
agreed. "I think it (was) great for students and facul
ty members, especially those faculty that attended
games in the 705," he said.
The game also introduced the newly renovated
Alumni Gym, with new windows, paint, and floor sur
facing.
The Italian Junior National Team was the first
international team to ever play against the college's
men's basketball team. Adding to the list of unforget
table moments occurring in the Alumni Gym, the
game in the "Cracker Box" was expected to bring
back the electric atmosphere of the past.
Nov. 12, 2004
www.guilfordian.com
season.
"We're going to compete
every night," Palombo said.
"There will be no off nights for
Guilford. We will go after
teams and we will play hard
every night."
La whom added his own
positive on the season, say
ing, "I am anticipating us
doing great things this year
and winning the ODAC tour
nament. We want some of
those pretty rings."
The season began Nov. 10
when the Quakers beat the
Italian Junior National Team
74-60 in the Alumni gym. The
game was particularly chal
lenging, as NBA scouts were
watching the Italian squad.