BLUEFIELD, Va. — It's basketball time in Bluefield. Bluefield College will open the local basketball season tonight, with the men's program hosting Central Penn at the Dome Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
Now in his sixth season at Bluefield, head coach Richard Morgan's Rams will look to rebound after last year's 12-14 campaign in their first year back in the Appalachian Athletic Conference after spending two years in the Mid-South.
"I just want to see where we are right now, just trying to get a feel for where our guys are right now, what we are picking up, what we don't understand," said Morgan, who was a three-year starter and All-ACC performer at the University of Virginia. "I am just trying to figure it all out for our guys and our team and see where we are and what we are going to look like in the future and just try to make sure we look like we know what we are doing out there."
Don't expect the new 30-second clock to bother the Rams much. They like to get out in transition, and their opponents tonight do the same. The Knights, who play in the United States Collegiate Basketball Association (USCBA) were 16-9 last season, while averaging 88.8 points a game, scoring at least 100 points in nine games.
"We haven't had any problems with that, we didn't have any problems with the 35 (second clock)," Morgan said, "I don't think that is ever going to be a problem for us in the changing of the clocks.
"I think we are heading in the right direction, I just want to see it in a real game situation where it counts."
Bluefield, which defeated Lynchburg College in a scrimmage and lost by five in overtime to the Oak Hill Academy "Gold" team, will play five games in an eight-day span beginning at Ohio Christian next Saturday.
It all starts tonight.
"I think the effort has got to be there, I think our guys have really got to buy into the effort side of it," Morgan said. "They will be at home so they will be in front of their fans they know so it is not very hard to get them up for this one.
"I think definitely we just need to know where we stand right now. I am anxious to see our effort and our energy and how we play defense and how we score the ball obviously. I want to see where the scoring is going to come from or where we think it is going to come from."
Bluefield lost plenty of production off last year's team, but does return a quartet of seniors that are expected to start tonight, including Zeke Williams (6'4, 10.7 ppg), Joseph McClain (6'3, 7.8), Alonzo Howard (6'6, 5.5 ppg, 6.5 reb) and Robert Pinkston (6'2, 4.6 in second semester).
What Morgan is anxious to see tonight are a plethora of newcomers who are expected to contribute. That includes 6-foot-6 senior Darius Scott, a transfer from Alabama State, along with junior college transfer Sidney Knox (5'9, jr.).
"I want to see some of our freshmen get a chance to play in real game situations," Morgan said. "We have had a couple of scrimmages and I want to see it now when it counts, how did they play. We have got everybody eligible so that is a good thing."
Redshirt freshman Kowante Cobbs — who had 19 in the scrimmage at Lynchburg — is expected to share time at point guard with Knox. At least three freshmen are high on Morgan's list of contributors, including Teyon Henry (6'3), Frank Agyemong (6'2) and 6-3 Nigerian Olatunji Ebifemi, who had 19 points at Oak Hill.
Tony Hood, a freshman from Graham, still isn't eligible, and could redshirt this season. The rest of the roster includes Khadier Fulcher (6'3, jr.), Jayson Barnhart (6'3, fr.), Stanthony Nelms (6'4, soph.), Shakeem Asiedu (6'6, soph), Gage Yesbeck (6'7, soph) and Doug Jackson (6'7, soph).
Codaris Towns (6'7, jr.) should be eligible for the second semester.
"We have got some really, really talented freshmen and we are excited about having them," said Morgan, who will be assisted by Derrick Price and Rodney Kasey, who played for the Rams last season. "We want to see them get this workout here and see how they react to it. They bring energy and that is what we are looking for in bringing them here."
The move to the 30-second clock this season is far from the only rule change this season in college basketball. There is also what is termed 'freedom of movement', along with no longer getting a basket if a shot is released before a charge is called. The 10-second count in the backcourt has also been tweaked.
No wonder Morgan wants his club to get some floor time with referees enforcing the new rules, something they got some experience with in the scrimmages.
"Some guys have got some minutes under the referees with the new rules," Morgan said. "That has been good for them to at least be able to get out there and do it under the refs, that is the main thing."
Morgan, who is fresh off an anniversary vacation to Mexico, is excited about the season head, with tonight being the first of 14 home games this season.
"Just to see all this come together and see what it looks like is going to be fun to watch tomorrow night and just this new crop of guys we have," Morgan said. "They are pretty good so I am really excited to see them in action.
"We are just looking to see if these guys can come in here and do what we ask them to do and put this thing together and see if we can get it to where we want it to go and get better every night so we can continue to build on that it. The main thing is going to be energy and effort."
Story by Brian Woodson of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
