VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
"We had a really enjoyable preseason, and I've liked the way our guys have handled things once practice started Oct. 15," head coach Chuck Benson said. "But now we're ready to play someone else."
The Eagles tangle with Conference Carolinas' Southern Wesleyan Friday at 8 p.m. and the Peach Belt's Lander Bearcats Saturday at 7 p.m.
Southern Wesleyan went 6-21 last season while Lander was a 19-9 club. The Eagles are coming off an 18-14 year.
Southern Wesleyan is largely brand spanking new. The only players with experience from last year's six-win team are Kenny Holmes, the leading returning scorer and point guard who averaged 13.4 points and five assists last season, guard Darius Sharpe and Jerome and Jemiah Wimphrie. Holmes is the only one of that group with notable starting experience (although Sharpe did start eight games last year).
"We tell our kids to control the controlables," Benson said. "We have to work on what we do. This is an issue for all teams early in the year, you're not going to know a lot about your opponents. That's ok because it lets us focus on the things that pertain to us."
The Warriors are looking for ways to replace 22-point-per-game scorer Cameron Solomon.
Southern Wesleyan lost an exhibition game to the College of Charleston 85-54 on Nov. 5. Holmes led the Warriors in scoring that day with 11 points while freshman forward Justice McCullough added 10.
"Holmes is a veteran who knows how to score," Benson said. "We have to make certain we keep him in check and not let him get too comfortable from the three. I think we're capable of doing that because our veteran guys have a strong desire of keeping opposing team's top dogs in control."
College of Charleston forced 25 turnovers in the win, forcing SWU to cough it up on a third of their possessions.
Meanwhile, Lander will sport a bit of a new look this season with a brand new head coach in Steve Roberts, a former Bearcat assistant who has returned to his alma mater to be head coach. He replaces Jeff Burkhamer, whose team last year won 13 straight games to start the season, including wins over Clayton State and Queens, as well as NCAA tournament participant UNC Pembroke.
A four-year letterman (1980-84), Roberts graduated from Lander in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education. While playing for Lander University, the then-Senators averaged 19 wins a season. Roberts is currently third in most games played in a career at Lander with 125 games.
Roberts, the 2013 Lakelands FCA Coach of the Year, is in his 28th year of coaching at the collegiate level. He started his career as a graduate assistant at Winthrop University under Neild Gordon. Roberts coached at North Greenville College for one season before joining the staff at then-USC Spartanburg. In 1990-91, the Rifles advanced to the NAIA National Tournament and finished fifth in the country with a record of 29-3. The following season, 1991-92, Roberts helped lead the Rifles to the inaugural Peach Belt Championship, a berth in the NCAA Tournament and a No. 7 final national ranking. After four seasons at USCS, Roberts worked as an LU assistant for his former coach, Finis Horne.
Since 1994, Roberts has had the opportunity to be an assistant coach at Mars Hill College, Coastal Carolina University and Campbell University before returning to Mars Hill in 1999 as the head coach. In his three years at Mars Hill, the Lions never finished better than sixth in the SAC. Lander is picked 12th in this year's preseason Peach Belt poll.
While the coach is new, Lander returns its top talent. The two leading scorers are back in Tobiasz Hose and JR Washington. Hose averaged 17.1 a game and Washington 15.1.
"We know about their personnel and players are who win games," Benson said. "Just like the Southern Wesleyan game, we'll focus on what we can control and look to make adjustments as we go."
They combined to lead the Bearcats in scoring in 19 of 29 games last season. Washington had 31-point outburst in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals in a one-point loss to NCAA-tournament participant Columbus State. Hose went off for 32 in an 11-point regular season loss to Francis Marion.
Hose was an all-PBC selection last year; In PBC statistics, Hose is fourth in minutes per game (35.8); fifth in free throws made (111); sixth in defensive rebounds (145); seventh in total points (480) and rebounds (216); eighth in rebounds per game (7.7); and ninth in total offensive rebounds (71).
All games will be broadcast on the Eagle Sports Network. Friday's game will be available on cneagles.com/live while Saturday's contest will be on air on Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
