November 6, 2008
Men’s preview: National tournament or bust
Ashley Mcyntire
Staff Writer
The Berry College Men’s Bas-
ketball team started off their 2008-
09 season last week, with two
games, a .500 record and expecta-
tions for a big season.
The Vikings ended last season
with an 18-13 record overall and a
10-8 conference record.
“The first part of the season is
always the toughest part,” said se-
nior guard Chris Clark. “It always
takes a little while to get everyone
on the same page. We’re a differ-
ent looking team this year.”
The Vikings have added four
new players to their roster this year:
freshmen Stefan Woods, Johna-
than Crawford, Joshua Bracken
and transfer Lee Trebotich.
“We’re not necessarily a young-
er team,” said Clark. “We’re just
playing newer guys.”
Junior guard Daniel Ferguson
said there was certainly improve-
ment to be made.
“There are some kinks to work
out, but we’re on the rise,” said
Ferguson.
Coach Jeff Haarlow said he was
also excited for this new season.
“We are a more athletic team
this season,” said Haarlow. “Our
guys have done a great job in the
weight room and in practice.”
Statistics pale in comparison to
work ethic for the Vikings.
One and done no longer good enough for Lady Vikes
Alex Farrer
Sports Editor
Each November brings the
beginning of a new season filled
with three-pointers, dunks, buzz-
er-beaters, rivalries and wild
crowds.
With the rich tradition of Berry
Lady Vikings basketball, success
is also expected.
The team returns every player
from last year’s squad except for
last year’s leading scorer and re-
bounder Mickey Duncan, who
graduated last spring.
Head coach Jonathan Norton
said it will be difficult but believes
Duncan can be replaced with a
collective effort.
“What will be hardest to re-
place is her interior defense,” said
Norton. “Other than that, I think
we can offset the fall-off in points
and rebounds with a collection of
several players.”
Last year the team finished sec-
ond in the regular season as well
as the conference tournament to
perennial power Lee University.
Berry then received an at-large
berth to the NAIA National Tour-
nament where they lost in the first
round to Langston University
(Ok.). Norton said the trip to the
tournament last year has positives
and negatives.
“It is exciting to get some re-
spect nationally,” said Norton.
“But with the success we’ve had it
puts a bull’s-eye on our team.”
“We’re not really focused on
numbers,” said Haarlow. “We
want to compete as hard as we
can as often as we get a chance,
improve on our 18-13 record
from last year and advance in the
postseason.”
Ferguson agreed.
“We’re not really worried about
the numbers,” said Ferguson. “We
need to work hard and control the
things we can and the rest will
take care of itself.”
Here are some keys for the
Vikings to remember in order to
have success this season.
1. Unity and camaraderie: “We
have improved our record in the
past two years, and I think a lot
of that has to do with the cama-
raderie that is on this team,” said
Haarlow.
2. Basketball IQ: Coach Haar-
low said he feels that the team
is very smart on the court. They
know how to play the game well,
have strong instincts and move
the ball well.
3. Strong shooters: The Vikings
averaged 75.2 points per game last
season, had a 36.4 3-point percent-
age and had an overall 44.8 field
goal percentage last year. They
hope to match and beat those
numbers this season.
4. Desire to be successful:
Coach Haarlow said he is opti-
mistic for postseason play and the
players are as well. “We want to
Briana Caldwell and the rest of the Lady Vikings participated
in “Hoops Madness.” The team is hoping for huge fan support this
season.
Senior Briana Caldwell said it to the national tournament and
she believes the tournament ap- national championship is a big
pearance doesn’t put added pres- goal of ours, and we are willing
sure on the team.
“I don’t believe that making it there again.”
to the national championship last
year has put any pressure on us “To be honest, I don’t believe that
this year,” said Caldwell. “If there it is any added pressure to the
is pressure, it is from us. Making team,” said Jackson. “Making it
sports
at least make the national tourna-
ment,” said Ferguson.
5. Fan support: “It’s a huge
help and exciting to see,” said
Haarlow.
“It makes you want to play
harder and not let the fans down,”
said Ferguson. “We’re definitely
going to put a product out there
that’s fun to watch,”
Here are some things the team
must improve upon to get better
this season.
1. Turnovers: “We need to do a
better job of protecting the ball,”
said Haarlow. Last season, the Vi-
kings allowed an average of 16.2
turnovers per game, with a mar-
gin of 1.2 turnovers per game.
2. Defense: “Our defense isn’t
there yet,” said Clark.
“If we want to compete na-
tionally, our defense needs to
be the cornerstone,” said Coach
Haarlow.
3. Offensive efficiency: Team
chemistry takes time to develop
and Ferguson said he is confident
it will come in time.
Coach Haarlow said
he believes that practice will yield
improvement.
“The way to improve on these
things is to keep constantly drill-
ing them in practice,” said Haar-
low. “I also feel like the ownership
and accountability need to contin-
ue to improve.”
So which games are most im-
meredith mcdermott, asst. photo editor
to do whatever it takes to make it
Senior Nikki Jackson agreed.
Freshman Johnathan Crawford and Viking teammates thrilled the
crowd at “Hoops Madness” on Oct. 23 in the Cage.
portant to the team?
“Conference games are always
important,” said Clark.
But one in particular could car-
ry a slightly heavier weight this
year. This is the Vikings first full
season in the Cage, and they will
into the national tournament last
year makes us work that much
harder. I believe whole-heartedly
that we collectively have the de-
sire, heart and work ethic to get
back to the national tournament
this year.”
Depth is a major strength of the
team this year. While losing one,
the team has added three fresh-
men, one transfer, and one new
player from Berry.
Norton said the depth stands
out to him.
“This is the deepest team I have
coached at Berry to this point,” said
Norton. “We will have 10 play-
ers play significant minutes. We’ll
need this depth because we’ll play
a more up-tempo and pressure de-
fense style this year.”
Norton also said the amount of
players coming back has resulted
in great team chemistry.
“We have a team that gets along
very well,” said Norton. “They
do the right things on and off the
court.”
One thing that could hurt the
team in the early season is the fact
that they will be missing three
players who will be completing
their seasons in other sports.
The schedule is not very forgiv-
ing with a tough non-conference
slate as well as a very competitive
conference schedule.
“The conference this year is the
toughest I’ve ever seen it,” said
Norton. “There are as many as six
teams that have a chance to win
the SSAC this year.”
campus Carrier page 11
meredith mcdermott, asst. photo editor
play host to the Berry vs. Shorter
game on Jan. 22, 2009.
The Vikings beat Covenant this
past Tuesday by a score of 81-59.
Their next home game will be
on Tuesday, Nov. 11 against Life
University.
High expectations abound for
the Lady Vikings. Norton said
the players have made their own
expectations.
“The goals the players have
set forth are to win the conference
regular season and tournament
championship as well as make the
national tournament and advance
this year,” said Norton. “A goal off
the court is to have a team GPA of
3.5.”
Caldwell added a few more
specific goals the team would like
to achieve.
“The team expectations are to
be undefeated at home, win con-
ference and make it to the national
championship,” said Caldwell.
“Individually, I want to be the best
team leader that I can possibly be.
I want to be a great rebounder,
passer and shooter, but I also know
that what I achieve is because of
the team.”
Jackson said the goals for the
team mainly deal with effort.
“Expectations for the team are
to give it our all every single game
of the season, leaving no doubt
that we desire to compete for the
national title,” said Jackson. “As
for myself, I will give it my all and
everything to this team to help us
succeed.”
The nationally ranked No. 23
Lady Vikings will open up the sea-
son at home tomorrow in the Bob
Williams Classic. They will face off
with Mobile University at 7 p.m.
on Friday and then play nationally
ranked No. 4 Trevecca-Nazarene
Saturday at 8 p.m.