Hotmail
SEC PREVIEW MISSISSIPPI Rebels discover new way to play
by BOB HOLT ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE , Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
"And honestly, I think that was good for me, because it showed me a different way of doing things." Forced to adjust because of the loss of guards Chris Warren, Trevor Gaskins and Eniel Polynice to knee injuries, and with guard Zach Graham playing through a partially torn patella tendon, Kennedy had to scale back the work in practice so his team could get through games.
The result was a surprising 16-15 record for the Rebels, including 7-9 in SEC play, and the emergence of guard Terrico White as the conference's freshman of the year.
With the return of Warren, Polynice and Gaskins, Graham back at full speed, and White deciding to come back after giving consideration to entering the NBA Draft, the Rebels are expected to contend for the SEC West title and their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2002.
"We should have the best backcourt in the SEC, probably in the nation," White said. "I feel like we can do some big things - win the West, win the SEC, get a bid to NCAA Tournament and make a run." Warren, a junior, is back to start at point guard after averaging 19.6 points and 4.0 assists in 11 games last season before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Louisville.
"Chris is actually better," Kennedy said. "His game is based on speed, first and foremost, and I don't think he's lost a step. And he has a better understanding of what he wants to do having gone through what he did.
"He's always been a pretty focused kid, and now he's even more focused. He's shooting at a high level, which forces you to cover him tight, and that allows him to do what he does driving to the basket." After the backcourt was hit by injuries last season, White moved from shooting guard to point guard and in SEC play averaged 18.4 points per game. For the season, he had a teamhigh 72 assists.
"The silver lining to what we had to go through was Terrico White," Kennedy said. "Not only was he thrust into a different role, but he was thrust into a different position." Guard David Huertas, who averaged 18.1 points per game last year, decided to bypass his senior season to play professionally in his native Puerto Rico, and forward Malcolm White transferred to LSU, but Ole Miss still has 10 players with starting experience.
That depth, Kennedy said, has made preseason practice much more competitive as the Rebels prepare to open against UALR on Nov. 13.
"It's now to the point where guys do not want to take themselves out of practice because of the competition that's been created by the return of our marquee guys," Kennedy said.
"Our guys are very focused.
As a coach, that's a comforting feeling." Also comforting to Kennedy is White's return after he said was "leaning" toward leaving for the NBA.
White said he decided he needed another season at Ole Miss after talking with his mother and Kennedy.
"Thank goodness for his mom," Kennedy said. "She's got a little more influence over him than I do.
"All kids want to have the opportunity to pursue their dream. The NBA is in Terrico White's future, and it's my responsibility to make sure that he's prepared for that.
"Physically, he's as good as God makes, but we forget he's still a kid. He's 19 years old, and there is a maturation process that needs to continue."
NEXT South Carolina Ole Miss glance
COACH Andy Kennedy (61-39 in three seasons at Ole Miss, 82-52 in four seasons overall)
LAST SEASON 16-15, 7-9
SEC KEY LOSSES G David Huertas, F Malcolm White
KEY RETURNEES G Terrico White, G Chris Warren, G Zach Graham, G Eniel Polynice, F Murphy Holloway
KEY NEWCOMERS F Reginald Buckner, F DeAngelo Riley PROJECTED FINISH Second in SEC West
This article was published 10/29/2009
| Copyright 2009 Little Rock Newspapers, Inc. | |
|
Terms & Conditions Privacy
Copyright © 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
Add a comment
advertisement
