A
little toughness could make everything a bit easier this season for the Eastern
Washington Eagles men’s basketball team.
To that
end, the Eagles moved aggressively into the new year during their first
practice Tuesday morning at Reese Court. It doesn’t hurt that third-year
head coach Jim Hayford returns four starters and six lettermen from last year’s
young squad.
“The
best thing is, we didn’t have to pass out so many name tags,” Hayford said.
“All these freshmen and sophomores … we know each other a little better, having
been through everything last year.”
That
included a difficult nonconference schedule, a key player defection and a rash
of injuries. This year’s 31-game schedule is every bit as tough: one week after
the opener at Reese Court against Division III Pacific, the Eagles play at
Washington. Also on the schedule are Connecticut and Seton Hall.
Hayford
hopes experience – “and a little more toughness” – will mean winning more close
games. Nine of EWU’s losses last year were one-possession games with less than
four minutes remaining.
“There
were a number of close games,” he said. “That is part of being in a competitive
conference. The hard part about experience is getting it. Hopefully we got it,
and we will win more than our fair share of those close games this year. I do
like that our guys found ways to win some of those last year.”
The
returning starters include forward Venky Jois, the Big Sky Freshman of the
Year, center Martin Seiferth, forward Thomas Reuter and guard Parker Kelly.
Forwards Garrett Moon and Danny Powell are coming off redshirt seasons.
Other
key returnees are guards Tyler Harvey – a late-season revelation last year –
and Daniel Hill. However, the key to success may be junior point guard Drew
Brandon, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound transfer from Sierra College in California.
“We’re
really counting on Drew Brandon at the point,” said Hayford.
“We
have starters at all five positions, so if he can fill that point guard spot
capably, that’s really going to expedite the maturing process for our team,”
Hayford said.
Hayford
said Brandon is strong at creating his own shots and getting off screens.
Other
newcomers include forwards Ognjen Miljkovic from Serbia and Felix Von Hofe
of Australia.
Jois
and Seiferth comprise one of the better frontcourts in the Big Sky Conference,
but Jois says the Eagles need to do a better job of rebounding, particularly in
the second half. “We’ve been focusing a lot on rebounding, where we don’t come
in with a weakness but a strength,” Jois said.
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