Last year’s Centurion men’s
basketball team left much to
be desired with an awful 2-21
record, but this years team has
shown a lot of heart as they
have made vast improvements
both on and off the court this
season.
The squad is 6-4 with
4 of their wins coming at
home and an impressive 5-1
conference record, it goes
without saying that this year
is completely different; playing
aggressive on defense and
displaying good team ball on
offense.
With the new addition of
Coach Nick Burke, things
are swiftly improving. His
new outlook fits well with the
team, as the young energetic
players get everyone involved
and a new and improved
high-pressure defense have
been big contributing factors
to their improvement.
From their countless hours
in the gym, to their unhinged
effort on the court, the team
has quickly risen atop the
conference. With a roster
consisting of mostly freshmen
and a few sophomores, their
mid-season accomplishments
are even more impressive.
Coach Burke has successfully
turned the Centurions
into a well-balanced, tough
team with a lot of confidence.
Starting forward Jenkins Kimber
talked about the team’s
goals for this year saying,
“Our biggest goal this season
is to play for each other.” It
speaks volumes that Kimber,
the team’s leading scorer this
season with 10 points per
game, still has a strong team
mentality.
All players are buying into
the philosophy of sharing the
basketball and it has helped
them become more comfortable
as they fit into their roles
on both sides of the ball.
Starting point guard Shawn
Morrison looked against his
hometown school Philadelphia
Community College,
after dropping 22-points and
leading the Centurions to the
win.
He stressed how close the
guys were saying, “We aren’t
just a team, we are a family
and we all stick together.” A
powerful statement from the
freshman, who after such a
huge game still was mindful
of the goal, to stick together
and take it one game at a
time.
Drew Heller, on the other
hand, has a unique role on the
team, the first-year guard is
looked up to as a leader and
as the season progresses it
has become his job to keep
everyone motivated.
When asked what it takes
to get his teammates ready on
game day he said “I try to get
everyone to relax,” he went
on to say, “I am a firm believer
that actions speak louder
than words, so I try to lead by
example.” A smart outlook
that continues to help Bucks
hoops reach new heights.
Their hard work has certainly
paid off, they are fourth in
the nation in opponent shooting
percentage, the on-ball
pressure and overall effort on
the court has left teams shooting
a low 38 percent.
The significance of their defensive
effort shines through,
as in all six of their wins, the
guys were able to hold their
opponent under 80 points.
Morrison spoke to the
composure of the team as he
explained the team motto,
‘1-0 every game’, continuing
to explain, “we take it game
by game.” The first-year
guard has dished out five
assists per game, sharing the
ball well and getting everyone
involved.
A brand new team, Kimber
says this year’s team is
entirely different from before,
emphasizing “We have better
chemistry and much better
defense, we have multiple
guys that can go off at any
moment.”
These are three key factors
that have helped the team turn
it all around, and as long as
they keep building on these
attributes, everyone will improve
together.
Practicing every day,
putting all their effort into
every game, and getting
wins is very important, but
Jenkins is quick to clarify that
there will not be a repeat of
last year and grades are the
number one priority for the
entire team. “We are student
athletes, not the other way
around,” Jenkins stresses.
The 2015-16 team is on a
mission, and it doesn’t seem
like they are about to back
down from anyone. They do
not worry about other teams,
statistics, or distractions.
Heller says “What drives us
most is ourselves, we aren’t
out here trying to impress
anyone.”
Even when the team is
losing, they remain confident
in coach and do not let their
frustration get the best of
them. Heller takes the initiative
to get the guys back into
the game; he says, “When we
are down, I try to stay positive
and listen to what coach
is saying, because if we’re
losing it usually is because
we aren’t playing by the game
plan.”
Sticking to the script is one
of the few things that can use
improvement, but with any inexperienced
team, it will take
time to get everything right.
The countless hours that
these guys have put into their
game has really paid off so far
this season, and it looks like
an entirely new team.
Visit the athletics page to
see their schedule, they could
really use your support.
They only have about half
of their season to go so make
sure you come out and show
your school spirit.