New faces, same expectations for Columbus State men's basketball team
CSU has to replace all five starters from NCAA tournamnt team
By KEVIN PRICE
kprice@ledger-enquirer.com
Robert Moore is not having to start the Columbus State men's basketball team from scratch this season.
But there are a lot of new pieces for the Cougars, who open the 2015-16 season Saturday afternoon at the Lumpkin Center at 1 p.m. against Middle Georgia State.
All five starters from last season have moved on. Four of them are playing professional basketball in Europe. The Cougars went 22-8 and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Only three players return from last season's team -- Jacori Payne, Brent Jackson and Markis Boyd. Only Jackson started a game last year -- but just one.
"We told our guys this is a new year -- be happy about what happened last year, but that is all in the past," said Moore, who enters his sixth season as CSU's head coach. "We felt like those guys last year did a great job.
"A lot of these guys here don't know about last season except for what they read or heard, so we are going into the season with the same goals -- win the Peach Belt regular season, win the tournament and get a little farther in the NCAA tournament.
"Going into my sixth season, I feel like we need to push the program a little farther now."
The Cougars also get back Cam Baker to play point guard. The former Kendrick High standout sat out last season after transferring from Central Georgia Tech, where he was a junior college all-American as a sophomore.
"The mainstay is -- and I didn't realize how good he is -- is Cam Baker," Moore said. "He is a really good basketball player. You give the ball to him, and you know he is going to make the right decision for himself or his teammates.
"In the last three scrimmages, it is evident he is our best player. But we told him he is playing in a tough league. A lot of teams are going to
try and take him away. He has still got to play within his game and get his teammates involved."
Joining Baker in the starting lineup will be Jackson, Darren Daniel, Brentine Taylor and DeMarcus McVay.
Coming off the bench will be Arben Camaj, Demetres Abrams, Matthias Sigurdarson, Jamal McKee and JaCori Payne.
McVay, at 6-foot-8, and Camaj, 6-9, are the only two players over 6-5, a concern for Moore.
"I don't think we have enough size. I wish we had one more post guy," he said. " Our post players will be a little different this year. DeAngelo Kirkland and Shane Heyward were block players who played with their backs to the basket. These guys are more step out guys. like a Dirk Nowitzki of the NBA.
They can step out and shoot the 3, shoot mid-range. But they are not comfortable playing with their back to the basket."
"That helps players like Cam and Brent Jackson. Because the lane is so wide open, we can spread our offense."
With the lack of size and a change in the shot clock to 30 seconds, Moore said he expects to play a lot of zone defense.
"Anytime you play zone, a concern is always rebounding," Moore said.
"It is a major concern for us, but we have been doing a lot of drills to get our guys to be thinking about rebounding.
"I think it will come with time."
Kevin Price, Follow Kevin on Twitter @lesports
This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 7:11 PM with the headline "New faces, same expectations for Columbus State men's basketball team ."