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http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Mondayarticle1.shtml
Jackrabbit men need patience
Chris Solari
Argus Leader
published: 11/15/2004
Young squad faces tough road games
Patience isn't a word that usually comes up when Scott Nagy is the topic of conversation. With his fiery demeanor, he demands the maximum amount of effort from his players and only settles for perfection.
So when the South Dakota State men's coach says he must work on remaining calm, you know rough times may be ahead.
As the Jackrabbits stare at a 2004-05 schedule that features two teams that were in last year's NCAA Tournament and a 2003 Final Four participant, they recognize what kind of task they're up against. Nagy can't even project what his starting lineup will be Friday when SDSU takes the court for its first Division I game against Butler University in Indianapolis. . . .
After two consecutive injury-filled seasons, Nagy has more reasons to moan this year. With the transfer of Andy Moeller to Minnesota State-Mankato for his senior year and the loss of Matt Jones to continued illness, the Jackrabbits are left with a young and untested roster.
That makes SDSU's 11-game road schedule against Division I opponents much more difficult.
"It's going to be an unbelievable experience, going into some of the places we're going," senior guard Luke Geiver said. "What we've been preaching is just going out and playing hard every game. We don't have some of the best talent or some of the best athletes. We've just got to play hard."
In Saturday's exhibition win over Concordia-St. Paul, SDSU started two freshmen, a sophomore and two seniors. Though the bulk of Nagy's first-year players sat on the bench in street clothes, he expects at least four freshmen to play key roles if they don't redshirt.
"Even if we were in the North Central Conference, I can't say there are any guys who would be All-Conference right now," Nagy said. "We have to get to the point where we can lean on each other."
Nagy has said he will shuffle his lineup all season to mold the kind of cohesive and consistent unit his teams have become known as at the Division II level. With only three seniors compared to 11 sophomores and freshmen, there are plenty of kinks to work out as well.
Seniors Jared DeJong, Geiver and Brady Hokenson will be called upon to guide the young Jackrabbits through their generation gap.
DeJong, a 6-foot-11 forward, may have the most crucial role as the team's tallest player. SDSU is expected to face at least two 7-footers this year, with Butler's Jamie Smalligan giving him an immediate test.
"When he goes against smaller guys, he has a harder time guarding them. He's done better against big men," Nagy said of DeJong. "We expect him to have a good year. He needs to have a good year for us."
Guards Geiver (6-2) and Hokenson (6-1) have been called upon often the last two years with the bevy of injuries SDSU has endured. Sophomore Andy Kleinjan (6-3) also saw infrequent action last year.
They'll be joined in the backcourt by some combination of freshmen Mackenzie Casey (6-0), Matt Cadwell (6-3) and James Keller (6-2), but Nagy has said he's not sure of which first-year players will be redshirted.
Forward Ben Beran, last year's North Central Conference Freshman of the Year, will be relied upon early and often. At 6-foot-7, he has the athletic ability and strength to bang in the post with the widebodies SDSU will face this winter.
"We've got to rebound and play defense," said Beran, who averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds a game last year. "The offense will just come through our defense."
Fellow sophomore Joe Green, a lanky 6-8 forward, started last year and averaged 8.6 points with five rebounds a game.
Freshman Steve Holdren, a 6-5 forward from Nagy's alma mater in Champaign, Ill., possesses a sturdy body and a Chris Stoebner-like hustle. Redshirt freshman Michael Loney (6-6) is built in the same mold, and coaches have been impressed with the raw athletic ability of 6-7 Andre Gilbert.
Sophomore forward Jake Wenig (6-5) broke his foot again at the start of the school year, an injury he also suffered late last season. He has returned to practice with the team but did not dress in Saturday's exhibition.
Nagy said there have been more bad practices than good ones so far. With defensive changes being added, like a seldom-used zone, older players have had to unlearn things and learn new things. The young players have just been trying to get their feet wet to the system.
"Nobody really believes in us as a team," Beran said. "We're the only ones, us and the coaches, who believe we can win games."
I believe we can win. Go State! ;D
http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Mondayarticle1.shtml
Jackrabbit men need patience
Chris Solari
Argus Leader
published: 11/15/2004
Young squad faces tough road games
Patience isn't a word that usually comes up when Scott Nagy is the topic of conversation. With his fiery demeanor, he demands the maximum amount of effort from his players and only settles for perfection.
So when the South Dakota State men's coach says he must work on remaining calm, you know rough times may be ahead.
As the Jackrabbits stare at a 2004-05 schedule that features two teams that were in last year's NCAA Tournament and a 2003 Final Four participant, they recognize what kind of task they're up against. Nagy can't even project what his starting lineup will be Friday when SDSU takes the court for its first Division I game against Butler University in Indianapolis. . . .
After two consecutive injury-filled seasons, Nagy has more reasons to moan this year. With the transfer of Andy Moeller to Minnesota State-Mankato for his senior year and the loss of Matt Jones to continued illness, the Jackrabbits are left with a young and untested roster.
That makes SDSU's 11-game road schedule against Division I opponents much more difficult.
"It's going to be an unbelievable experience, going into some of the places we're going," senior guard Luke Geiver said. "What we've been preaching is just going out and playing hard every game. We don't have some of the best talent or some of the best athletes. We've just got to play hard."
In Saturday's exhibition win over Concordia-St. Paul, SDSU started two freshmen, a sophomore and two seniors. Though the bulk of Nagy's first-year players sat on the bench in street clothes, he expects at least four freshmen to play key roles if they don't redshirt.
"Even if we were in the North Central Conference, I can't say there are any guys who would be All-Conference right now," Nagy said. "We have to get to the point where we can lean on each other."
Nagy has said he will shuffle his lineup all season to mold the kind of cohesive and consistent unit his teams have become known as at the Division II level. With only three seniors compared to 11 sophomores and freshmen, there are plenty of kinks to work out as well.
Seniors Jared DeJong, Geiver and Brady Hokenson will be called upon to guide the young Jackrabbits through their generation gap.
DeJong, a 6-foot-11 forward, may have the most crucial role as the team's tallest player. SDSU is expected to face at least two 7-footers this year, with Butler's Jamie Smalligan giving him an immediate test.
"When he goes against smaller guys, he has a harder time guarding them. He's done better against big men," Nagy said of DeJong. "We expect him to have a good year. He needs to have a good year for us."
Guards Geiver (6-2) and Hokenson (6-1) have been called upon often the last two years with the bevy of injuries SDSU has endured. Sophomore Andy Kleinjan (6-3) also saw infrequent action last year.
They'll be joined in the backcourt by some combination of freshmen Mackenzie Casey (6-0), Matt Cadwell (6-3) and James Keller (6-2), but Nagy has said he's not sure of which first-year players will be redshirted.
Forward Ben Beran, last year's North Central Conference Freshman of the Year, will be relied upon early and often. At 6-foot-7, he has the athletic ability and strength to bang in the post with the widebodies SDSU will face this winter.
"We've got to rebound and play defense," said Beran, who averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds a game last year. "The offense will just come through our defense."
Fellow sophomore Joe Green, a lanky 6-8 forward, started last year and averaged 8.6 points with five rebounds a game.
Freshman Steve Holdren, a 6-5 forward from Nagy's alma mater in Champaign, Ill., possesses a sturdy body and a Chris Stoebner-like hustle. Redshirt freshman Michael Loney (6-6) is built in the same mold, and coaches have been impressed with the raw athletic ability of 6-7 Andre Gilbert.
Sophomore forward Jake Wenig (6-5) broke his foot again at the start of the school year, an injury he also suffered late last season. He has returned to practice with the team but did not dress in Saturday's exhibition.
Nagy said there have been more bad practices than good ones so far. With defensive changes being added, like a seldom-used zone, older players have had to unlearn things and learn new things. The young players have just been trying to get their feet wet to the system.
"Nobody really believes in us as a team," Beran said. "We're the only ones, us and the coaches, who believe we can win games."
I believe we can win. Go State! ;D
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