University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Basketball Eagles Get Started Saturday
10/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Basketball Eagles Get Started Saturday
HATTIESBURG, Miss.
-- With more returning experience than in any of his previous seven seasons, Head Coach James Green and his Golden Eagle basketball team open 2003-04 preseason practice with a 7 a.m., Saturday workout in Green Coliseum.
The Eagles also will practice at
Green's revamped coaching staff can count seven returning letterwinners, including four starters, from last year's team that finished the season strong, winning three of the final six games, including a Conference USA Tournament victory over perennial league and national powerhouse
Green lost two members of last year's coaching staff, including Assistant Head Coach Kyle Roane, and has yet to fill one of the vacant positions. But, Green and his staff, at present consisting of longtime assistant Jeff Norwood and first-year assistant Quinn Strander, head into the season with a sense of optimism Green says he has not seen since becoming head coach at Southern Miss. "I can't think of another year when the players and coaches have been so excited and optimistic about the start of practice," he said. "The chemistry surrounding this staff and this team started to improve over the summer months, continued during preseason conditioning, and this should be one of the most fun years for players and coaches alike. I certainly feel that the same will be true for our fans."
While the roster is not a long one (11 players), experience will be evident at every position. Dante Stiggers (5.9 ppg, 4.6 apg) returns for his junior season at the point guard spot, seniors Charles Gaines (15.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg), Greg Johnson (12.6 ppg, 4/6 rpg) and Clement Carter (4.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg) return for their final seasons. That foursome played in all 29 games last season and started a total of 109 games between them. Add to that list Jasper Johnson, who played in 26 games and averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, while playing with a nagging shoulder injury; David Haywood, who started five games, played in all 29, averaged 6.6 points and 2.4 rebounds and was the team's best three-point shooter and Jason Forte, who played in 26 games, averaging 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds, and you can see why Green is optimistic.
Off the squad that finished last season, the biggest loss is guard Mario Myles, who started 22 games and played in all 29, while earning his fourth Golden Eagle letter, and guard James Pattman, who left the squad in the offseason after playing in all 29 games last season.
From their Saturday start, the Golden Eagles will have 18 days to get ready for their exhibition opener, Nov. 5, against Global Sports, and another 15 days to prepare for a Nov. 21 regular-season opener against
The remainder of the December schedule shows the Eagles playing at
In between, the Eagles will host
The league tournament is scheduled for Mar. 10-13 in
Tickets for the fast-approaching season may be purchased at the Athletic Ticket Office, located in the
