University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Men's Basketball Holds First Official Practice
9/26/2019 4:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- It was a toasty afternoon on the Southern Miss campus, and inside Reed Green Coliseum, new head men's basketball coach Jay Ladner ran the first official practice of the 2019-20 season.
"Today was a baseline practice, meaning we have a long way to go," Ladner said. "One thing that's very apparent is how youthful we are. We have a lot of guys new to Division I, myself, and our staff with only a few upperclassmen. I do think we have some bright spots with our young talent and that we can be very good in the future."
Southern Miss' roster features 17 players, six of whom were on last year's team (including junior Clay Weatherspoon, who redshirted). The other returners are seniors Leonard Harper-Baker and Boban Jacdonmi, junior LaDavius Draine and sophomores Gabe Watson and Tyler Stevenson.
"I thought [freshman] Artur Konontsuk showed he can really develop into a good player before it's all said and done," Ladner said. "It hurts not having Gabe Watson, who's out this week [with a minor injury]. He's one of our few guys with significant game experience and a point guard. I left anxious to get back to practice tomorrow to get better, and I'm sure our guys are too."
Ladner, a member of Southern Miss' 1987 NIT championship team, is assisted by fellow Golden Eagle alumni Kyle Roane (Class of 1995) and Clarence Weatherspoon (Class of 1993), as well as Dalonte Hill.Â
Golden Eagle fans can get their first look at the team on Tuesday, Oct. 29 when Mississippi College comes to town for an exhibition. The regular-season opener is the following Tuesday against Delta State, and both games are set for 7 p.m. CT. Season tickets are available via SouthernMissTickets.com, calling 1-800-844-TICK, or visiting the Pat Ferlise Center during normal business hours.
"Today was a baseline practice, meaning we have a long way to go," Ladner said. "One thing that's very apparent is how youthful we are. We have a lot of guys new to Division I, myself, and our staff with only a few upperclassmen. I do think we have some bright spots with our young talent and that we can be very good in the future."
Southern Miss' roster features 17 players, six of whom were on last year's team (including junior Clay Weatherspoon, who redshirted). The other returners are seniors Leonard Harper-Baker and Boban Jacdonmi, junior LaDavius Draine and sophomores Gabe Watson and Tyler Stevenson.
"I thought [freshman] Artur Konontsuk showed he can really develop into a good player before it's all said and done," Ladner said. "It hurts not having Gabe Watson, who's out this week [with a minor injury]. He's one of our few guys with significant game experience and a point guard. I left anxious to get back to practice tomorrow to get better, and I'm sure our guys are too."
Ladner, a member of Southern Miss' 1987 NIT championship team, is assisted by fellow Golden Eagle alumni Kyle Roane (Class of 1995) and Clarence Weatherspoon (Class of 1993), as well as Dalonte Hill.Â
Golden Eagle fans can get their first look at the team on Tuesday, Oct. 29 when Mississippi College comes to town for an exhibition. The regular-season opener is the following Tuesday against Delta State, and both games are set for 7 p.m. CT. Season tickets are available via SouthernMissTickets.com, calling 1-800-844-TICK, or visiting the Pat Ferlise Center during normal business hours.
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