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10/23/2007 - MEN'S BASKETBALL
12 Days of A-Sun Basketball: Campbell
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Courtesy ASunPhotos.com
12 Days of A-Sun Basketball makes its second stop in Buies Creek, N.C. for a closer look at the Campbell Camels. The Camels enter the 2007-08 on the heels of a 14-win campaign. The win total represents the most for the program since winning 17 in 1995-96.
In leading the Atlantic Sun in rebounding at 8.8 RPG, Campbell’s Jonathan Rodriguez turned in the third-best average among freshman in the country. The only two he trailed were the eventual No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the 2007 NBA Draft in Texas’ Kevin Durant (11.4 RPG) and Ohio State’s Greg Oden (9.6 RPG).
The Camels call Carter Gym their home for the final season. The the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center and Gilbert Craig Gore Arena replaces Carter Gym, which opened in February 1953, in the fall of 2008. Carter Gym ranks as the second smallest capacity (947) among Division I arenas.
2007-08 Campbell Camels |
SEASON PREVIEW - (Courtesy Campbell Media Relations)
Coming off the program’s most successful season in a decade, fifth-year Campbell University men’s basketball coach Robbie Laing will count on the deepest and most balanced roster he has had in Buies Creek. Despite the fact that the Camels have ranked among the nation’s highest scoring teams in each of the last two years, Laing points to the other end of the floor where his team needs to show improvement in order to move up the Atlantic Sun Conference standings.
A year ago, Campbell won more games (14) than the program had recorded since 1996. The team also ended a seven-game dry spell in the A-Sun tournament by knocking off third-seeded Jacksonville 90-85 in overtime during the quarterfinal round.
But if the Camels are to move into the upper reaches of the league standings board and make a run in next March’s conference championship at Nashville, Tenn., Laing believes better defense and timely transition opportunities will be the key components.
“We have to defend better,” said Laing, whose squad assembled a 14-17 overall record and 7-11 A-Sun mark a year ago. “We have to continue to defend our home court; then in order to contend for a conference championship, we have to win road games. That will require focusing on toughness, rebounding and defense.”
During 2006-07, an undersized Camel squad finished sixth in the league in defensive field goal percentage (.462), ironically that same seeding that CU carried into the A-Sun tournament. It was no coincidence that the A-Sun tournament champion (Belmont) finished first in defensive percentage (.392) and the regular-season champ (East Tennessee State) was second (.399).
“We have a more complete roster now,” said Laing. “We need to be a more complete team; one that will run off turnovers and rebounds, not pulling the ball out of the net so much.”
For the first time since his arrival in April 2003, Laing will have a roster that was totally recruited by his staff. And for the first time, he will be able to call on a front line with the size and athletic ability necessary to compete in the Atlantic Sun.
Front Court
The return of 6-foot-9 center Oladapo Fagbenle, 6-foot-8 forward Kyle Vejraska and 6-foot-9 newcomer Eddie Brown will allow Laing the luxury of moving first-team all-league performer – and ‘06-07 A-Sun rebounding leader Jonathan Rodriguez from power forward to the wing.
A pre-season Mid-Major All-America and A-Sun All-Conference choice, Rodriguez not only averaged 8.8 rebounds per game last year, but the 6-foot-5 forward stood third among league scoring leaders (17.3) and ranked among the A-Sun’s top 15 in eight other categories.
The sophomore from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, who spent his final two high school years at Miami (Fla.) Calusa Prep, ranked fifth among the nation’s freshman scoring leaders in 2006-07. He set a school single-season rebounding record and broke the CU mark for most points scored by a freshman. He hit double digits in 28 of 31 outings, with 11 games of 20-plus points while becoming the first freshman in school Division I (since 1977) history to earn first-team all-conference honors.
“Jonathan has a tremendous challenge ahead of him this year,” said Laing. “As I’ve told some others in the past, he can’t jump all that well, but he rebounds. He’s not particularly quick, but he gets by people. He doesn’t shoot that well, but he scores. He is the best passer I’ve ever coached at any level and Jonathan’s versatility to play inside or outside enhances our ability to attack in different ways. He loves the game of basketball.”
With Rodriguez moving away from the basket, four players figure to see the bulk of the action in the two post positions.
As a red-shirt freshman in 2005-06, Fagbenle ranked third among A-Sun blocked shots leaders (1.15). He had 29 of his 30 rejections over the final nine games of that campaign, but the 6-foot-9 native of Nigeria missed all of last year while recovering from knee surgery.
“Dapo’s presence on the defensive end allows us to cover the basket better than we did last year. Having three big guys, gives us the ability to take more risks on the perimeter and play multiple defenses,” said Laing. “We’ve always been able to play through Dapo in the post because he is a good passer and has a good mind.”
Vejraska, a sophomore from Alachua, Fla., ranked 10th among A-Sun blocks leaders in 2006-07 while averaging 6.4 points in 31 games. He led the team in scoring on three occasions, including a breakout 25-point effort at Mercer.
“Kyle has continued to improve his offensive repertoire and is shooting the ball well outside the arc,” said Laing. “He’s a long guy, who changes shots, deflects interior passes and knows every position on the court, which is a luxury in the post. Because he knows where everybody is supposed to be on the offensive end, he is a good passer. In addition, he has prepared himself well for this season and is at the front of our conditioning drills.”
Brown enrolled at Campbell last January after graduating from Pasco Hernando Community College. The junior from St. Petersburg, Fla., averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds for PHCC during his sophomore year in 2005-06.
“Eddie gives us a guy who can defend several positions,” said Laing. “He has great lateral movement and can score a variety of ways – on the blocks, facing up, and putting the ball on the floor. He’s a pretty complete player.”
Joining those three upperclassmen in the front line rotation will be freshman walk-on Preston Dodson. The 6-foot-5 product of South Mills, N.C., was a three-time all-conference and all-area choice at Camden County High School. He was chosen to play in the 2007 North Carolina-South Carolina All-Star game after averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds as a senior.
“Dodson is a very physical player with a great body, who loves to mix it up and has a knack for finding the basketball,” said Laing. “He has been the most pleasant surprise during the pre-season and we expect him to make a significant contribution as a freshman. He has great hands and is conditioned very well.”
Back Court
A deep and talented roster provides Laing with the option of playing a taller lineup, or one that shifts Rodriguez into the post and uses three guards.
A senior trio of back court players figure to compete for the starting nod at the shooting guard position. Reggie Bishop, Ruell Pringle and Jake Wohlfeil have all made significant contributions during their first three years at CU.
Bishop, a 6-foot-3 product of Gadsden, Ala., has ranked among the team’s top four scorers in each of the past two years, while averaging better than 20 minutes per outing off the bench. Last season, he ranked sixth among A-Sun leaders in 3-point field goal accuracy (.378) while chipping in 8.5 points per game.
“Over his first three years, Reggie has pulled double duty for us inside and out, but because of our depth this year, he will lock in primarily at the two-guard,” said Laing. “He is in the best shape of his career without question and has emerged as a leader of our team. He is very effective in translating his willingness and desire to win to our other guys.”
Wohlfeil is a career 82.8 percent free throw shooter who already ranks seven among Campbell career leaders in 3-point field goals made (107) and attempted. The 6-foot-4 San Diego, Calif., native is a career 38 percent shooter beyond the arc.
“Jake is an offensive threat who makes everyone around him better on that end, which is a big plus,” said Laing. “He knows every spot on the floor and can play either of the back court positions.”
Pringle was an A-Sun all-freshman team performer in 2004-05 and enters his senior campaign just 183 points shy of becoming the 24th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point barrier. A gifted athlete, the 6-foot-2 lefthander from Virginia Beach, Va., chipped in 8.4 points per outing last season. He scored a career-high 27 points in a 100-94 win over UNC Wilmington and led the team with 19 points, including five threes, at Virginia Tech.
“If Ruell gives us what he did the first half of last year, we will have a very solid perimeter,” said Laing. “He has the potential to be a momentum changer for our team. He can drive to the basket, pull up, score from deep and go rebound.”
Freshman Jose Cami of Miami, Fla., could push for minutes at shooting guard early in his career. The 6-foot-2 sharpshooter led Monsignor Pace to the 2007 4-A state championship, hitting six 3-pointers in the title game. He contributed 13.5 points and made 44 percent of his treys en route to earning state title game MVP honors.
“Jose has the ability to score in a hurry and can really shoot it deep,” said Laing. “He gets his shot off quickly and really scores in bunches.”
A junior college transfer and freshman figure to share most of the ball handling duties this year following the graduation loss of Ledell Eackles, who ranked third nationally in steals and second among A-Sun assists leaders last year.
“The two point guards we have this year really possess a high basketball IQ, are interested in doing what is best for the team, and don’t have to score to contribute,” said Laing.
Julius Perkins led Dodge City (Kan.) Community College to a 26-6 overall record and Jayhawk Conference west division championship as a sophomore. The 6-foot-1 native of Fort Worth, Texas averaged 7.2 points and 5.8 assists.
“Julius is really concerned with distribution, is very, very unselfish and has great command of his dribble,” said Laing.
Six-foot-three freshman Junard Hartley will also compete for court time at the point after leading Whitefield Academy to three runner-up finishes in the Georgia State 1-A championship during his four high school seasons. The Marietta, Ga., product averaged 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists as a senior.
“Junard is a strong-bodied guard with a defensive mentality,” said Laing. “He takes pride in knowing what the coaching staff wants and getting that translated to the team.”
Freshman Cole Dewey, and walk-ons Jake Capin and Jonathan Perry provide depth in the back court. Dewey averaged 16.1 points as a senior at nearby South Johnston High, where he was coached by his father. Capin contributed 20.9 points as a senior at Gloucester (Va.) High. Perry contributed 13 points per outing in his two-year career at South Granville High School.
“Cole has good understanding of the game of basketball, but needs to build his body up for the Division I level,” said Laing. “Jake Capin is as well-conditioned as any freshman I’ve ever seen and is an inspiration to the rest of our team. He’s very positive, a great shooter with a tremendous work ethic. Jonathan is a basketball junkie, who loves the game, has a knack for scoring and can really stroke it deep.”
Schedule
Fifteen home games, a trip to South Carolina and a 16-game Atlantic Sun Conference slate highlight the 2007-08 schedule. With the completion of the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center and Gilbert Craig Gore arena scheduled for the fall of 2008, Campbell basketball will also be playing its final season in Carter Gym during 2007-08. The second-smallest home court among NCAA Division I members with a capacity of 947, Carter Gym opened on Feb. 20, 1953.
In addition to their A-Sun foes, the Camels will take on members of four other NCAA Division I conferences, plus independent Longwood and a Division II school. Appalachian State, coming off an NIT appearance, will visit Carter Gym for the first time, while CU will play seven games against Big South Conference opponents. In addition, the Camels will make a November trip to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks for the second time in five seasons.
With the addition of Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate, Atlantic Sun schools will play a 16-game unbalanced schedule in 2007-08. Campbell will play the northern tier of the A-Sun membership – Belmont, East Tennessee State, Gardner-Webb, Lipscomb and USC Upstate – on a home-and-away basis.
The Camels face the southern A-Sun schools once with home games against Florida Gulf Coast, Kennesaw State and Stetson while traveling to Jacksonville, Mercer and North Florida. All Saturday games during the 2008 A-Sun basketball schedule will feature men’s and women’s doubleheaders.
For the first time in its NCAA Division I era (since 1985), Campbell University fans will be able to attend a combined conference men’s and women’s basketball championship at the same site during the same week.
The Atlantic Sun Conference selected Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University as the host site for the 2008 and 2009 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Basketball Championships. The Nashville institution will host both the men’s and women’s basketball championships on March 5-8 in 2008 and also in 2009.
The new format will feature 16 teams playing 14 games over four days, culminating in Championship Saturday. The men’s basketball final will be featured on an ESPN property while the women’s champion will be crowned live on Comcast Sports Southeast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS).
12 Days of A-Sun Basketball Schedule
Oct. 22 - Belmont
Oct. 23 - Campbell
Oct. 24 - ETSU
Oct. 25 - Florida Gulf Coast
Oct. 26 - Gardner-Webb
Oct. 29 - Jacksonville
Oct. 30 - Kennesaw State
Oct. 31 - Lipscomb
Nov. 1 - Mercer
Nov. 2 - UNF
Nov. 5 - USC Upstate
Nov. 6 - Stetson
