The Steve Lappas era begins in earnest on Sunday afternoon when his Massachusetts Minutemen take on the Boston Athletic Basketball Club (BABC) All-Stars in exhibition action at the Mullins Center.
It will be the first chance for Lappas, his coaching staff and all UMass fans to get a glimpse of the 2001-2002 Minutemen.
Coming off a disappointing 15-15 season that saw the Minutemen
miss the postseason for just the second time in the past 12 years, Lappas and company will be looking to find some positives in Sunday’s performance from which they can build a successful campaign.
“The best value of these exhibition games is to be able to take the film afterwards and watch it with them to show them the mistakes and what we want,” Lappas said. “It’s one thing to tell them on the court and it’s another thing to watch it. I think that’s the biggest benefit that you get out of this.”
Joining Lappas in making their Mullins Center debuts will be five newcomers, four of whom are expected to contribute from the opening tip. Freshmen Kyle Wilson and Brennan Martin will join sophomores Anthony Anderson, Raheim Lamb and Paco Kotaridis in donning the Maroon and White in game conditions for the first time. Anderson is expected to get the start at point guard with Wilson backing him up off the bench.
With Wilson and Anderson firmly entrenched as Lappas’ one-two punch at the point, senior tri-captain Shannon Crooks will need to get used to a new position. After starting at point guard for the past two seasons and helping find shots for Monty Mack, the second leading scorer in school history, Crooks slides over to the two-guard slot in the UMass starting lineup. Crooks averaged nine points per game last year and should see that number increase as the team’s No. 1 backcourt option.
While the backcourt has seen significant shifting and shuffling from last season, the frontcourt remains pretty much intact. Senior captain Kitwana Rhymer returns alongside junior Micah Brand to form one of the most fearsome low post combinations in the Atlantic 10. Rhymer, the reigning A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, averaged nearly 10 points and seven rebounds in 2000-01 while his partner in crime, Brand, averaged 8.4 points and 4.7 boards. If those two get into foul trouble on Sunday or at any point during the season expect to see either Jackie Rogers or Eric Williams get up off the bench and replace them. Rogers and Williams will also fight for probable sixth man honors.
The lone change up front for the Minutemen will be at small forward where no less than five players will be vying, not only for the starting role, but for any available minutes. Senior Ronell Blizzard, Martin, and a trio of sophomores, Willie Jenkins, Jameel Pugh and Lamb will all be looking to impress their new coach in their penultimate tune-up prior to the Nov. 16 opener against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Blizzard, a native of Waterbury, Conn., played the most out of those five last campaign, but it will be Jenkins who gets the starting nod against BABC.
“I think that’s what’s going to happen Sunday,” said Lappas, about his decision to start Jenkins. “But there is nothing set in stone for this season. This is the way we are going to start this first game but I can guarantee you there is somebody on that bench that will start the season out of the rotation that will end up in that rotation.”
No matter who starts or who comes off the bench for the Minutemen, the action promises to get underway Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Mullins Center.
