Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Hoops Looks To Balanced Attack
10/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 10, 2002
The 2002-03 season officially begins with practices this Saturday, October 12. Nine letterwinners and three starters return from a team that was 9-19 overall and 5-13 in the Mid-American Conference last season. cmuchippewas.com offers a season preview.
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A Balanced Attack
After losing 41 percent of its offense from last season, the Central Michigan University men's basketball team looks for a balanced inside-outside attack to put points on the board in 2002-03.
Five players on this year's squad have demonstrated that they can put up big numbers - seniors Whitney Robinson, J.R. Wallace, and Mike Manciel, and juniors Chris Kaman and Gerrit Brigitha.
It's those five that sixth-year head coach Jay Smith will look to when trying to replace 6-2 guard David Webber and 6-6 forward Chad Pleiness who combined to average 28.9 points a season ago.
"We're looking for a dynamic inside-outside attack with a core group of guys that can collectively put up good numbers," Smith said. "In the past, everybody always looked towards one or two guys, but this team has multiple go-to guys who have the green light."
It won't be easy for the Chippewas to replace the departed Webber and Pleiness. Webber led CMU in scoring the past three seasons while ranking in the top six on the Mid-American Conference scoring charts each year. He also drained 183 career three-pointers, just three shy of the school record.
Pleiness forgoes his final season after being drafted in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft in June. The Toronto Blue Jays organization selected the Chippewa pitcher following a first team All-MAC senior campaign that saw the righty lead the country in strikeouts per game (13.2 per nine innings). On the hardwood, Pleiness averaged in double figures the past two seasons and leaves as CMU's career free throw percentage leader at .830.
This year's balanced attack should help counter the inconsistency the Chippewas battled last year following the 2001 MAC championship.
"We learned we have to have a consistent work ethic in order to eliminate the peaks and valleys we experienced last season," Smith said. "This team has inner toughness and team unity, but can we have that in the face of adversity. That's what we'll find out as the year progresses."
This year's offense will start on the perimeter with the senior trio of Robinson, Wallace, and Manciel.
Robinson, a 5-11 point guard, started the first 24 games last season, and he'll be in a battle for the starting job this year. One of CMU's top on-the-ball defenders, Robinson averaged 8.6 points and 1.8 assists per game in his first season at CMU after transferring from Eastern Kentucky. He's CMU's top returning long-range threat after hitting 29 three-pointers last season.
Robinson will be pushed by 6-3 junior T.J. Meerman. Meerman started the final four games last year and was the key in CMU's first-round MAC tournament win at Ohio. He posted career highs of 11 points and five rebounds against the Bobcats while committing just one turnover in 37 minutes.
The shooting guard role will be filled by the 6-0 Wallace. A starter in 18 games as a junior, he should be getting a lot more shots this year after averaging 5.8 points last season with shooting percentages of .504 from the floor and .420 from three-point range.
A healthy Manciel at the three completes CMU's senior class. At 6-5, Manciel has shifted between the three and the four the last few years. The 1999 MAC "Freshman of the Year" has battled injuries since his rookie campaign, including missing the 1999-2000 season with a broken foot. Manciel enters his final season healthy and is looking to boost his scoring average up from 8.6 points per game last year to closer where it was his freshman year at 17.5 points per game.
"We know we have to shoot the ball better from the perimeter, hit our free throws, and finish on the offensive end this year," Smith said. "We struggled putting all of that together last year, and we'll focus on that this season."
When the shots aren't falling from the outside, CMU will be able to dump it into the post where the 7-0 Kaman and 6-8 Brigitha figure to be major forces for the next two seasons.
Kaman will man the center as CMU's leading returning scorer and rebounder with averages of 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. His .614 field goal percentage last season was the second-best in CMU history behind Derek Boldon's .634 mark in 1984.
The junior also is a force on the defensive end where he's the conference's top returning shot blocker after averaging 1.6 swats per game and ranking fourth in the MAC each of the last two seasons. His rebounding total was fifth in the conference last year.
Brigitha moves to the power forward after playing the pivot the past two years. An experienced veteran with 43 career starts, Brigitha is due for a breakout year offensively. He averaged just over four points per game last year, along with 2.6 rebounds.
"Our inside guys definitely have the potential to put up numbers, and they are one of our strengths this season," Smith said.
After the core of experienced players, CMU will rely on some untested athletes for depth.
The point guard position could be the most competitive with freshman Joe Carr battling Robinson and Meerman for playing time. At 5-6, Carr is the MAC's shortest scholarship player since Eastern Michigan's Earl Boykins was a first team All-MAC pick in 1997 and '98. A tough player and a scorer, Carr is expected to be a team leader immediately.
If sophomore Herb Goliday returns from an offseason ACL tear he will challenge at the shooting guard along with newcomers Kevin Nelson and Graham Mertz. Goliday, a 6-3 sophomore, saw action in 14 games last season and his minutes were limited behind Webber.
Nelson is Smith's fourth recruit from Detroit Country Day High School, joining brothers Jason and David Webber, and Mike Manciel. The 6-3 three-point sniper was a two-time first team all-state selection. He holds the DCDS three-point records for a season (83 as a junior) and career (131). The 5-11 Mertz is a multi-sport athlete who joins the Chippewas from Saginaw Heritage High School.
Sophomore Tony Bowne could play a number of positions again this season, but he'll likely see the most action at the three where he'll push Manciel for time. The 6-3 utility player saw action in all 28 games last season as a redshirt freshman, including three starts. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Sophomore Tom Pantlind (6-8) and freshman newcomer Brandon Voorhees (6-7) give the Chippewas height at the small forward. Pantlind has improved his game and could provide an outside scoring threat. Voorhees comes to CMU after leading Wyoming Tri-unity Christian to a state championship last season.
Backing up Brigitha at the four will be freshman import Corey Hallett from Shelburne, Nova Scotia. The 6-9 athletic big man has great athleticism and will be a major contributor when he adjusts to the Division I level. He scored 2,930 career points in his three-year high school career, including averaging 32.8 points as a senior. Junior Dan Quinn gives CMU depth at the four.
The Chippewas are looking for Adam Dentlinger to move to center this season where he'll be a little undersized at 6-7. But, Dentlinger is one of the toughest and hardest working players on the team, and he'll battle underneath. He shot 55 percent from the floor last season and averaged 1.3 points in 24 games.
Central Michigan University faces a nine-game nonconference schedule before heading into MAC action after the start of the new year.
The Chippewas open with home games against familiar foes George Mason (November 22) and Illinois State (November 26). CMU dropped road contests at each opponent last season.
The Maroon and Gold then face seven road contests in a nine-game stretch, beginning with marquee games at DePaul (November 30) and at Michigan (December 3). The meeting with the Wolverines is CMU's first since 1993-94. It also marks Smith's first meeting with Michigan since serving as an assistant coach for the Wolverines for seven seasons. His stint there included six NCAA tournament appearances, including back-to-back appearances in the title game in 1992 and '93.
Central Michigan University's remaining nonconference schedule includes home contests with Drake (December 8) and Spring Arbor (December 30) and road dates at Marist (December 14), Bradley (December 18), and Valparaiso (December 23).
Mid-American Conference action starts with two straight away from Rose Arena - at Miami on January 4 and at Western Michigan on January 8. The home portion of the MAC season begins with one of the East Division favorites, Ohio, on January 11.
In a change for 2002, Bowling Green moves into the West Division giving it seven teams and the East six. However, CMU only plays BGSU once, a home date on February 1. The Chippewas have a home-and-home cross-division series against East foe Akron.
CMU has three straight home games - Akron on February 25, Eastern Michigan on March 1, and Northern Illinois on March 5 - before traveling to Ball State on March 8 for the regular season finale.
The MAC tournament once again includes all 13 teams with first-round games being held on campus sites beginning March 10. The eight remaining teams head to Cleveland, Ohio, and Gund Arena for the quarterfinals through finals, March 13-15.
Smith and the Chippewas see the MAC as a 13-team race this season.
"There are no slouches in our conference, and you can't say that about many leagues in the country," Smith said. "Every team has improved and stepped it up. Those who do well out of the gate will be in the best shape."
Position Breakdown
Point Guard - This is one of the deepest positions for the Chippewas with 5-11 Whitney Robinson, 6-3 T.J. Meerman, and 5-6 Joe Carr all competing for time. Robinson started the first 24 games at the point last season while Meerman got the call in the final four games. "Our rotation at the point will evolve and change throughout the season with this group," coach Jay Smith said. Robinson averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game last season. Meerman was instrumental in CMU's MAC tournament win at Ohio with career highs of 11 points and five rebounds. Carr, a true freshman, has great leadership attributes and toughness, along with play-making ability.
Shooting Guard -- David Webber led the Chippewas in scoring the past three seasons with averages of 19.2, 18.4, and 17.7 points per game. With Webber out, the perimeter scoring will likely come from senior J.R. Wallace. The 6-0 guard averaged 5.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season. If his game continues to improve like it did from his sophomore to his junior campaign, he could be in for a big year. Herb Goliday (6-3) saw limited action last season, and he's returning from a torn ACL. Newcomer Kevin Nelson (6-3) could be the legitimate three-point threat CMU needs to extend the defense. Graham Mertz (5-11) will challenge for playing time as well.
Small Forward - The often-injured Mike Manciel (6-5) will be key to CMU's success in his final season. The 1999 MAC "Freshman of the Year" has been riddled with injuries since then but he enters his last season healthy. After averaging 17.5 ppg as a freshman, he's posted 9.3 and 8.6 averages the last two seasons, respectively. Sophomore Tony Bowne, a 6-3 combo guard who can also play the two, will push Manciel. Sophomore Tom Pantlind (6-8) could work his way into the rotation if he can knock down the three. Brandon Voorhees, a 6-7 freshman from Wyoming Tri-unity, the same high school as Chris Kaman, looks to contribute here as well.
Power Forward - Gerrit Brigitha (6-8) started 15 games last season and switched off between the four and the five. CMU should be able to keep Brigitha and seven-footer Chris Kaman in the lineup together with Brigitha at the power forward. Brigitha averaged 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last season, and he should get more shots this year. Freshman Corey Hallett gives CMU an athletic 6-9 backup at the four. He will definitely contribute in the near future. Junior Dan Quinn (6-5) adds depth.
Center - Seven-foot junior Chris Kaman could be a dominating presence at the pivot. Kaman averaged 11.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game last season. He ranked fourth in the MAC in blocks and fifth in rebounding. Add to that his .614 field goal percentage (second best in CMU history), and Kaman is a true stat sheet stuffer. Junior Adam Dentlinger is undersized here at 6-7, but he's a tough player who will battle. Dentlinger played in 24 games last season and averaged 1.3 points and 0.8 boards per game.
