Eagle team takes on big competitors

By David Thackham

thackhamd@thejohnsonian.com

Coming off Winthrop’s Big South Tournament victory in the 2009-2010 season, men’s basketball head coach Randy Peele refuses to talk about “defending” his title.

“What we’ve done is done,” he said. “We’ve got to pursue a Big South conference now.”

The Eagles’ schedule is evidence enough that Peele is determined to bring another golden year to Rock Hill. The team is scheduled to play in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Tournament in its second competitive matchup on Nov. 15, with a ticket to play in historic Madison Square Garden, N.Y., on the line. Following that is a mouthwatering three-game stretch as Winthrop takes on Jacksonville University at home and travels to the University of Dayton and the University of Kentucky in December.

Peele is pleased with the challenges of the upcoming schedule.

“Any time you play good [teams] it’s going to help you know what your strengths and weaknesses are as you go into your schedule, Peele said.

“You can then tweak your performance here and there, and that will certainly help us.”

The squad will need to adjust fast because the challenges for a repeat championship are more diverse than ever before.

 The most pressing need is the lack of muscle in the middle. 

Forwards Mantoris Robinson and Andy Buechert graduated last year and a recent marijuana use suspensions cost Winthrop the services of Charles Corbin (6.67 ppg and 5 rebounds) for the fall semester and Robbie Dreher (5.9 ppg) for the first four games.

“We’re undermanned in the post,” Peele said. “Two post players who will be coming off the bench will be freshmen (Derrick Scott and Joab Jerome), so we’re thin inside; I’m concerned.”

The Eagles will have to learn to play without key players, while also helping the freshmen adjust to the college game.

Equally as vital is correcting Winthrop’s shooting woes.

The team shot a lowly 9 percent from the floor during last season’s opening round loss to Arkansas- Pine Bluff in the NCAA Tournament. 

The team was similarly dismal in three point shooting during the season, shooting just 24.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Peele is determined to turn Winthrop’s shooting game around, promising that the team has been “working on it like you’ve never seen.”

The most likely to provide that turnaround are junior guard Reggie Middleton and junior center Matt Morgan.

Peele described both players as “potentially all-conference caliber kids.”

 The duo combined for an average of 19.7 points a night but are also a physical presences on defense.

The players on the team  will be important to a successful season but, according to the coach, equally as importan is the support from loyal Eagle fanatics.

“I want our students to be proud of our team and to be true fans, not fair-weather fans. We really need their support,” Peele said.

Winthrop’s head coach of four years is a believer in home court advantage. In his opinion Winthrop has the ingridents to make the coliseum an intimadating venue.

 “I want our coliseum to be the toughest place to play in the league,” Peele said. 

“Our fans should be loud because when that happens it leads to momentum swings, gives energy to the defense and helps generate offense.”

With Homecoming on November 13 against Queens University of Charlotte, the team is wary not to be caught up in the hype and pressure of the first game.

“It will be a challenge because it’s our first, but it’s exciting because it’s the start of the season,” he said. “However, there will be pressure every game.”

Being the conference champs two of the last three years adds additional pressure.

“It’s hard to be a champion,” Peele said. “You’re going to get punched in the mouth, have nights where you don’t shoot well and get tough calls.”

At the end of the day Winthrop just wants to win. To do that, Peele  believes it will take a combined effort from the team and the fans.

“I want [the students] to be proud of our program. I challenge them to have the coliseum sold out every home game. There’s no reason why we can’t,” he said.