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PROGRESSING - East Carolina is a team that is 'deeper, bigger and more skilled this season'
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Published: November 6, 2009
East Carolina is still a work in progress for Coach Mack McCarthy, but he has a solid core to put on the court this season, his third in Greenville.
McCarthy never got the consistent play he had hoped from game to game last season, and the Pirates finished 13-17 overall and in ninth place in Conference USA, at 5-11.
"We'd love to continue to take steps forward without taking any backwards," McCarthy said. "That'll be a challenge for this group, but we are deeper, bigger and more skilled this season."
The skill starts with point guard Brock Young, one of the fastest players in Conference USA. He set the school record for assists last season with 227 (7.6 a game). He also led C-USA in assists and finished second in the nation behind Oakland's Jonathan Jones.
Guard Jamar Abrams, a 6-6 junior, averaged 10 points and five rebounds, and center Chad Wynn, 6-10 and also a junior, averaged seven points and four rebounds.
The two starters ECU lost are guards Sam Hinnant (15 ppg) and James Legan (11.8 ppg). Finding a way to replace their scoring will be a priority for McCarthy.
Two possibilities are senior Greyson Sargent, who scored 16 points in the first intrasquad scrimmage, and sophomore Darrius Morrow, who started 11 games last season and ended up with averages of 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds.
"This upcoming season we should be more inside-oriented, a better passing team and an improved rebounding team," McCarthy said.
"We have more players who can drive the basketball and finish in the half-court and in transition. The problem is youth, and the big question is whether anyone will develop into the consistent go-to guy, inside or out."
DaQuan Joyner, a 6-7 redshirt sophomore, and Darius Morales, a 6-9 freshman, should provide inside help and bolster rebounding, an area in which the Pirates weren't very good last season.
Morrow will be a player to watch after making C-USA's all-freshman team last season.
"Darrius showed glimpses of his outstanding talent and will be more consistent," McCarthy said. "He has proven that he can play with the best players in the league at his position."
Young was third on the team in scoring last season (10.6 ppg) and had a 25-point outburst against N.C. State in Raleigh, his hometown. Freshmen Wakefield Ellison, Erin Straughn and Corvonn Gaines will be asked to provide backcourt support for Young.
"All of our freshmen will have a chance to play right away," McCarthy said. "… This will certainly be beneficial playing the up-tempo style we like to play."
jdell@wsjournal.com
727-4081
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