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High Point's Cherry will get his first chance to be a college head coach Taking the Reins
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Published: November 6, 2009
It's not wishful thinking to think that High Point might celebrate good times sooner than anyone imagines.
True, the Panthers have a rookie head coach in Scott Cherry. But during a 10-year stretch as an assistant, he played a key role in helping develop winning programs at George Mason, Tennessee Tech, Western Kentucky and South Carolina. In seven of those seasons, Cherry was with teams that made the NCAA Tournament or NIT, and highlights from his resume include George Mason's run to the Final Four in 2006 and Western Kentucky's trip to the Sweet 16 in 2008.
Now its Cherry's turn to call the shots, and he said he's ready.
"You make suggestions as an assistant," Cherry said. "You make the final decisions as the head coach. I felt like it was my time to put what I've learned into practice."
Cherry adds a distinctive UNC flavor to a program trying to elevate its status as a Division I mid-major. He played for the legendary Dean Smith in the early 1990's and was captain of the North Carolina team that won the NCAA championship in 1993. Cherry has never experienced a losing season as a player or college assistant, but with the Panthers coming off a 9-21 finish, he could have some difficulty extending his streak.
Picked to finish sixth in the Big South, High Point is far from destitute. A solid nucleus returns, but the group, which accounted for 80 percent of last season's offense, will undergo a major face-lift under Cherry.
The Panthers have been accustomed to walking the ball up court and playing a 2-3 zone defense. That's history now, and deliberate-tempo basketball has been junked in favor of presses, traps and points in transition.
Nick Barbour, a Big South all-freshman pick, expects to be more productive after averaging 14.2 points last season. Eugene Harris (12 ppg) and David Singleton (4.8 apg) will complement Barbour in the backcourt, and Tehran Cox, a transfer from Arkansas-Fort Smith, will contend for time at point guard.
With league-leading shot-blocker Cruz Daniels (2.8 bpg) inside, High Point will extend its defensive pressure on the perimeter and try to create fast-break opportunities. Sharp-shooter David Campbell, and forwards Corey Law, Jourdan Morris and Earnest Bridges will lend bench support.
"I've been fortunate to inherit a group who can make the adjustment to what were doing," Cherry said. "From Day 1, they've embraced the new system with energy, effort and excitement. They're looking for a clean slate, a brand new start…. We have some depth, and if we can stay healthy, we have a great chance to compete for a league title."
Other Division I teams
□ N.C. A&T: The early part of the season figures to be rough. A&T is not well-stocked with game-tested players (five freshmen and three sophomores), but Coach Jerry Eaves believes that the Aggies can fare much better than their preseason prediction of sixth place in the MEAC.
Veterans Tavarus Alston (11.1 ppg, 4.1 apg) and Robert Johnson (9.8 ppg, 49.4 percent FG) should help the young players develop and adjust. They'll get a boost from 6-9 Thomas Coleman and 6-10 James Porter inside. Coleman is a proven intimidator and the MEAC's premier shot-blocker (142 in two seasons). Porter, who started as a junior but was redshirted last season, returns to provide size, brawn and tenacity inside.
A&T (16-16) is at its best in a fast-paced game, and Eaves plans to fully exploit his team's length and quickness by playing everybody on the roster.
"It's all a matter of this team maturing," Eaves said. "We'll learn some lessons the first half of the season. If we can peak at the right time, it will give us momentum and confidence. If we're playing well as we enter the conference tournament, we'll cause problems for anybody we play.
□ UNC Asheville: The Bulldogs have sufficient floor balance and game experience to give defending champ Radford all that it can handle in the Big South. Still, it remains to be seen if UNCA can knock Radford off its pedestal.
Coach Eddie Biedenbach's crew has reason to be encouraged. Last year's Bulldogs featured one senior and four freshmen who played significant minutes. They finished 15-16 and lost to Radford by single digits in the Big South semifinals.
Forward John Williams, and guards Matt Dickey and Sean Smith form a core that's ready to run the break at every opportunity and force turnovers with pressure. Williams is UNCA's top contributor (12.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg). The backcourt is dependable and productive with Dickey (Big South all-rookie pick) and Smith, who hit 74 3s and shot 45.7 percent from beyond the arc last season.
□ Gardner-Webb: A costly injury ended Gardner-Webb's run at a Big South title last season. Established as contenders with a month left, the Bulldogs saw things change when guard Grayson Flittner (14.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) hurt a knee. He missed five games and played in five others at less than 100 percent. The result was predictable -- G-W lost seven of its last 10 to finish 13-17.
Three other starters return with Flittner, including forward Josh Henley, a Big South all-freshman pick. Despite his 6-3 height, Henley proved exceptional on the boards, leading all Division I freshman with an average of 10.3 rebounds last season.
Auryn McMillan, a 6-8 center, has evolved as a quality post player and gained experience last summer playing for Australia in the World University Games. Swing man
Jonathan Moore could be Coach Rick Scruggs' most versatile player. Moore is a dependable 3-point shooter, who runs the floor and finishes well taking defenders off the dribble.
□ Campbell: Multi-skilled forward Jonathan Rodriguez is primed to take Campbell to new heights, and with 10 returning players, the Camels are convinced that it's their time to move up in the Atlantic Sun. A three-time all-league pick, Rodriguez (15.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 47.4 percent FG) is the key ingredient.
Coach Robbie Laing has more depth on the roster, so Campbell (14-16) will play more full-court basketball, a style that's a good fit for a team with many interchangeable parts.
Campbell has one of the A-Sun's most explosive scorers in combo guard Lorne Merthie, the conference rookie of the year last season after averaging 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds and hitting 52 3-pointers.
Junard Hartley provides experience and stability at point guard and post player Kyle Vejrasha has improved significantly.
□ UNC Wilmington: The Seahawks are determined to prove the Colonial Athletic Association's preseason poll wrong. After UNCW's 7-25 finish, preseason voters picked Coach Benny Moss' team to finish last.
UNCW believes otherwise. All-league guard Chad Tomko (15.6 ppg. 4.6 apg) ranks among the CAAs premier perimeter shooters and he'll get ample assistance from guard Johnny Wolf (13.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg) and power forward Dominique Lacy (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg).
The key to any resurgence hinges on the inside game. An upgrade is in order, and it appears that John Fields and Will Ohuaregbe have the tools to deliver.
Fields, a 6-9, 230-pound transfer from East Carolina, led Conference USA in blocked shots as a freshman and sophomore. A knee injury sidelined Ohuaregbe (6-8, 255) most of last season, but his return and the addition of Fields should help the Seahawks hold their own. That would be a different scenario from last season, when UNCW was undersized and overwhelmed in the post.
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