ASU, Peterson are ready to go

By: By Tommy Bowman | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: October 16, 2009

Appalachian State got a jump start toward basketball season in August with 10 practices, which led up to two exhibition games in the Bahamas. Now, the Mountaineers will begin in earnest when they begin standard preseason practice today.

"We've already been able to put in a lot of our stuff on offense and a lot of stuff on defense; now it's time to refine what we're doing," Coach Buzz Peterson of the Mountaineers said. "We have to get good at what we've put in."

Peterson said that much focus will be on decision-making, and reducing the turnovers that tainted their two exhibition wins a bit.

"I really want to make sure we do a better job of valuing the basketball," Peterson said. "That's something we will emphasize a lot. We can't have one-handed passes, cross-court long passes, things like that. We want to simplify and make the easy play.

"I think we've gotten over the hump now, where some people maybe were trying to impress the new coaches. They don't have to try and hit home runs to impress the coaches every time. That's where a lot of our turnovers come from."

Returnees Ryan Abraham, Donald Sims and Marcus Wright all will get preseason work at point guard. Sims and Wright will work some at shooting guard, and all three could wind up on the floor at times.

Peterson said that he wants his team in top condition, and to be more aggressive defensively.

"I want us to be in tremendous shape," Peterson said. "We want to be in better shape than our opponent. Another thing is we want to be pretty physical on defense. We want to be a team that's going to get after you and limit you to one shot."

Post players Josh Nirenberg, Tyler Webb and Andre Williamson will be focal points in the early stages of preseason practice, while returning starters Isaac Butts and Josh Hunter recover from offseason knee surgery. Butts and Hunter are expected to be cleared to practice in a week or two, and plans are for both to be available to play in the first game Nov. 13 against UNC Wilmington.

tbowman@wsjournal.com.