by Jennifer Sheffield, The Reflector
The MSU Lady Bulldog’s basketball team will host the second scrimmage of the preseason Saturday at Newell-Grissom from noon to 3 p.m. The scrimmage will be followed by an autograph session.
The scrimmage gives fans a chance to get an early look at the squad and gives the team a chance to play in game-like situations to see what needs to be improved before embarking on a schedule full of tough opponents.
The scrimmage offers the players the opportunity to answer questions that fans might have.
The question everyone seems to be asking about this year’s team is how will the team play without four Kodak All-American LaToya Thomas.
Head coach Sharon Fanning says this team will rely on a more balanced attack to get W’s this year.
“We have good strength, depth and quickness. We have
some young talent in the paint,” said Fanning. “We have good depth and balance against the toughest schedule since I’ve been at MSU.”
The Lady Bulldogs have three new players: freshmen Natasha Henderson and Ashley Sentimore and juco transfer Tiania Burns. The team also added two new assistant coaches in the off-season. Steve Curtis and Errol Rogers join Coach Fanning and Stacey Franklin at the helm of the Lady Bulldogs.
Forward Rebecca Kates says the new coaches have stepped in and helped develop the transition game the Bulldogs hope to use this season.
“We are going to be a different team this year, moving the ball a lot more,” said Kates. “I think they (the new coaches) like that style.”
The 2003-04 women’s basketball will have a more balanced offensive approach.
Fanning believes that balance and and cohesion will be the biggest keys to success.
“The kids really like to play together,” said Fanning. “This is a very coachable group.”
by Jeff Edwards, The Reflector
No one can ever confuse Starkville, Miss. with Lexington, Ky. But this time of year, fans of both Mississippi State University and the University of Kentucky are going through the same excitement. Basketball season has arrived.
The Mississippi State men’s basketball team will take a step closer to the 2003-2004 basketball Saturday with a scrimmage at the Newell-Grissom building. The scrimmage will start at 9 a.m. and go until noon. The players will be avaliable for autographs starting at 3 p.m. after the women’s scrimmage. Admission to the event is free.
The Bulldogs have several highly regarded new players on the team including, freshmen Gary Ervin and Piotr Stelmach and transfer Lawrence Roberts. According to Bulldog assistant coach Phil Cunningham, the new players are coming along just fine.
“They’re all doing well,” said Cunningham. “It’s an adjustment for freshmen. It’s not as big an adjustment for Lawrence Roberts as it is for them because he has two years of playing in the Big XII (at Baylor). They are working hard everyday.”
Cunningham also said that the starting positions for the team are still up for grabs.
“Lawrence Roberts has a good chance of starting but everything else is still up in the air,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham said that the team has been practicing long enough and it’s time to play.
“It’s (the scrimmage) is just a chance to let the guys play against each other,” Cunningham said.
“It’s a chance for them to take things they’ve learned in practice and use it in a game.”