MC HOOP SCOOP
Inside the Maryville College Men’s Basketball Program November 2011 Edition
Welcome to MC’s Hoop Scoop
Welcome to the November issue of the MC Hoop Scoop! The season has begun and the first week has already proven to be a challenging one. We opened up against Centre College on the road and lost 70‐50. We came out completely flat and played with no desire what so ever for the most part. It was really disheartening to experience aIer the hard work put in leading up to the game. We didn’t have Kme to wallow in pity however as we traveled to St. Louis, MO this past weekend to play in the Webster University Classic. We won our first contest 100‐78 over a tough, athleKc, Rust College team who was one of the best Independent teams in the country last year. In the championship game, we played host Webster University and came out on top 89‐73. Webster played unbelievably hard and really ran their stuff well but their youth and undersized post players weren’t able to withstand our depth for 40 minutes. We wrap up our November schedule by hosKng the Maryville College Classic November 26th and 27th and then traveling to Rome, GA to play Berry College November 30th. The Maryville College Classic is this weekend immediately following Thanksgiving consisKng of Emory University, Oglethorpe University, LaGrange College, and Maryville College. As you can tell, we really have our work cut out for us the rest of the month but we plan on meeKng these challenges head on as we try and play our way back into the NaKonal Tournament. The men’s basketball team has seven overnight trips slated for the 2011‐2012 season highlighted by trips to St. Louis, MO and Tampa, FL. The following list is where we will be staying and their contact informaKon if any of our parents and fans would like to travel along. We would love to have your support! at Guilford (12/17) Ashford Suites 3901 Sedgebrook St. High Point, NC 27265 (336) 812-8787
at Huntingdon (1/14) Spring Hill Suites 1201 Townplace Dr. Montgomery, AL 36106 (334) 409-9999
at LaGrange (2/18) Comfort Inn & Suites 1512 Lafayette Parkway LaGrange, GA 30241 (706) 882-7700
at Tampa Classic (12/29 &30) Hampton Inn 1301 East 7th Ave Tampa, FL 33605
at Piedmont (1/21) Baymont Inn 1105 HWY, 441 Business Cornelia, GA 30531
at GSAC Tournament (2/25&26) Comfort Inn & Suites 1512 Lafayette Parkway LaGrange, GA 30241
(813) 247-6700
(706) 778-3600
(706) 882-7700
MC’s Scots traveled to St. Louis in early November and claimed the 2011 Cavallo Classic at Webster University
Coach Lambert’s Corner
NUMBERS NCAA Tournaments 1990-1991 1991-1992 1992-1993 1994-1995 1996-1997 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
Dear MC Basketball Fan, The season is here and there is no looking back now. I really thought we were ready to start our games last week. We had a successful pre‐ season and won both of our pre‐season scrimmages. ACer traveling up to Lexington, Kentucky on November 8th and making a good showing at Transylvania, I first knew we would be prepared to open up against Centre College. I was wrong and we were thumped 70‐50. It was embarrassing. Our team played as if we had not pracOced at all leading up to that game. Centre played a match‐up 2‐3 zone against us and we were extremely impaOent against it. There was very liSle ball movement and our offense was stagnant. We had to make some adjustments in a hurry because we played in St. Louis, Missouri on the following weekend. I had to get a major philosophical point across to this team. It was Ome to buy in and rely on our system. The Maryville teams of the past had relied on balanced offensive aSack that took pride in our ability to be efficient and producOve. l we had to return to our basic game‐ a tough man to man that applied intense pressure on the ball from the Op‐off to the final horn. Three days aCer the debacle in Danville we leC for St. Louis and our two games at Webster University. We played Rust on Nov 19th and won 100‐78. We were 14 of 28 from behind the three point arc and our defense was much beSer. The next day, we played the home team Webster University and won 89‐73. We did get beSer and we had our great moments in both of these games but we sOll have a lot of fine tuning to do. Allow me to make a few observaOons aCer our first three games.
Scots at “The Baird” in 2011 Live Video at www.knoxivi.com MC Classic Ogletho
rpe11/26 MC Classic Emory 11 /27 Methodist 12/3 N.C. Wesleyan 12/1
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The play of our freshman (two are starOng and one is our first subsOtute) is very sporadic. This is fairly typical of a young player adjusOng to the college game. I am proud of their effort and willingness to work within the system.
Milton Stanley is playing like an All American. He is our most potent offensive threat and always guards the opponents best perimeter player. Our other seniors are consistent and are providing solid leadership to the team. Donald Rucker, Maverick WilleS, Ben Williamson, and Rande Sibley are working hard and are beginning to hold their teammates accountable to their level of play. They are making personal sacrifices for the good of the team. We need to take more advantage of our inside game. We are taking too many three point shots. Our defense has got to get beSer. We are playing to straight up and we are allowing too much penetraOon. We must improve on our ability to maneuver around screens and to communicate on exchanges. We will open up at home on Nov 26th and 27th. I hope you have a chance to come see s play. I hope this team is on the brink of breaking out and playing to their potenOal. The finished product could be a thing of beauty. Have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. Express your graOtude to your God and to the people you love. Sincerely, Randy Lambert
Maverick Willett
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
by MC Sports Information •••
The MC Hoop Scoop goes one‐ on‐one with Maverick Wille_ for this month’s senior spotlight secKon. Maverick is a returning starter at the center posiKon who missed the last three weeks of the 2010‐2011 season due to a knee injury which resulted in off‐season surgery. Pre‐injury, Mav was averaging 9.1 points per game along with four rebounds in 24 minutes of acKon. We were able to sit down with the big man and find out how he’s bounced back from off‐season surgery and what his expectaKons are for his final season… MC HS: How tough has it been to return from off‐season knee surgery? What kind of mindset did you have going through the rehabilitaOon process? MW: “A lot tougher than I thought it would be iniKally. I had to put 100% into rehab and at the same Kme be smart enough not to overdo it. I had to push through some pain and stay posiKve and paKent. It’s a much slower process than any athlete would want, but slow is be_er in the long run.”
MC HS: What is your favorite aspect of Maryville College? MW: “A few things come to mind. The small campus atmosphere and class sizes along with the Kght‐knit community and our faciliKes.” MC HS: What goals are you hoping to achieve this season? MW: “Nothing less than a GSAC Championship and to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament. Also, I’d like for everyone to push themselves to reach their potenKal as a basketball player this season.”
MC HS: How has your experience been here at MC both as a student and a basketball player? MW: “It’s been great. It has been challenging both on the court and in the classroom but I feel like I’ve been pushed to reach my potenKal in both.”
MC HS: What do you feel is the best quality about this year’s team? MW: “The camaraderie. We all get along and hang out off the court which I believe is important in developing chemistry on the court.”
MC HS: What are some things that interest you outside of basketball? MW: “Weight liIing has always been a huge interest in my family. I also enjoy playing the guitar and water skiing during the summer.” MC Hoop Scoop thanks Mav for his Kme and good luck throughout the season!
MC Basketball Alumnus of the Month Dee Bell Class of 1997 •••
What years did you play at Maryville College? 1993-1997 Most Memorable Moment or game? Making it ti the NCAA National Tournament my sophomore season. We worked hard and reaped the benefits of that hard work.
Before his one season at TTU, Bell guided MarKn Methodist to its back‐to‐ back winning seasons in school history, while also guiding the Redhawks to their first Top 25 ranking. He led the team to 16 wins in year one before posKng a 19‐12 mark in 2008‐09. A naKve of San Antonio, Texas, Bell graduated from Maryville in 1997 aIer serving as a four‐year starter for the Scots. A 1,000‐point scorer at MC, he was an All‐South Region performer and was in the top 10 in the naKon in field goal percentage as a senior.
Why did you choose Maryville?
His head coaching career began at his alma mater in 2001, when he began a I wanted to be a part of a winning program. The Scots were just coming off run that would see the Lady Scots win their Elite 8 appearance and I wanted to five‐straight conference Ktles and amass a 107‐37 record. Five NCAA be a part of that continued success. Division III NaKonal Tournament What did you take from your appearances and two Great South AthleKc Conference Coach of the Year experience at Maryville as a honors (2003 and 2005) later, he went student and athlete? to Reinhardt for a brief sKnt before If you want it you have got to go get it. moving on to MMC. Nothing is given to you. You have to earn it. You create your own luck with He is also very acKve in the coaches dedication and hard work. clinic circuit, having served as an instructor at various camps throughout What I am doing today? the region. Bell is a member of the Bell serves Jacksonville State University Women’s Basketball Coaches as their assistant women’s basketball AssociaKon along with being apart of coach and recruiKng coordinator and in the Black Coaches AssociaKon. He also charge of the development of their post has membership in the NaKonal teacher players. EducaKon AssociaKon. Prior to joining the staff at JSU, Bell spent the 2009‐10 season as an assistant coach at TTU, where he helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 14‐win campaign aIer they won just nine the year before. He went to Cookeville, Tenn., aIer serving as head coach at Maryville College, Reinhardt College and MarKn Methodist College, respecKvely.
Bell earned a Bachelor of Arts in Child
development and Teacher Licensure from Maryville College. Dee and his wife, Sunni, have a six-year old son, Braxton.
Dee Bell
Scots Enjoy Giving Back to Community On Friday, November 11th, the Maryville College Men’s Basketball team was scheduled for a day off. Instead of completely taking the day off, the team was hard at work bright and early at 8:30 am but you couldn’t find the team on Randy Lambert Court. Instead, the team volunteered their Kme to spend the enKre day at a local school, John Sevier Elementary! From 8:30 in the morning unKl 2:00 in the aIernoon, the Scots basketball team displayed their skills with full‐court drills, shooKng, and a dunk contest before a deafening crowd of elementary students which ranged from kindergarten to Fourth grade. The players spent 20 – 30 minutes on the court showing their skills and interacKng with the kids and then split up to go visit with them in their classrooms. In the classrooms, each player read a book or two for the class and then answered any quesKons the kids had for them. The students at John Sevier Elementary really enjoyed interacKng with our players. It created quite a buzz around the school as well as in the city as we see some of the kids out with their parents and they tell us what a great Kme they had! I really feel that our players enjoyed their Kme also. They really liked being looked up to and viewed as role models just as anyone would. We try to get the point across to our players that as fortunate as they are, they should find Kme to give back and help others whenever possible.