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LOCATION: Clarksville, TN
CONFERENCE: Ohio Valley (OVC)
LAST SEASON: 11-16 (.407)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 9-9 (t-3rd)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 3/2
NICKNAME: Governors
COLORS: Red & White
HOMECOURT: Dunn Center (9,000)
COACH: Dave Loos (Memphis State '70)
record at school 121-135 (9 years)
career record 203-188 (13 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Tony Collins (Virginia State '79)
Marty Gillespie (Iowa State '79)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 13-19-17-17-11
RPI (last 5 years) 172-124-199-159-236
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference quarterfinal.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Sure, Austin Peay didn't have the best frontcourt in the Ohio Valley Conference last season, and it didn't have a great bench, either. But that wasn't the primary cause for the Governors' losing season, their first sub-.500 year since the 1994-95 team went 13-16. "We were a little undersized and we lacked depth," Govs coach Dave Loos said. "The big thing was too many agendas. We weren't playing for each other." Since the Govs were upset in the first round of the OVC Tournament, Loos has tried to solve the problems that dogged his team last year. Five of Loos' six recruits can play in the frontcourt, and three come from junior colleges and can contribute quickly. They should give the Govs a vastly improved frontcourt and the balance they need to make a run at league kingpin Murray State. Loos didn't just look for talent in the recuiting season, either. "We recruited some people who had the intangibles," Loos said, "players who play with enthusiasm and energy, players with leadership qualities."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT A- BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT B- INTANGIBLES B+
Austin Peay seems to have everything in place to make a run at the Ohio Valley Conference title. The Govs have the league's marquee player in Trenton Hassell, a talented point guard in Nick Stapleton, and a stronger, more athletic frontcourt than last season. Now, the Govs must produce what was missing from last year's team. "We've got to have good chemistry and play together and want to win for each other," Govs coach Dave Loos said. If the Govs can do that, they will be a dangerous team, despite losing starting guard James Stewart to a knee injury late in the summer. It may take a few games for the Govs' newcomers to mesh with returning players, but there is loads of talent on this roster. Loos always expects to be in the title chase, and the Govs should be right there this season. |
Austin Peay probably has the best player in the league, 6-5 junior swingman Trenton Hassell, and perhaps the best backcourt even with the loss of starting guard James Stewart to a knee injury. Hassell and junior point guard Nick Stapleton both sat out their freshman seasons at Austin Peay as non-qualifiers, then made up for lost time with outstanding sophomore seasons. A hometown product from Clarksville High School, Hassell is a complete player. He is an awesome rebounder, has great range on his shot, can drive to the basket and score on post-up moves. He can play point guard, shooting guard, small forward, even power forward. "He's NBA material," Murray State coach Tevester Anderson said. "I watched him play in Indiananapolis at the Nike camp (last summer) and last year against us. I think he has a real good chance in the NBA." Hassell was a high school teammate of former UNLV star Shawn Marion, who left after his junior year and was the No. 9 pick in the NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. Will Hassell come out after his junior year? "I'd have to believe there will be (NBA) people coming in here to see him," Loos said. "He told me once he would be here until he graduates. We'll just take that as it comes. I hope he has a good enough year that he has to make that kind of decision." If Hassell plays as he did last year, he may have to make that decision. As a sophomore, Hassell was the league's second-leading scorer (17.8 ppg) and second-leading rebounder (9.3). He was ninth in the league in assists per game (3.78). He shot .450 percent from the field, .309 percent from three-point range (42-of-136) and .764 percent from the free-throw line. Hassell earned first-team All-OVC honors last season and was the OVC Newcomer of the Year. "Trenton is a very versatile player," Loos said. "I think that's one thing that makes him as good as he is. He can score on the break, he can shoot from the perimeter and he can go inside. He's very good there (inside). He just has great athletic ability. Combined with his skills, that makes him hard to handle." The 6-1 Stapleton is a point guard who can score. Last season, Stapleton (13.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg) was the team's third-leading scorer and was second on the team in assists with 60. He has great range and was third in the league in three-point percentage (.407), leading the team in three-pointers (59-of-145). Stapleton shot .443 percent from the field and .736 percent from the free-throw line. "He's got a real scoring mentality," Loos said, "probably more so than other players you see at that position. That's fine with us. He's a real scorer, a good three-point shooter and he penetrates well. He's very quick and has very good ballhandling skills. I think he learned a lot last year about running the basketball team and being a leader." Backing up Stapleton will be 5-8 senior J.J. Halliburton and 6-2 sophomore Brad Loos. Halliburton (1.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 34 assists) played in all 27 games last season, averaging 10.9 minutes, and started two games. Loos (0.5 ppg, 0.1 rpg), coach Loos' son, played in eight games. "Halliburton is a good leader and probably the best defender at that position," Dave Loos said. James Stewart, a 6-5 junior, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a pickup game on campus not long after school started. Stewart (8.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg) started 17 games last season and shot .422 percent from the field. He had an even better freshman season, averaging 9.5 points and 2.7 rebounds, and was chosen to the OVC's All-Freshman team. "It's a real setback for our team and especially for James," Loos said. "It's one of those things you hope never happens, but at the same time you realize it's part of it. When it does happen, you just have to make the best of it." Several players will battle to fill Stewart's spot at shooting guard. Hassell would be a candidate there, but Loos likes having him at the small-forward spot to utilize his rebounding skills. Kevin Easley, Joey Tuck and Matt Jakeway will be in the running for the job at shooting guard. A 6-2 senior, Tuck (1.3 ppg, 0.2 rpg) has been around the program and that could help his case for playing time. He played in 20 games last season but averaged only five minutes per game. Easley (1.1 ppg, 0.8 rpg), a 6-1 sophomore, played in 14 games last season, and could be more of a factor with a year of experience behind him. Jakeway is a 6-3 freshman who has captured Loos' attention. While at Flushing High School in Flint, Mich., Jakeway was a two-sport star as a point guard and quarterback, and he was also a pitcher/third baseman in baseball. He was chosen to play in Michigan's East-West all-star football game over the summer, but declined the invitation at Loos' request. Jakeway did play in two of Michigan's all-star basketball games during the summer months. He was recruited by several Mid-American Conference schools for football, but his love for basketball helped land him at Austin Peay. Jakeway also had scholarship offers from Southwestern Louisiana and Ball State. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals as a senior. Although he played point guard in high school, Jakeway will move to shooting guard for the Govs. "Jakeway is a good shooter," Loos said. "He's a tough kid, and he's competitive, which I like. He has done a lot of winning, regardless of the sport." Three others will give the Govs plenty of options at small forward: 6-8 senior Mike Head (3.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and two junior-college transfers, 6-7 junior Theanthony Haymon and 6-8 junior Curtis Harris. Haymon averaged 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season at Bossier (La.) Parish Junior College and is versatile enough to play either forward spot or the low post. "He's a good perimeter shooter," Loos said. "He's probably not as athletic as some of the others, but he has good skills. He's good with his back to the basket." Like Haymon, Harris can play either forward position or center. Harris averaged 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds last season at Chipola (Fla.) Community College. "Curtis is our most athletic signee," Loos said. "He has tremendous athletic ability. He's just a fair shooter. He needs to be (shooting from) mid-range and in." Head has played out of postion during his career at Austin Peay, mainly because of his height. For that reason, the Govs had him in the frontcourt. Not this year. "We'll have the opportunity to play him on the perimeter," Loos said. "He's a player who shoots it best from three-point range. This might be his first opportunity to play his natural position." In the frontcourt, the Govs must replace both starters: 6-7 center/forward Scott Combs (6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and 6-5 forward Jerome Jackson (15.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg). Although lacking the size of a true power forward, Jackson was effective in the post because of his athleticism. He was the team's second-leading scorer and led the team in steals (37). Joe Williams, a 6-9 junior center from Champlain Junior College in Vermont, could step into the job at the low post. Williams may be the best of the Govs' signees, at least early not just because of the numbers he posted in junior college but because of the intangibles he brings to the team. Last season, Williams averaged 16.4 points and shot .592 percent from the field and .789 percent from the free-throw line. He was second nationally among junior college players in rebounding, averaging 13.6 per game, and was a third-team JC All-American. "He plays with a lot of enthusiasm and has leadership qualities in addition to his skills," Loos said. "Those are things we need on this team. I hope he will have a big impact. He's not limited to the post. He can go to mid range and be effective." Two other freshmen complete the Govs' recruiting class. Josh Lewis, a 6-8 center from Lafayette High in Lexington, Ky., averaged 11.9 points and 10.3 rebounds last season. His specialty is shot-blocking. Lewis averaged 6.6 blocks as a senior. "To me, Josh Lewis is the most intriguing guy we signed," Loos said. "I think he's got a chance to be real good. He has terrific shot-blocking skills. He has great timing and long arms." Igor Macura, a 6-7 forward from Slovenia, played high school ball at Zephyrhills High (Fla.) and averaged 19.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals. He shot .450 percent from the field and .690 percent from the free-throw line as a senior last season. "He's a big, strong kid who can play the three (small forward)," Loos said. "He probably needs a little time, but I think he has a chance to be a good player in this league." Jeremy Qualls, a 6-2 senior guard, rounds out the roster. Qualls (1.2 ppg, 0.6 rpg) played in five games last season.
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