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LOCATION: Elon, NC
CONFERENCE: Big South
LAST SEASON: 11-16 (.407)
CONFERENCE RECORD: N/A
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 1/4
NICKNAME: Fightin' Christians
COLORS: Maroon & Gold
HOMECOURT: Koury Center (2,000)
COACH: Mark Simons (Aquinas '72)
record at school 62-103 (6 years)
career record 157-205 (13 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Joel Haskins (Appalachian State '82)
Sean Quinn (UNC Greensboro '94)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 3-14-16-13-11
RPI (last 5 years) N/A
1998-99 FINISH: Not eligible for postseason.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Even though its games didn't count in the conference standings a year ago, Elon made its presence felt. The Fightin' Christians beat six Big South teams and lost to conference heavyweights Winthrop and Radford late in the season by a total of two points. There was also an overtime loss to Charleston Southern. Against Winthrop, last season's league champion, Elon had four shots in the last few seconds to win. "I thought we were very competitive," Elon coach Mark Simons said. "The exciting thing is that we have just about everybody back and should be able to play a more upscale style with more pressing and more running. We're going to be very athletic." Elon, which won six of its last 10 games last season, will feel more a part of the conference this year. The Fightin' Christians still can't play in the conference tournament and will have to wait until the 2001-02 season to be eligible for the postseason. Unlike last season, their games will count in the regular-season standings, and the players will be eligible for postseason honors. Although a conference championship and berth in the NCAA Tournament are not possible this season, a regular-season title is.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B+ BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT C INTANGIBLES C+
Coach Mark Simons envisions playing a number of different ways this season. The Fightin' Christians can go small with an abundance of quickness or bigger with Bell and Walker in the lineup. Their backcourt should be able to match up with anybody's in the Big South. Rowell is probably one of the top six or seven players in the league. With the increased athleticism, Elon will try to force their opponents' hands a little more this season. That means more pressing, which should create some easier opportunities. "I feel like we have great depth," Simons said. "We've got to find a way to play everybody. This is the most depth I've had since I've been here, and that's exciting. It will make practice very competitive, which makes my job easier." Defensively, Elon could have some problems against the bigger teams. But those teams also have to contend with Elon's quickness along the perimeter. This is just the type of team that nobody will want to play heading down the stretch. Not being eligible to play in the conference tournament will be a downer, but count on the Fightin' Christians making even more noise than they did a year ago. |
"That's what we're looking for," said Simons, who is entering his seventh season at Elon. "If everyone will accept his role, we have a chance to be very good." The Fightin' Christians welcome back their top four scorers from a year ago, with their top inside player, senior forward Clint Walker, rejoining the team. The 6-7 Walker (8.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg) received a medical redshirt year after breaking his leg in the fifth game last season against Virginia. The backcourt will be Elon's strength. Sophomore Brendon Rowell (14.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 88 assists, 59 steals) played primarily on the wing last season but will shift to point guard. The 6-3 Rowell would have been a strong candidate for rookie-of-the-year honors last season had he been eligible. "Brendon led us in steals and assists last year," Simons said. "Playing him at the point may take away from his scoring some, but we think we have the personnel not to lean on him as much for big numbers." The Fightin' Christians played with a three-guard lineup 70 percent of the time last season, and will lean that way again. Dennis Gaskins, a 6-0 junior, and Andrew Toole, a 6-2 sophomore, will flank Rowell in the backcourt. Gaskins (9.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 62 assists, 50 steals) is Elon's best player off the dribble and was the team's most-improved player last season. Simons said he is probably the best athlete on the team. Toole (9.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 69 assists, 23 steals) started every game after Christmas last season and is a big-time jump shooter. He led the Fightin' Christians with 44 three-pointers last season. Simons said his best on-the-ball defender is 6-5 sophomore David Hall, who can defend in the post or on the perimeter. Hall (2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 15 steals) has also improved his shooting during the offseason. Ross Sims, a 6-0 freshman, will back up Rowell at point guard. As a senior at McEachern High in Powder Springs, Ga., he averaged 19.1 points and was considered one of the top 10 players in the state. One of the things Simons like most about this team is the ability to go big or small. Walker has been Elon's leading rebounder the last few years. Originally from Antigua, Walker has improved his shooting enough that Simons will allow him to shoot the three-pointer this season. "He's going to cause some matchup problems for a lot of people," Simons said. Morgan Bell, a 6-10 senior, will start at center. Bell (11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 12 steals) came in out of shape last season after sitting out a year. A transfer from Occidental, Bell didn't regain his form until January and played solid basketball the rest of the way. He has lost 30 pounds since the beginning of last season and is extremely skilled for a big man. Simons brought in Larry McSwain, a 6-5 junior forward, from Jones (Miss.) Community College. He averaged 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season in junior college. McSwain can score inside or outside and also rebounds well. "With him and Clint Walker in the game, we will be a much quicker team," Simons said. "We can become very athletic in a heartbeat." Shamar Johnson is a 6-5 freshman who is similar in style to McSwain. Johnson, from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va., doesn't quite shoot it well enough yet to be a three-point threat, but he can put the ball on the floor. Elon redshirted 6-6 freshman Chris Adams last season. He is a quick jumper with lightning quick moves around the basket. Simons expects him to lead the team in blocked shots this season. "He'll fit in perfectly with the way we want to play this year," Simons said. "He's so athletic and very active. His third jump is as high as his first jump." A fourth newcomer, 6-8 junior center Ivan Jerenic, is a true back-to-the-basket player. He is physical and loves to rebound. Originally from Yugoslavia, Jerenic played at Southeastern Illinois College last year. Senior George Dennis (5.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg), a 6-6 forward, will play a reserve role inside. He is smart and rarely makes mistakes. Simons likes to have him in the game the last five minutes. Matt Acker (1.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg), a 6-9 junior center, will back up Bell. He played sparingly last season. Travis Whitaker, a receiver on the football team, will come over sometime in December. A 6-4 senior, he has a 40-inch vertical jump and averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 21 games a year ago.
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