Texans 'guarded' as they gear up for new season

by Brant Thurmond, staff writer

 

Following a season with 24 wins, the South Plains College men’s basketball team looks to build on that success as they begin the 2006-2007 campaign.

The Texans advanced to the semifinals of the Region V Tournament in 2006, finishing with a 24-6 record overall. 

With experience at the guard position, the Texans should be a hard team to stop.

Guards Steven Harley, an NJCAA All- American a year ago, and Jermaine Bolden, an All- WJCAC selection, are two of the five returning players from last year’s team.

“ You win with your guards”, head coach Steve Green said. “Without guards, everything becomes more difficult. We have our two best guards returning, so we have a head start to begin with.”

“Harley, who averaged 20.7 points per game last year, is a tremendous scorer who can get the ball to the basket, draw fouls, and hit free throws.”

Also coming back from the 2005-2006 season are guard Justin Brown, post Jordan Frosh and forward Constantin Motnii. This trio should bring both talent and sophomore leadership to the Texans.

“ Justin was a back-up guard last season,” Green said. “He really pushes the ball hard, and I’m expecting a lot more from him this season. Jordan is still up in the air. He tore his knee up. He can shoot the ball well and is big and strong. Malik, at 6-foot-9, is a big, wide body. He will be a secondary scorer as well.”

Along with five returnees, Green and his staff brought in nine new players to the Texan team. Jonathan Hall, a 6-4 guard from Miami, Fla., Delawn Armwod, a 6-0 guard, from Mount Olive, NC., Nick Okorie, a 6-0 guard from Houston, Kenny Watson, a 6-0  guard from Hillside, NJ.,  6-3 Dustin Hawkins, who can play either guard or forward, from Houston, Lu Griffin, a 6-5 post from Greenville, S.C., A. J. Stephens, a 6-5  forward from Stamford, Conn., and Khari Thompson, a 6-4  guard/forward from the Bahamas, are the new comers.

“We want to be a fast tempo team that is very guard oriented,” Green said.  “Our main objective is the stress of constant pressure and guard play.”

The Texans have a very tough non-conference season to prepare for a tough WJCAC campaign.

The Texans will play Trinidad, Colo., and Otero, Colo., early in the season. Then the team will host Temple and Collin County. The Texans then will play in a Thanksgiving Tournament in Plano, taking on San Jacinto and Grayson County. During the Christmas break, the Texans will play in Arizona at the Scottsdale Invitational.

Conference play, which begins in January, won’t be any easier for the Texans.

 Teams such as Howard College and Midland College could provide a challenge for the Texans as they battle for a spot in the Region V tournament.

The Texans come into the season picked number two in the coaches’ poll for the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.

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