 "Photo: Sholten Singer")
It seems like Marshall’s men’s basketball team is taking a tip from the cross-country team. It seems like its practice is based just on running.
Since coming to Marshall in 2007, head coach Donnie Jones has wanted to implement a more up-tempo style of play. But the past two years he hasn’t had the personnel.
Jones said he feels this year is different. He believes he has the bodies to run the faster paced offense he learned while he was an assistant in Florida.
“That is how we always wanted to play, but we never had the numbers to do it,” Jones said. “We have had a lot of young guys, and we’re still young, but obviously up-tempo, pressing and playing fast is what we want to do.”
At practice, many drills were ran to not only perfect the defensive press, but to also break it and get into a fast break offense.
But with the running that Jones is looking for to perform the offense, he believes the team is not yet conditioned enough to run it correctly.
“We are nowhere near where we need to be,” Jones said. “I know we are a week out from the season, but we want at the top of our game in the first game.”
With the season coming closer, practices have been getting more intense and Jones knows what he wants from his team. There have been some instances where he has been disappointed in practice and ejected the team from practice.
Jones said the team needs to get its mentality right before the season starts and said the coaching staff will have them ready.
“We’ll get what we want,” Jones said. “Guys are going to learn that, no matter how many times you practice, or what you did yesterday, today’s a new day. You have to come out and compete.”
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The Limping Herd: Four players are listed with injuries going into the weekend. Senior forward Tyler Wilkerson took a shot to the throat and has a bruised voice box. He is listed as day-to-day. Sophomore forward Camden Miller has a sprained ankle and is limited to no contact drills. He should be able to go fully next week. Dago Pena has a slight concussion and as of right now is considered out. Freshman guard DeAndre Kane has a sprained wrist but Jones expects him to be back to practice soon.
Eligible DeAndre: Kane has still not been cleared to play for the Herd, but is still able to practice. Jones said they have not heard but are hoping to have him eligible by the first game.
“Still under evaluation,” Jones said.
Ready for Radford: The Herd has a closed practice/scrimmage with Radford University. Jones is happy the team can practice with an NCAA tournament team. The Highlanders are the defending Big South champs and give The Herd a chance to beat up on a different team.
“We can work on defending someone different,” Jones said. “We have a three-to-four hour period there where we can work out. We can work on things they want to work on and us defending what they do and how we can make each other better behind doors.”
Marshall will play its first official exhibition against West Virginia Wesleyan at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Cam Henderson Center.
Kyle Hobstetter can be contacted hobstetter@marshall.edu.
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