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LOCATION: Jacksonville, AL
CONFERENCE: Trans America Athletic (TAAC)
LAST SEASON: 8-18 (.308)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 3-13 (t-10th)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 0/5
NICKNAME: Gamecocks
COLORS: Red & White
HOMECOURT: Pete Mathews Coliseum (5,500)
COACH: Mark Turgeon (Kansas '87)
record at school 8-18 (1 year)
career record 8-18 (1 year)
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ASSISTANTS: Tad Boyle (Kansas '85)
Brandon Johnson (GSU '97)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 24-10-10-12-8
RPI (last 5 years) 288-252-270-275-288
1998-99 FINISH: Not eligible for postseason
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Jacksonville State didn't have enough players last season. Now it looks like the Gamecocks may have too many. That's what happens when your recruiting season turns to gold. Second-year coach Mark Turgeon, who played with three walk-ons in 1998-99, scored one coup after another on the recruiting trail in the offseason, and while it may not show this season, the dividends could roll in by 2001. Here's the haul: ú Brant Harriman is a 6-11 lefty transfer from the University of Nebraska. When Turgeon called his former college coach, Kansas' Roy Williams, and asked him about Harriman, Williams didn't hold back. "Go get him," Williams said. ú Josh Bryant, a 6-8 forward from Hatton High School in Hatton, Ala., was the Class 2A Player of the Year. Indiana and UAB showed some interest in Bryant, who shoots 90 percent from the free-throw line and already bench presses 265. pounds. "A real get for us," Turgeon said. "He was one of the top five players in the state and we got him." ú Johnny Kilpatrick is a 6-3 guard (Taliaferro HS/Greensboro, Ga.) who is as versatile as a Swiss army knife. One minute he'll hit a three; the next minute he's down the lane for a dunk. "Clemson and Georgia were on him early, but he didn't make his grades until late and we benefited," Turgeon said.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH C
FRONTCOURT C+ INTANGIBLES C
If the Gamecocks were a little older, they might have a chance to challenge for one of the top four spots in the conference. But they are still too young, and who knows if the skill level of the newcomers will match the almost unrestrained praise from Turgeon. "How many more games are we going to win? I don't know," Turgeon said. "If we win 14 after winning eight last season, I'll be very happy. "We're not ready to challenge the best teams in the league yet. If we get some confidence, then maybe we can challenge them on our own floor." The good news is Jacksonville State won't have to play 22 games away from home again this season. That will help the freshman get some traction. The other bit of good news is that the Gamecocks bought into an aggressive man-to-man style last season and played hard on the defensive end. "They've got to buy into what we're doing defensively again for us to succeed," Turgeon said. "The second thing that has to happen is we have to gain some confidence. We're pretty fragile after what happened to us last season. "The third thing is with so many new guys, we have to have some chemistry and come together as a team. If we do those three things, we have a chance to have a decent season." |
ú Jarrod Greer is a 6-6 forward (Dacula HS/Dacula, Ga.) with a post-up game who can get loose with a first quick step. "We stole him from some schools," Turgeon said. OK, so you're thinking this is nothing but hype from a 34-year old coach trying to pad a resume and sell a program. In a couple of years, we'll find out for sure if Turgeon really did land a solid group of players to build his program. For now, it looks like he grabbed some decent players to fill some roles. So the most important questions are: Who plays? Who sits? "They all think they should start," said Turgeon, whose team was five deep a year ago and may be nine deep this season. The two sure starters are not rookies, but holdovers from last season's 8-18 team, which finished 3-13 (tied for 10th) in the TAAC. Guards Marlon Gurley and Rashard Willie are the cornerstones for Turgeon's second team at Jacksonville State. Willie is a do-everything 5-10 sophomore (12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg). Not only did he make 46 percent of his threes, he was second on the team in rebounding and handed out a team-high 78 assists last season. The team MVP, Willie needs to take the rudder and guide the club with a little more confidence. "That's his only weakness, leading the team," Turgeon said. "He needs to be a little more vocal." Gurley, a 6-1 senior, led Jacksonville State in scoring last season (14.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 43 assists, 29 steals). He shot just 35 percent from the field and is not as selective a shooter as Willie, but did knock down a respectable .346 perecent of his three-point shots. His impatience should change this season because with more talent on the floor. Gurley won't have to jack up as many shots and feel pressure to carry the offense. The Gamecocks will likely play a three-guard front with Willie, Gurley and Jason Lewis, the team's defensive stopper. Lewis, a 6-3 sophomore (5.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 64 assists, 30 steals) shot just 32 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range last season, but Turgeon said Lewis "isn't going to let one of the new guys beat him out." Of course, the new guys have other ideas. Jason Taylor, a 6-1 junior guard, averaged 18 points last season for Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tenn. while knocking down 43 percent of his three-pointers. "We struggled against the zone last season," Turgeon said, "so we had to go out and find a shooter like Jason." Kilpatrick is another guard who is eager for playing time. He averaged 17 points and 4.6 assists for Greene-Taliaferro High School. Two other newcomers who play guard, but could be farther down the bench, are Ryan Chambless a 6-3 freshman from Alexandria (Ala.) High School and Mike McDaniel, a 6-4 junior from Dodge City (Kansas) Community Center, who is a native of Atlanta. The key to the season won't be the guards. Turgeon's confident in Gurley, Willie, and Lewis. The issue is the inside game. Harriman becomes eligible in mid-December, and if he is as solid as his coach insists, Jacksonville State will have a real weapon. The TAAC is a conference for 6-5 swing players, and if a team runs a 6-11 post out on the floor who can play a little, it's a big deal, especially late in close games when baskets are at a premium and you need a high-percentage shot. The Gamecocks averaged just 16 points a game from their three inside starters last season, so Harriman will get every chance to show his potential. Lost in a wide-open system in Nebraska, he must be eager to prove himself. "He's got a chance," said Turgeon, who found out about Harriman soon after his decision to leave Nebraska and out-recruited 30 other schools that had inquired about his services. "He shoots the ball really well, and he's a very good passer. He's not as good a scorer with his back to the basket, but we've been working with him. After he got in shape, his team (in practice scrimmages) never lost." Bryant may claim the other starting inside spot if he improves his rebounding. He's got good skill with the basketball and works hard at both ends of the floor. Bryant will have to work hard to take a starting job away from Wes Fowler (5.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg), a 6-8 senior center who shot .536 percent from the field a year ago. "Wes has put on 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason," Turgeon said. "He boxes out, he tries to do the right things. He'll be hard to beat out we're expecting a lot out of him." The other returning starter from last season is Shawn Philpotts, a 6-6 senior forward (4.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg). Jacksonville State has four other letter winners back, but they have moved farther down the bench because of the infusion of talent. Jeff Bellamy (2.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg) is a 6-7 senior center; Devin Beasley (2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) is a 6-5 senior forward; Jeremy Wilson (2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) a 6-foot-3 junior guard; and Brian Taylor (2.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg in four games) a 6-1 junior guard. "One of the six guys we brought in is going to be unhappy because they are expecting to play more," Turgeon said. "That's good because we're finally going to have some competition in practice. We're going to be pretty deep."
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