Eagles Brace for Expectations, '08-'09 Season
Nov. 6, 2008
The Carson-Newman Eagles enter the 2008-'09 basketball season with their highest level of expectations the last half-decade. C-N returns three starters from last season's squad which set the South Atlantic Conference record for points per game at 90.3. Chemistry and injuries could be the keys, as Eagle head coach Dale Clayton begins his 21st season with one of his most-talented squads.
A trio of All-SAC performers from a season ago is expected to lead way, beginning with the point guard spot, and junior Jordan Dixon. The Clinton, Tenn.-product struggled with the lasting effects of a concussion suffered in a loss at Lenoir-Rhyne in mid-February, but still managed to average 10.3 points per game, and lead the Eagles with 114 assists. The first team All-SAC preseason selection is expected to steer the Eagles ship past C-N's 18 wins of last season.
Sophomore Cameron Sharp, an All-SAC Freshman Team selection from '07-'08 will backup Dixon, and could see time at the two guard. Sharp is also coming off an injury-riddled season, in which he turned in double-figures a number of times early in the year, including 18 points in an exhibition at Georgia Tech, only to miss much of December and January with a broken wrist.
Senior Bobby Guyton, a second team All-SAC selection, gives the Eagles a returning double-digit scorer in the post. He averaged 10 points and 5.9 boards, which led the team, a season ago. His season, and likely an NCAA Tournament berth for the Eagles, fell to the floor when he crumbled to the floor with a foot injury in the waning seconds in a win at Newberry in early February.
Guyton averaged 16 points and 11.5 boards in his final two games of the year, wins over Catawba and Newberry. With just one semester of availability left, he will join the Eagles in December.
A strong core of role players and newcomers will give Clayton a number of options for lineups and rotations in the Eagles "high-octane" style of play.
Seniors Jesse McMurray and Andrew Johnson return for their final season.
McMurray, one of the SAC top sharpshooters, buried a combined 12 threes in back-to-back C-N wins over Mars Hill and North Greenville last season. He finished the year shooting 43 percent (76-of-179) from behind the arc, averaging nine points per game.
Johnson is a combo-guard, who turned in 7.9 points per game and three boards. He led the Eagles with 55 steals, and will draw the Eagles' toughest defensive assignment at guard each night.
Sophomore Adam Plavich will move to his natural position, shooting guard, after experimenting at point at a freshman. He, like McMurray, has unlimited range. Inside, senior Zach Hyatte and sophomore Kevin Hare will play key roles. Hyatte averaged 7.3 points per game as a junior, and was one of four Eagles to play in every game.
Hare is athletic, "linebacker" type that gave the Eagles five points and unlimited energy off the bench as a true freshman.
Sophomore Justin Walker worked his way into the rotation some late in his freshman year, and could also see time.
While what C-N returns from last season's 18-win squad has Mossy Creek excited, the newcomers to the Eagle program are the ones expected to help push C-N back to the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Joey Cameron (6'9, 245) is an Auburn transfer, and should be the "difference-maker" on the low block. He started 12 games for the Tigers in '05-'06.
Junior college-transfers Darron Maxtion and Tray Okoth will join Cameron in the post.
Maxtion is a 6'5, 225-pound forward that will give C-N another physical presence.
Okoth can face up or slash to score, and is expected to fit well in the Eagles up-and-down transition game.
True freshmen Khamori Watts and Jared Stephens will be two of the Eagles most-athletic guards. Watts is a combo-guard, while Stephens is a true point, and is C-N's best on-ball defender before having played his first college minute.
Freshmen John Kinman (6'7, 200) and Michael Nicolo (6'4, 170) will both work to find their way into Clayton's rotation.
The season will begin with a shot a milestone. Clayton, currently with 296 career wins, will shoot for No. 300 in November and December.
The schedule includes a 16-game South Atlantic Conference slate, as well as matchups with the Gulf South's West Alabama and Alabama-Huntsville (home-and-home). C-N will also face the Peach Belt's Georgia College and North Georgia, as well as Lees-McRae and Anderson of the Carolinas Conference.
The Eagles open with King College on Saturday night, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. in Holt Fieldhouse.
