10/29/2009 - MEN'S BASKETBALL 11 Days of Atlantic Sun Men's Basketball: USC Upstate

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Interview with Head Coach Eddie Payne

SEASON PREVIEW - (Courtesy USC Upstate Media Relations)

When head coach Eddie Payne leads the Spartans onto the court at Nebraska on Nov. 14, he will begin his 25th season as a head coach of college basketball. He became the only active DI coach to have served as a head coach on all levels of college basketball at the beginning of last year and looks to bring that bevy of experience to the sideline in his attempt to build on the momentum gained last season and fit new pieces into the puzzle of building a competitive Division I basketball program.

Payne’s experience will be crucial as the Spartans deal with the loss of Bobby Davis from the lineup. Davis was a solid No. 2 option as a junior in 2007-08 and burst onto the college basketball season as a senior last year. He was the only player in all of DI men’s basketball to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and field goal percentage from his power forward position. Replacing that kind of production is not easy. Payne hopes that a combination of players can help fill the void.

In USC Upstate’s first two seasons playing on the NCAA Division I level, the team had one central go-to player on the court for leadership. Luke Payne served that role in 2007-08 and Bobby Davis took ownership of the role last season. This year, Nick Schneiders may very well be that player for Upstate as the Spartans continue to develop and build a competitive Division I basketball program.

“I think we will have to run our offense through Nick,” said Payne. “His performance will be the overriding calculator on how well we do this year. We will make for Bobby’s absence by committee. Bobby had the strength, power and athleticism as a rebounder and a front line guy that I don’t think we have this year. It’s going to be difficult for us to match that.

“One of the big challenges for this team is to develop leadership. We had leadership from Luke (Payne) and then Bobby. Nick is going to be a go-to guy and we hope he develops into a leader on this team. Developing leadership on our team is the big challenge for us.”

Schneiders, all 7-3 of him, is poised to take over the leadership role on the team. Playing his fifth year of organized basketball, his improvement from his sophomore year in 2007-08 to last season was remarkable. He increased his averages to 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last year from the 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest averages as a sophomore. More importantly, he figured out how to utilize his size, especially his height, to become a dominant player on the defensive end of the court. He blocked an A-Sun best and Upstate school record 79 shots last season and altered countless others. His presence in the paint made it difficult for opponents last year. He has added muscle, about 20 pounds worth, to his frame and should be ready to make an even bigger splash as a senior. He will enter 2009-10 as an A-Sun Preseason All-Conference player.

Juniors Josh Chavis and Mezie Uzochukwu are veterans on the club for Payne, while senior Pat Posey has showed great improvement over last season.

“Mezie has improved his game and is shooting the ball better,” said Payne. “Pat has improved and is going to be much more effective. After that, you are looking at a confluence of guys who are going to have to come together and play pretty well for us to be successful.

“Josh Chavis and De’Marion Gordon are going to have give us steady play at the point and Carter Cook has improved. So, we’ve got guys who have picked it up a bit. We have to have every player on our team step up a notch and have our young players step in and contribute from the beginning.”

Speaking of newcomers, Upstate has six players who will see action for the first time in a Spartan uniform this season. Cedric Koffi missed all of last season and will not suit up for the first 12 games this year due to an eligibility ruling by the NCAA. He will be eligible to play on Jan. 4 when ETSU comes to the Hodge Center. Junior college transfer Sharod Minus, who has missed the first week of practice with an injury, should be a key as well. The two will bring experience and talent to the court and give the Spartans depth at the guard spot.

In addition to Koffi and Minus, Ricardo Glenn, Johnathan Gray, Ryan LeGates and Caleb Palkert are expected to contribute immediately and battle for playing time.

While moving forward without Davis on the court will be an adjustment for Upstate this season, the Spartans have built momentum following a successful season last year. Despite nine wins on the year, Upstate played a brutal non-conference schedule early on, one ranked as the 29th-toughest in the nation by Ken Pomeroy, and hit its stride during the brunt of the A-Sun season, winning seven of its last 14 games of the year. Payne certainly hopes some of that momentum can be carried forward.

“I think the momentum we have built in the program is not necessarily defined by basketball,” said Payne. “We have a better overall work ethic from top to bottom. Capturing the basketball momentum, I think our players realize that we can be competitive and have demonstrated that on several occasions. We are in a position where we can continue to grow the core foundation of the program which I feel is very solid. We just need to continue to add to that core from year to year.”

Upstate, like it has in its first two seasons playing Division I basketball, will be tested by an aggressive and tough non-conference schedule. The Spartans open up at Nebraska on Nov. 14 before heading to one of college basketball’s most historic programs, Indiana, on Nov. 16. The Spartans will also play the likes of Miami, Wichita State, UNLV and Arizona State on the road while playing non-league games at home against UNC Greensboro and a home-and-home with Winthrop. A grueling 20-game A-Sun slate also awaits the Spartans this season. Upstate improved its win total last year from the previous season by two games overall and three games in the A-Sun and will look for more of the same in 2009-10, though it doesn’t get any easier from year to year.

Guard

The guard position is one of the most experienced on the team with Josh Chavis (5-9, Jr., Greensboro, N.C.) and De’Marion Gordon (6-1, So., Atlanta, Ga.) sharing the duties. Both can play the point effectively while also possessing the ability to knock down the three-pointer.

Chavis and Gordon are joined in the backcourt by Cedric Koffi, Ryan LeGates and Sharod Minus. Each player brings their own skill set to the team and will provide depth to the position.

“I feel pretty good about our guards,” said Payne. “We are small and not overly physical which will cause some problems with defensive matchups, but we have skill and depth at the position which is a good thing.”

Chavis (5-9, 173, Jr., Greensboro, N.C.) has been in the starting lineup for the better part of two seasons at Upstate. He has a wealth of experience at the point while also owning the ability to nail the outside shot. He can run the offense and serve as the floor general for the Spartans. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game overall, while increasing his scoring average to 9.1 points per outing during A-Sun games.

Gordon (6-1, 170, So., Atlanta, Ga.) had a solid freshman campaign as he made the adjustment to the college game. While he had some ups and downs as a freshman last season, he is expected to be a consistent performer this year. He absolutely dominated the court at times last season and was an A-Sun All-Freshman selection after averaging 6.9 points per game. He can play either the point or shooting guard positions.

Koffi (6-0, 180, Sr., Paris, France) is an experienced point guard who transferred to Upstate from Sheridan College before last season. However, due to an eligibility ruling by the NCAA, he was forced to sit out all of last year and will miss the first 12 games this season. He was a Wyoming College Conference All-Defensive selection as a sophomore and averaged 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He will be a wild card this season because Upstate will be well into the season before he can suit up for the Spartans. How well he meshes with the players on the court in game situations will be key to the extent of playing time he will receive.

LeGates (6-3, 165, Fr., Marietta, Ga.) had a solid high school career and was named one of the “Players To Watch” in Georgia by Rivals.com. He possesses the ability to knock down the three-point shot and has worked in the preseason to expand his game. Upstate needed to fill a need for a deadly outside shooter and LeGates is the prime candidate on the team to fill that role.

Minus (6-0, 170, Jr., Douglasville, Ga.) is an experienced player out of Miami Dade, one of the top junior college programs in the nation. He spent time mostly at the shooting guard spot, though his ability will allow him to play the point if needed. He can shoot the ball while possessing the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket.

Wing

Two players, Carter Cook and Pat Posey, will primarily fill the role at the wing for Upstate, while Mezie Uzochukwu may very well find playing time in the position when not playing forward. The fact that all candidates for the position are experienced in Payne’s system is a bonus for the Spartans.

“Our wing play should be improved because Carter Cook and Pat Posey have improved,” said Payne. “They are returning players who saw a lot of time on the court last year and who have made a lot of progress in the preseason.”

Cook (6-5, 220, So., Clemmons, N.C.) had a solid freshman season for the Spartans last season. He showed signs of being a dynamic shooter. He has dropped 20 pounds over the summer and has returned to the court in shape, which should allow him to use his natural athletic ability to put the ball on the floor and become a multi-dimensional player. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season and connected on 17 three-pointers.

Posey (6-5, 200, Sr., Piedmont, S.C.) had moments last season when he was strong on the court. He has pure athleticism and has worked hard on the things he needs to do to play the wing. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game a year ago and is expected to increase those numbers this season. His progress in the preseason has been tremendous.

Johnathan Gray (6-4, 190, Fr., Anderson, S.C.) earned a spot on the team as a walk-on during fall tryouts and will be counted upon to provide depth at both the shooting guard and wing positions. He has shown the ability to work within the system and could garner minutes on the court while making the transition to the college game.

Power Forward

A new face will man the power forward position this season after Bobby Davis, who averaged nearly 34 minutes per game last season, vacated the spot after a widely successful senior season. Two returning players and two talented freshmen will vie for playing time at the spot.

“I think our post play will be solid as well because Nick has improved at center,” said Payne. “Although we don’t have Bobby, we return an improved Chalmers Rogers and Mezie Uzochukwu, and brought in a couple of talented freshmen at the forward position.”

Uzochukwu (6-5, 215, Jr., Greensboro, N.C.) has continued to develop his game at Upstate. A starter since his freshman season, he worked hard last year at developing a consistent outside shot. He made 13 three-pointers a year ago and has improved his long range skills in the offseason. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last year. His ability to play with his back to the basket while also being able to shoot from the outside and put the ball on the floor will allow him to play either the forward or wing positions, giving Payne the ability to move players around for the best possible lineup.

Rogers (6-7, 215, So., Fort Mill, S.C.) worked hard to improve his strength and skill during his freshman campaign. He averaged 12 minutes of playing time and scored at a 1.6 points per game clip. Deadly from the free throw line, he is expected to see more time on the court this season.

Ricardo Glenn (6-7, 254, Fr., Augusta, Ga.) comes to Upstate after a standout prep career at Richmond Academy. He has the body suited for the power forward position and will not easily be knocked around. He can play with his back to the basket or face up for the intermediate jumper. He is expected to get the opportunity to prove he needs to be on the court.

Caleb Palkert (6-9, 200, Fr., Excelsior, Minn.) possesses outstanding basketball skill. He led his Southwest Christina High School team in scoring and rebounding and was a dominant player in his conference. While he doesn’t possess the bulk of the typical power forward, he does have the ability to play with his back to the basket while working on face-up post moves. He is expected to see plenty of time on the court, giving Payne four legitimate options at the position.

Center

The center position is in the hands of 7-3 redshirt senior Nick Schneiders. He is the only center listed on the roster and when he is not in the game, the Spartans will go with a small lineup.

Schneiders (7-3, 260, Sr., Reitberg, Germany) came into his own last season in his fourth full year of playing organized basketball. Payne and the Spartans will look to him to be the go-to player on both ends of the court this season. He averaged 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game a year ago. He increased his scoring average to 10.3 points per outing in A-Sun play. Though he has developed his offensive game, he is a force on the defensive end. He blocked an A-Sun best and Upstate school record 79 shots last season and is just 19 shy of the all-time school mark of 136 held by Kevin Harrington. Schneiders was simply dominant last year. With 20 pounds of added muscle entering the 2009-10 season, he is expected to be an even bigger force on both ends of the court this year. He enters the season as a preseason A-Sun All-Conference selection, based largely on his dominance last season and his rapid development as a basketball player.