Men’s Basketball: UL coach Marlin encouraged by workouts

Bob Marlin spent his first month as the new head coach for the UL men’s basketball program working on a laundry list of issues.

In addition to assembling a coaching staff, the former longtime Sam Houston State coach had to get to know the current Ragin’ Cajun players, help construct a recruiting class and serve as a guest speaker for various clubs and organizations.

Marlin also got to evaluate his new players last month for a few weeks during individual workouts. He was encouraged by what he saw.

"I think we had two good weeks," Marlin said. "We did some basic fundamentals and worked mostly on some offensive footwork and shooting. The coaches were pleased with the progress in two weeks, and it gives the guys something to work on this summer on their own."

Coming off a fifth consecutive non-winning season at 13-17, the Cajuns could return as many as nine players for the 2010-11 campaign. That includes four starters, with the lone loss being Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and honorable mention All-America forward Tyren Johnson.

Marlin built Sam Houston into a Southland Conference power over the previous 12 years, developing a reputation for playing up-tempo on offense and tough defensively.

He admitted that it was hard to pinpoint only one or two positive comments from the workouts with his new players.

"First as a group, the guys were really receptive," Marlin said. "The guys weren’t in shape on the first day coming off spring break, but we felt like they made strides after that and stepped it up. Overall, the progress that was made was good."

Two particular bright spots were senior guard Randell Daigle and senior forward La’Ryan Gary, both of whom are natives of Lafayette.

Daigle averaged a career-best 11.5 points, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game last season and shot 38.6 percent from 3-point range.

He also tied for third in the Sun Belt in 3-pointers made per game (2.3).

Gary missed last season after two surgeries to repair a bone and ligaments in his left leg, which was injured in the opening round of the Sun Belt tournament against Florida International during the 2008-09 season. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.0 rebounds that season before getting hurt and 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 2007-08.

Both Daigle and Gary sat out their freshman season to get academically eligible and are on track to earn back that year by completing at least 80 percent of their degree requirements by the end of the summer.

 

"Individually, the coaches were very impressed with Randell Daigle’s footwork," Marlin said. "We’ve coached a lot of good guards and feel like he has a chance to have a special senior year. La’Ryan Gary was a pleasant surprise. After that serious knee injury, he came back and practiced a bit at the end of the year from what I understand.

"He’s shown that his knee is healthy and sturdy. We feel like he will play again during his senior year."

According to Marlin, the NCAA has granted senior forward/center Courtney Wallace a medical hardship to give him another year of eligibility. Wallace played in only six games last season due to wrist and knee injuries, averaging 7.2 points on 56.7 percent shooting.

The future of senior guard Brandon Dison remained unclear as of Tuesday, Marlin added.

Like Daigle and Gary, Dison is expected to gain back his final year of eligibility but has been limited to only nine games in the past two seasons due to a nagging ankle injury. Dison, considered a defensive specialist, played only 19 minutes in three games last season.