Men’s Basketball: UL ready to run – Shipley bust unveiled prior to game – halftime program slated

Tim Buckley, Daily Advertiser, Nov. 11, 2012

For the 100th season of Ragin’ Cajun basketball, which begins with today’s season-opener at the Cajundome against Oakland (Mich.) of The Summit League, UL coach Bob Marlin is pitching "an interesting style that’s going to be fun and entertaining."

Asked to define "interesting," Marlin shed some light on a guard-heavy team that returns just one regular starter, guard Bryant Mbamalu, has just one senior, guard Alan-Michael Thompson, and has just three players, including only one starter, 6-foot-9 Shawn Long, who stand taller than 6-5.

"It’s gonna cause some matchups problems for the other guy," said Marlin, who promised a lot of ball-pushing and perhaps as much pressing.

"We’re gonna try to play a little bit more up-tempo," he added, "and we’ll see if we can do that."

Marlin, whose club is coming off a 16-16 season that ended with a first-round CollegeInsider.com Tournament loss to Rice, is typically much less concerned about how the Cajuns are scoring and much more interested in their field-goal percentage defense.

That in mind, Mbamalu indicated the Cajuns’ size — or lack thereof — will prompt them to attempt to force a lot of contested outside jumpers.

"I think the base of our defense will come from (the guards), to help out the guys down low," the junior said.

"Since we’re not that big, we’re gonna have to control the ball better — help out each other, so we don’t get gapped, and not allow the ball to get inside, to where our weak points are."

If they can do that, Mbamalu sees good things ahead sooner rather than later for the Cajuns.

"I don’t think there’s any pressure," he said of a UL team picked to finish fourth among five in its Sun Belt division.

"I think we can fly under the radar, and if we keep getting better every day," the Houston high school product added, "we can surprise a lot of people come March."

Shipley bust

A bust of late Ragin’ Cajuns coach Beryl Shipley that will be unveiled today will sit in the entrance of the Cajundome.

A private unveiling is scheduled this afternoon for family members, friends and former players, and a video presentation of the ceremony will be shown on the Cajundome video scoreboard at halftime of UL’s game today vs. Oakland.

Role playing

The Cajuns lost several players from last season, including released starting point guard Raymone Andrews, starting center Kadeem Coleby (transferred to Wichita State after being denied his release), released power forward J.J. Thomas (transferred to Cal State-Northridge) and promising freshman Kentwan Smith (transferred to a junior college).

With a fresh roster now that includes five true freshmen, Marlin suggested he went into preseason practice with few — if any — preconceived notions.

"I don’t define the roles," he said. "The players define their own roles."

Among those true freshmen, Marlin seems especially high on reserve shooting guard Steven Wronkoski and backup point guard Kasey Shepherd.

But he didn’t especially love what he saw from stretch-shooting forward Matt Moss in an exhibition win last Tuesday night over Loyola.

"(He’s) a better player than he showed," Marlin said. "Second half, he was loose with the ball."

Francis update

Julius Francis, the 6-11 former Winthrop center from Nigeria that the Cajuns tried to add earlier this year, has landed at NCAA Division I Mississippi State Valley State.

According to the Rock Hill (S.C.) Herald, Francis joined Mississippi Valley State after pleading in South Carolina "guilty to third-degree assault and battery and disturbing schools" in September.

He was sentenced to probation, had his passport returned and won’t have the face any prison time, the newspaper reported.

Francis had been charged with criminal sexual comment after being accused along with a then-teammate of raping a former Winthrop student in his on-campus apartment.

Lagniappe

Freshman Cornell Barnett didn’t play against Loyola-New Orleans due to a concussion. It remains to be seen if he’ll play today. "» Freshman Josh Soto also did not play Tuesday. He’s been awaiting an NCAA ruling on whether courses he took as a freshman in San Juan, Puerto Rico, allow him to meet initial NCAA eligibility guidelines. The NCAA did approve a waiver allowing him to be on scholarship and practice with the team, however. There still is no timetable for a decision.