|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Mr. Chris "Cam" Cameron
Home:
Work:
Home Phone: 061-0943-342992 Cameron had his fans March 07, 2006 – Dan McDonald MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – There is little doubt that Chris Cameron’s biggest cheerleaders at the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament also traveled the most miles to get here. “That’s why we made the effort to get here,” said father Peter Cameron. “There’s no telling where he’ll be next year. We had planned it out for this year and we’ve been putting it together for the last couple of months.” Cameron, a native of Melbourne who attended Box Hill Secondary for two years before coming to the U.S., didn’t disappoint his family with two clutch baskets down the stretch in UL’s 62-59 win over Troy Sunday night. He also had the pass that found an open Ross Mouton for the game-winner at the end of overtime. Cooke has attended three straight Sun Belt Tournaments and was also in Lafayette in December for Cameron’s graduation. “I never thought he’d have a college degree,” Cooke said. “Basketball is the reason he’s gone this far. Anything else he gets out of basketball is a bonus.” For Peter, brother Kevin and aunt Denise Kidd, the trip is the first to the U.S. The group arrived in Nashville Saturday evening. “Chris had two years living away from home before he came here,” Peter Cameron said. “He had to go and live his dream, and if he’s good enough he’ll succeed.” LATE BUZZ: Even though Monday’s action featured the two semifinals, many in the Murphy Center were still talking about the Ragin’ Cajuns’ 62-59 overtime win over Troy in Sunday’s late quarterfinal game. Troy had scored 66 points in one half two nights earlier in a 107-83 win over Arkansas State. On Sunday, even with the overtime period, the Trojans were held to their fourth-lowest output of the season and their second-lowest in league play. Troy had not been held below eight 3-pointers all season before hitting only six on Sunday. Three of those came in the game’s first three minutes when the Trojans were 3-of-5 outside the arc, but they went 3-of-26 the rest of the way. The Trojans finished at 19.4 percent (6-of-31) from 3-point range, their second lowest of the season. Troy was at 19.0 percent in a 91-68 loss at Arkansas State. Most of those numbers came because of the Cajuns’ selling out to defend the perimeter, concentrating on picking up man-to-man well outside the arc and not helping out when the Trojans got penetration. “That’s what you have to do against those guys,” said Cajun coach Robert Lee. “You can’t just sit there and let them shoot, and you can’t use help defense because they’ll kick it back out. You’ve just got to have guys stay in their face and get after it.” Because the Cajuns didn’t use help defense, Troy was limited to only seven assists as a team. Trojan guard Bobby Dixon, who had a tournament record 14 assists against ASU, had only four to go with four turnovers. “We pride ourselves on defense,” said Cajun center Michael Southall, who had a pair of two-handed stuff blocks in the closing minutes and a third block that set up the final possession and Ross Mouton’s game-winning trey. “We were fortunate enough to get some stops, and Ross hit a huge shot.” WE’RE NO. 1, 2: Now that Troy picked up a loss in its first Sun Belt Tournament, the Cajuns and the Hilltoppers went back to the top of the league’s list for all-time success in tournament play. CAJUN-TOPPERS: UL and WKU have shared the league’s tournament titles and NCAA Tournament automatic berths over the last six seasons. Western won the titles three straight times from 2001-03, and the Cajuns took the 2000 title as well as the last two crowns in 2004 and 2005. OUT OF SEASON: Not basketball, but it has connections to Murfreesboro, Lafayette and the Sun Belt. Kevin Fouquier, who began his collegiate football coaching career at UL and was most recently assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at Middle, was named defensive coordinator at Florida International Monday. QUOTEABLE: “If I heard it once, I heard it 1,000 times that it’s hard to beat a team three times in the same season. Well, Middle Tennessee has done it and I think they deserve a lot of credit for that.” – Arkansas State coach Brian Boyer, after MT beat the Indians 90-64 in Monday’s women’s semifinals. Originally published March 7, 2006 Cameron accepts new role February 08, 2006 – It was an unfamiliar position for Chris Cameron – seated. “I hadn’t been playing as well as I can,” Cameron said. “I wasn’t as productive.” The same could be said for the Ragin’ Cajuns as a whole, since their 5-13 record before those games included a 1-6 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. In those three games, UL was within one point with five minutes left at Middle Tennessee before losing, and then took a pair of double-figure wins at home over North Texas and Denver – avenging road losses that started the league season. And Cameron? Coming off the bench at Middle Tennessee, he didn’t miss from the field in scoring nine points with two boards and two assists in 17 minutes. Against North Texas, he went 7-of-13 from the field in a team-high 15-point, eight-rebound effort that included a key 3-pointer. He also had a trey two nights later in UL’s last outing, when he had nine points and four rebounds in the 49-38 win over defending West division champion Denver. “I was just doing what I was told,” said Cameron, who had started the last 86 Cajun games in which he’d suited up. “I’ve played better the last couple of games and we’ve played better as a team. If that’s what we need to do to win, that’s what we’ll do.” Cameron started every game over the past two seasons and had a streak of 79 straight starts snapped when he dislocated his right shoulder at LSU on Dec. 17. He missed the Cajuns’ next three games before returning for the Sun Belt opener at North Texas. Cameron averaged 27 minutes in last week’s two wins, the second-most on the team behind Dwayne Williams and in line with UL’s recent emphasis on frequent substitutions to allow maximum rest and maximum defensive effort. Cameron was part of the defensive assault on Denver and standout Pioneer postman Yemi Nicholson. DU shot an all-time Cajundome low 18.9 percent from the field, and Nicholson was held to eight shots and 14 points in 32 minutes after getting 30 two nights earlier. “We focused on the defensive end, and that worked on all the aspects of our game,” Cameron said. “Mike (Southall) and I worked hard on post position and asserting our presence all week. We got some good inside baskets and some good kick-outs.” “We’ve been practicing hard on that,” said Cajun head coach Robert Lee, “but I think more than anything else guys are just more relaxed out there. And we’re doing a better job of using our bench, and that leads to a lot of guys feeling better.” Being relaxed fits in well with Cameron’s personality. Conversations are laced with “no worries,” and it’s easy to fall into the trap of anticipating a laid-back Australian attitude. That would be a mistake. Cameron’s had enough drive to finish his degree in three and one-half years before finishing his eligibility, receiving his bachelor’s degree in general studies on Dec. 17. He’s also the guy doing the loudest yelling when the Cajuns are switching on defense. “We’ve been the team to beat in the conference since I’ve been here,” said Cameron, who has averaged double figures in each of the last two league tournaments when UL claimed titles. “This year we’ve already had two bad home losses, so to get revenge for those is important for us just so they’ll know they’re not better than us. We owe those teams something.” Originally published February 8, 2006 Aussie’s swan song? February 17, 2005 – Bruce Brown Chris Cameron is under no delusions. He knows when his college basketball career is finished, he won’t be deluged with offers from the Sydney opera house back home in Australia. Each time Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns serenade their fans with the school’s fight song after home wins in the Cajundome, Cameron gives it his best shot, but leaves it to teammates to really carry the tune. “I think I’m tone deaf,” Cameron said with a wry smile before Wednesday’s practice. “I think I need the Vienna Boys Choir to back me up.” Still, the Cajuns are getting better with their singing, and doing so strengthens the bond they feel with their backers. “A lot of people have come up to me on campus and say they think it’s great that we sing to the fans,” Cameron said. “It’s awesome. A little thing like that means the world to some people, and if we can do that for them to show our appreciation then that’s great.” Cameron and the Cajuns finish up the home portion of their schedule by hosting New Mexico State tonight and North Texas on Saturday, and the Cajundome is likely to be a noisy place. “The home crowd makes a big difference,” Cameron said. “At the start of a big run, or if we need a stop, they’re definitely the sixth man. It rattles our opponent, and you just want to make them yell louder. “I think our record proves that we have an advantage in the Cajundome. The more fans we get, the more games we’re going to win. It sends chills down your spine sometimes. It’s awesome.” Saturday’s spotlight will be on seniors like Cameron, Orien Greene and Brian Hamilton, but Cameron remains uncertain whether it will be his swan song. “Obviously, it could be my last season,” Cameron said. “I’ve been here four years and have played three. I’ve got 5 hours to take in summer school and I’ll be done. But if needed I could apply to get that year back. “I honestly haven’t thought of it. When the season’s over, I’ll make that decision. Hopefully, that will be a long time.” The 6-foot-11 center from Melbourne is carrying a demanding 18 hours this spring, a step back from his original intention to carry 21. “At times, it’s difficult,” Cameron said. “I had two tests today. Most of my professors are pretty understanding. Some of them don’t care if you play a sport or not. I get in about an hour and a half of study a night. “I need time to study, as well as practice and work on my shot. Then you’ve got to eat and sleep. But, I love the life. I wouldn’t trade it.” He has traded majors, though, switching from health and physical education to general studies so he could get that year of eligibility back if he makes that choice. “I wanted to have that extra option,” Cameron said. The way the Cajuns are playing now under first-year head coach Robert Lee, it may be hard to walk away from the college game. “I’m happy with the year,” Cameron said. “Obviously, it could be better, but we’ve exceeded people’s expectations and it’s always good when you can do that. “I like coach Lee. I was hoping he’d be the head coach. I think he has faith in me and trusts me, and I enjoy that.” That trust comes from knowing Cameron’s work ethic and willingness to play within the team concept, both of which were strengthened in the offseason in Australia. “I wanted to work to improve my contribution to the team,” Cameron said. “If by chance they needed more from me, I wanted to be ready to give them 100 percent. “I wanted to give the team that extra option. I’ve been that backup (choice), now I’m part of the offensive production.” Cameron is averaging 7.8 points per game and 3.7 rebounds, and has recently hurt opponents with timely 3-point shooting (now at 19-of-55 for the year) – not the usual skill for a 6-foot-11 player. “Back home, I worked on getting my shot back and I wanted to stay fit, stay in the game,” Cameron said. “It’s very competitive in Australia. “It’s very team-oriented back there. Not that it’s not like that here, but after every game the whole team goes out to eat together. I really enjoy that part of being with your mates.” This year’s Cajun squad is displaying similar comraderie to the kind Cameron found back home in Australia, enjoying a close-knit feel as it chases another Sun Belt Conference title. “The difference this year is that we’re closer,” Cameron said. “When we get out there on the floor and one of us gets down, we’re pretty good at picking him back up, whether it’s a steal and layup by Orien or a dunke by Dwayne. “Our starting five is an older group, and we try to show the younger guys how it’s done. We’re much more disciplined than in the past.” Greene remains the leader for the Cajuns, who coped with his injury absence at midseason and have flourished upon his return. “Obviously, it makes a huge difference when ‘O’ is on the floor,” Cameron said. “He’s a hell of a defender. He gets into people and makes steals. And, he knows the game. He knows when we need to speed it up or slow it down. He’s the pacesetter for us. “It only took one game for us to get the chemistry back when he returned.” If Cameron leaves, he’ll target professional basketball in Europe. If he stays, graduate school is in his future. “Every head coach can help a player get noticed,” Cameron said. “I also think our schedule put us around America and there might have been some scouts there. And the fact that I’m from another country can make it easier to make contacts. “The style of play is similar in Australia and Europe. They both play by international rules. That might be a positive for me.” Then again, it might be a positive to make one more run with the Cajuns. “Coach Lee has instilled a sense of pride in the school and (wearing) the jersey,” Cameron said. “He wants to give something back to the fans.” Which brings us back to one more chorus of the UL fight song – heartfelt, if not always in tune. Originally published February 17, 2005
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
