Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 18, 1993 TAG: 9311180235
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FERRUM LENGTH: Long
The Panthers finished last season with an 18-7 record, the Dixie Conference's regular-season title and the NCAA Division III South Region's No. 1 ranking. However, the Panthers were denied a berth to the NCAA Tournament when they were upset 71-54 in the conference tournament semifinals by North Carolina Wesleyan, a team they had beaten seven times in a row.
This season, the Dixie coaches made Ferrum their top choice in their preseason basketball poll, followed by Greensboro and Christopher Newport. Little did they know what a licking Ferrum had taken.
The Panthers will be without three probable starters when they open their season Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against Bethany (W.Va.) in the Salem Bank & Trust Tournament at Roanoke College.
Walter Webb (14 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game), an all-Dixie Conference selection last year, Jerry Scarborough (14 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Sean Conyers (4.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) are ineligible this semester because of academic difficulties. Pullen said all three players are still in school and could return to the team in January.
"It places a lot of pressure on those people who need to step up and fill those places," Pullen said. "And our success is going to depend on those people and how they respond to starting positions. There's still a lot of unanswered questions."
One player that poses no question to Pullen is junior Quincy Quick, an all-conference player last season who has started every game since his freshman year. The 5-foot-8 point guard averaged a team-high 16 points and 3.7 assists last year.
"He's an exceptional leader on the court. We're expecting big things out of Quincy," Pullen said.
This will likely be Quick's final season. The premed major is on schedule to graduate this year.
Ferrum lost its core of leadership with the graduation of James Johnson, the team's most valuable player last year, and Mike Robertson. Both are assistant coaches this season.
"We lost a lot of heart. Even though we get a little bigger inside, we still have to find someone to pick up the slack for those guys," Pullen said.
The coach expects that player to be Kevin Keatts, a 6-foot junior who averaged 2.8 points and played in all 25 games last season as Quick's backup.
"He's that hustler, has that intense desire. He'll sacrifice his individual needs for the team," Pullen said.
Ferrum will also rely on forward John Breedlove whom Pullen described as "an offensive machine." The 6-3 junior from Tunstall averaged 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 23 games last year.
"We're looking for 20 points plus out of John Breedlove," Pullen said. "He can play defense also now. He's an excellent leaper, played post in high school and is making the transition to wing. He has a turnaround jump shot that is unstoppable when he's on.".
Carrying the load inside will be Albert Hobbs, a 6-6 junior center who was a teammate of Quick's at Petersburg High School. Rounding out the starting five will likely be Chuck Ellis, a 6-4 sophomore who saw action in 13 games last season.
In the guard rotation, Pullen will look to Paul Rivera, a 5-8 redshirt sophomore, and Bryan Davis, a 5-10 sophomore transfer from Bridgewater. Davis is the son of Dave Davis, defensive coordinator for the Ferrum football team.
Sophomores Louis Westbrook (6-2) and Stevie Reynolds (6-0) will be the backups at the forward position.
Pullen has 11 players on his roster compared to the usual 18-19 to open the season but hopes Webb, Scarborough and Conyers will pull that number up in next semester. For now, he said his team will can only keep ticking away.
"We don't talk about it. . . . We're going with what we have," he said. "You can't worry about what you do not have. We're over the shock."
\ FERRUM COLLEGE\ BASKETBALL PREVIEW\ \ COACH: Bill Pullen, 112-98 in eight seasons at Ferrum. Dixie Conference Coach of the Year in 1992-93.\ \ LAST SEASON: 18-7, Dixie Conference regular-season champions. Denied berth to NCAA Tournament after loss to North Carolina Wesleyan in the semifinals of the Dixie Conference Tournament.\ \ RETURNING STARTERS: Quincy Quick, 5-foot-8, jr., (16.2 ppg, 3.7 apg).\ \ TOP NEWCOMERS: Paul Rivera, 5-8, so.; Louis Westbrook, 6-2, soph., Bryan Davis, 5-10, so., transfer from Bridgewater.\ \ POSSIBLE SURPRISE: Freshman Stevie Reynolds, a 6-foot sophomore guard from Franklin County. Reynolds has spent a year away from basketball, but will make his debut with the Panthers this season. He has played two seasons of soccer at Ferrum, earning all-conference honors this year as goalkeeper.\ \ STRENGTHS: Quick brings talent and experience to the Panthers, having started every game as a freshman and sophomore. Three other juniors (Albert Hobbs, John Breedlove and Kevin Keatts) will also play key leadership roles.\ \ WEAKNESSES: The Panthers will start the season without three potential starters. All-conference player Walter Webb (14 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Jerry Scarborough (14 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Sean Conyers (4.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) are ineligible this semester but could return in January.\ \ FAST FACTS: Former player James Johnson will rejoin the Panthers as Pullen's assistant coach. Mike Robertson will also return as a student assistant.
by CNB