DRC NT Men and Women begin practice

[OldTimer]

UNT men, women hoopsters begin practice this weekend

08:14 AM CDT on Friday, October 14, 2005

By BRETT VITO / Staff Writer

North Texas women's basketball coach Tina Slinker has been looking forward to this weekend ever since Middle Tennessee's Patrice Holmes stunned the Mean Green last season.

UNT took the eventual conference champion to overtime before Holmes made a few key plays late to sink the Mean Green in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

All but two of UNT's players from that team will be back on the floor this weekend when both the Mean Green's men's and women's teams open practice for the 2005-06 season.

"This is the most experienced team we have had in a while," Slinker said. "We have four seniors who have all been in the program. I am very excited about starting practice."

The UNT women will open practice on Saturday morning, while the men will practice on Friday night, the first day Division I college basketball teams can begin preparing for their regular season opener.

Both UNT teams are looking to build on 14-14 seasons.

The UNT women will only have a few issues to sort out while preparing for their exhibition opener on Nov. 2 against the Houston Jaguars.

The Mean Green return Bobo and junior post Mia Ajekwu, who averaged 13.0 and 11.3 points a game, respectively, last season. Four other players who started at least 13 games also return.

UNT will add four freshmen recruits and Amber Jackson to that core. Jackson, a 6-2 forward, was expected to be an impact player as a freshman last year, but missed the season with a knee injury.

"It's big to get Amber back," Slinker said. "She has shown signs that she has recovered and can make a big impact this year."

The UNT men will have a different look after the departure of five players, including Leonard Hopkins. UNT's starting shooting guard led the team in scoring with an average of 18.1 points a game and was named second-team All-Sun Belt Conference for the second straight season as a senior last year.

Junior guard Calvin Watson averaged 11.3 points a game last season and is the Mean Green's leading returning scorer. Point guard Isaac Hines and center Jeffrey Simpson are also back after starting as juniors last season.

UNT will add several key recruits to that core, including shooting guard Kendrick Davis. The Arkansas transfer is one of several in-coming recruits UNT will de-pend on this season, which will begin with its exhibition opener against Abilene Christian on Nov. 11

The Mean Green have seven new players on their roster.

"We are excited to get to work on Friday and prepare for what we think will be a great season," head coach Johnny Jones said. "This team has done a tremendous job in strength and conditioning, is close and is one of the most competitive teams I have had since I have been here."

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BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

[gksmith]

Last year, there was a "Mid-Day Madness" at UNT.

Will there be another one this year? Could not find anything on the UNT website or the above news article.

[UNTSportsGuy]

I don't believe that they are doing that again, if they are, it isn't this weekend.

[Buford_Julep]

The men's team had their first practice at 7pm Friday night.

Everyone except ineligible walk-on tranfer Coby Ray was in uniform. Everyone took part in all the drills and no one had any braces, casts or bandaged ankles, knees or elbows.

Snookie Hines, Kendrick Davis, Calvin Watson, Q Williams and Jeffrey Simpson wore the green jersies at the beginning of the daily scrimmage. Those wearing white were Lionel Brown, Michael Sturns, Harold Edwards, Justin Howerton and Justin Barnett. Green subs were Harold Stewart and Rich Young. Walk-on Jared Ruffin and ineligible Arizona St transfer Keith Wooden subbed for the white team.

Here is how the players lined up for 1-on-1 drills:

Guards: Brown-Hines...Watson-Davis...Sturns-Ruffin....Edwards-Young

Posts: Simpson-Stewart...Barnett-Howerton...Williams-Wooden

Coach Jones seemed to be pleased with the practice. He said it would be a long season and the players needed to always go all out in every drill. He emphasized that the dangers of becoming bored with the drills could end up hurting the team in games.

After several missed dunks in drills, Coach Jones stopped the practice. He said he liked dunks. He said he didn't care what type of dunk the players used as long as the ball went in the basket, otherwise he said just lay it up off the glass.

Here are a few observations and opinions:

I saw Justin Howerton play 2 games at the Fort Worth Whataburger Tourney, play-off games in Denton and Allen and a State Tournament game on the computer. I would never have guessed what good straight ahead speed he has. He finished near the front in the full court and back sprint. Even more shocking was when Howerton chased down Isaac Hines on a breakaway and blocked his lay-up.

Keith Wooden is big, strong and quick. He is about the same size as Barnett.

Jeffrey Simpson was probably the top scorer in the scrimmage. He is playing with more confidence than last season.

Harold Stewart is about the same height as Q Williams. He has a slight build. He does look taller and heavier than former Mean Green PF Germaine Green who was big enough to be a good Sun Belt player.

Coach Jones gave Michael Sturns quite a bit of individual instruction. It may be he expects a lot out of him. Several years ago Jones was constantly on Len Hopkins case.

It is really too early to say, but my first impression is Eastern Oklahoma St transfer Rich Young earned his scholarship with his defense.

[NT80]

Everyone took part in all the drills and no one had any braces, casts or bandaged ankles, knees or elbows.

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That has to be a first in several years. Thanks for the report.

[Cooley]

Thanks Buford for the update! Any word on whether Seneca Collins will attempt to play in 06-07? He could really help us next year.

[Buford_Julep]

I haven't heard anything new on Seneca Collins. He transferred here to play football, but I remember reading that Coach Jones had permission to talk to him about BB.

I hope he does choose to play BB too.

[Coach]

I was impressed with Howerton's speed in the FWC game in Haltom City. I think he is a different type of player than some may envision.

What is the complete list of players that are practicing, but not eligible for either this season or the first semester?

[Buford_Julep]

Arizona State transfer Keith Wooden will be practicing this season and will have two years of eligibility starting with the 06-07 season.

Walk-on transfer Coby Ray did not participate Friday but he was watching the practice. My guess is he hasn't had his paperwork cleared by the NCAA yet. Last season Jared Ruffin and Micah Bracy watched for several practices before they were allowed to suit up.

Click here for all I know about Coby Ray.

I heard a rumor NT is recruiting a player at Trinity Valley CC ( you may remember it as Henderson County JC). Look at the Trinity Valley roster and you will find the name Marvin Beatty. Marvin Beatty 's has been mentioned previously as an NT recruit when he was a senior at St Albans HS. Beatty is a Soph at Trinity Valley. Unfortunately I was unable to find any stats on what he did there last season.

Edited October 16, 2005 by Buford_Julep

[gksmith]

I would like to have gone to the practice Friday but I did not know when it was.

If it was open to the public and students, someone did a very poor job of advertising it.

[UNTSportsGuy]

The practice was NOT open to the public, just to certain people to who were invited.

[Buford_Julep]

The first day of practice has usually been on the same day as a home football game. This year it didn't work out that way. There probably will be an announcer and hired refs for a scrimmage before the next home football game.

The first practice wasn't promoted because it really wasn't an "event." All practices are open to anyone. It usually starts at 3:30p.m. The phone number of the BB office is (940) 565-3654. The secretary warned that some of this week's practices may not be at the Super Pit. I didn't think to ask where, but I will check the PEB if nothing going on.

[Buford_Julep]

The practice was NOT open to the public, just to certain people to who were invited.

←

No one invited me. I called the BB office and the secretary told me when it started. The door to the Super Pit was propped open and I walked in.

[UNTSportsGuy]

No one invited me. I called the BB office and the secretary told me when it started. The door to the Super Pit was propped open and I walked in.

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I should try that some day, i've watched them play at the peb earlier in the year.