DRCDRC NT Notebook..Walk on pt gd Boxwell plays

OldTimer · January 17, 2003

UNT Notebook

Walk-on point guard Boxell plays well despite loss

01/17/2003

By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer

Walk-on point guard Lance Boxell provided a silver lining in North Texas’ 88-80 overtime loss Thursday night to Arkansas-Little Rock.

Boxell, a freshman point guard from Ponder who had a total of 15 minutes of college experience entering the game, gave the Mean Green steady play in 24 minutes off the bench. He finished with four points on 2-of-3 shooting, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Boxell entered the game with 4:19 to play in the first half and immediately keyed an 8-3 spurt. He had a steal that he converted for a layup and an assist during the run, earning additional playing time.

"He played well," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "I was actually getting him in to get the other guys some rest, but I thought he was playing the best of our point guards tonight."

Though Boxell’s game is based on fundamentals, he had a couple of plays worthy of the highlight reel. He juked UALR guard Tony Travis so badly on one play that the Trojan fell to the floor. He also made a pair of beautiful passes from halfcourt, including one that set up Michael DeGrate’s game-tying free throws in the final second of regulation.

Mixed results with 1-3-1

The Mean Green gave UALR a different defensive look by playing a 1-3-1 zone for a few minutes in the first half, appearing to confuse the Trojans.

UNT didn’t have such success when it went back to the 1-3-1 in overtime. UALR guard Jibrahn Ike was wide open on the right side for a 3-pointer with 21 seconds remaining that slammed the door on UNT.

"That shouldn’t have been a weak spot," UNT coach Johnny Jones said. "We just didn’t cover it well and unfortunately they knocked it down. It [the 1-3-1] was a new wrinkle that we put in. It’ll work better next time, hopefully."

Two technicals for UNT

UNT forward Jermaine Green and center Unjel Masters were each whistled for technical fouls during the second half Thursday. The Mean Green’s only other technical this season was called on coach Johnny Jones at Tennessee Tech.

UALR forward Jamal Holden was also called for a technical for shoving Masters in the back. Green was called for his technical when he responded by getting into a confrontation with Holden.

"I told him, ‘Don’t ever do that again,’" said Jones, who grabbed Green by the jersey and lectured him after his technical.

Masters was called for a technical for talking trash. The referee told Jones that he warned Masters on several occasions.

"All they have to do is tell me once," Jones said, "and I can stop it."

Davis among top 10 thieves

Swingman Chris Davis’ steal in the first half gave him 83 for his career, tying Deon Hunter (1986-89) for 10th place in UNT history.

Davis joined Ratliff as the only players to rank among the school’s top 10 in career points, assists and steals. Davis needs 27 rebounds to move into the top 10 in that category, in which Ratliff ranks third.

DAVIS COUNTDOWN

Tracking North Texas senior swingman Chris Davis’ progress toward the all-time school scoring record:

Points vs. UALR:

25

Season average:

18.0

Points this season:

270

Career points:

2,030

Points needed for record:

261

NT75 · January 17, 2003

I hope he can continue playing well, but anytime you have a walk-on PG playing major minutes or starting then that tells you that you have a major problem on your team.

I know we have had a slew of major injuries, but even before that I thought this team had problems. So far I have only been to the TCU game and came away with the thoughts that this team had no on the court leader and lacked focus and chemistry. No one seemed to want to make the effort to rebound or play D. Without that you aren't going to win many ball games. JJ likes to run the ball and wants to play pressure D, but he can't do it with this group. I hope that the can get his kind of players in here soon.

Speaking of recruiting....we were told what a great recrutier JJ was but we have yet to see it. I know it's early with some of these guys but why aren't Ty Thomas and others playing more, It's not like the guys in front of them are that good. When JJ first came here I posted, and got ripped for it, that I thought he should hold some of his scholarships back instead of using them since he came in late and was playing catch up. Well, it got us Lee Green, though the other Green (Jermaine) has turned out to be a good player.

Hope this doesn't come across as too negative to those of you with the green colored glasses on, but this is just the way I see the situation as it exists right now. Here's hoping for better days.

Green Jackal · January 17, 2003

I have been thinking the same thing about our above average dependence on walk-on players. I believe 3-4 walk-on players have earned significant playing time this year. Either we have been blessed with really good walk-ons or we our scholarship players are really struggeling.

GrandGreen · January 17, 2003

NT75, I am also concerned about the current BB staff’s recruiting ability. Based on the hype I expected at least to have recruiting at the early Trilli level. So far it appears that we are not competitive with the upper half of division 1 schools including the Sun Belt. Based on what has been reported; J. Green the best player thus far recruited had only one other D1 offer, L. Green did not start at his JC, both Thomas & Harris were not even the most highly recruited players at their high schools, Ronniger was rated the twentieth something best player in La, the highest rated Texas player was rated in the fifties, and Jones the JC player signed picked UNT over Southland conference schools.

This type of recruiting has worked for DD, but it will be IMHO more difficult in basketball. BB players get so much more exposure than fb players it is less likely that you can be successful by getting only the second tier players. That being said I believe that all Jones’ recruits could develop into very good players and I hope that happens.

NT80 · January 18, 2003

I think JJ can get his program worked out in fairly short time. If we had a healthy Hopkins and Roniger we would have won these last couple games. Remember, it was just in 2000-01 that under Trilli we lost 15 straight SBC games to finish that season at 4-24. JJ won't let that happen, even with all walk-ons playing.

GrandGreen · January 18, 2003

Don't disagree with anything you said. Trilli's teams were the worse I've see in 30 years, so I hope that is not any kind of standard.

Again my concern is recruiting which has almost always been a problem at UNT. With JJ and staff's coaching ability hopefully they can develop the program without high profile recruits, but it is going to be more difficult.

UNTLifer · January 18, 2003

Don't disagree with anything you said. Trilli's teams were the worse I've see in 30 years, so I hope that is not any kind of standard.
Again my concern is recruiting which has almost always been a problem at UNT. With JJ and staff's coaching ability hopefully they can develop the program without high profile recruits, but it is going to be more difficult.

Why should we have any trouble recruiting against the teams in our area? Our BB facilities are much nicer than either TCU or SMU, so what is the deciding factor that leads these young men elsewhere?

IronMan4 · January 18, 2003

Our BB facilities are much nicer than either TCU or SMU, so what is the deciding factor that leads these young men elsewhere?

Dickey's play calling.

Buford_Julep · January 18, 2003

Lance Boxell does not have a profile on the official site, so I am forced to use my poor memory. Boxell was named all state 2-A at least once, probably twice. I think he was named 2-A player of the year once. He led his team to the state championship. He was consistently ranked in Texas Hoops top 50 prospects for years, but was not offered a Div I scholarship.

This is from the official site profile on A. Awasom:

His senior season in basketball, he was named all-district, all-region, all-state and all-Greater Houston Area . . . He averaged 18.3 points and 21.3 rebounds per game in 2000-01 as a senior.

How can anyone get 21 rebounds a game in 32 minute games against any competition?

Rusty Chiles was second team all district at Houston Spring and all-conference honorable mention in Junior college. He doesn't have a division I body, but has good basketball skills and good court sense.

It isn't like these guys were impressed from some P.E. class. They have good basketball backgrounds.

IMO there is a tremendous depth in Texas high school basketball talent. All the good players don't get scholarships.