APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – After nearly a month of practice, Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team will gain an idea of its preseason improvement by playing host to Thomas More in a 7:00pm, Monday exhibition game in Dave Aaron Arena.
Of the six returnees, Loos will be counting heavily on senior post player Chris Horton, the 6-8, 220-pound Decatur, GA, native who averaged 13.1 and 11.1 rebounds per game.
A preseason All-OVC pick for a second straight season, Horton was the league’s leading rebounder (ranking eighth nationally) a year ago in becoming the first Gov to average double-figure rebounding since Tommy Brown did in 1990-91.
The 6-5 senior forward/guard Khalil Davis and the 6-2 sophomore guard Josh Robinson offer APSU hope on the perimeter. Davis finally gained footing late in the year while averaging 9.8 ppg. Robinson was the Govs’ only consistent three-point shooter a year ago in averaging 9.9 points per game.
Also back are sophomore reserve point guard Tre’ Ivory, 6-8 junior reserve forward Assane Diop, who is academically ineligible the first semester, and 6-4 sophomore reserve guard Domas Budrys. Redshirt freshman Chris Porter-Bunton, a 6-4 forward, finally will get on the floor after missing 2014-15 with a leg stress fracture.
A trio of junior college transfers–6-1 point guard Terrell Thompson, 6-4 guard/forward John Murry and 6-6 forward Kenny Jones–definitely will be counted on to step in and play immediately, whether as starters or reserves, although Jones is penciled in to start alongside Horton up front.
“We are going to play a lot of people,” APSU coach Dave Loos said. “I want to get a look at everybody in these two games, that is what they are for. Regardless of time and score we are going to play a lot of people.”
Loos was unimpressed last week in the Govs scrimmage performance in the Sneak Peayk. Layups abounded, much to the dismay of the coaching staff. In addition, several shots occurred early in the now 30-second clock.
“In the Sneak Peayk we really got away from things we really want to do,” Loos said. “For instance, playing with intensity and together on the defensive end; I thought our shot selection was iffy at best on the offensive end. So effort and attitude is something else we are focused on—playing hard on the defensive end, getting on the board…the simple and basic stuff, that is what I want to see.”
Obviously better execution on both ends of the floor will be a must this week but Loos equally will be curious on how his team adjusts to a multitude of rule changes. The offseason emphasis was to increase scoring by reducing physical play in the post, limit hand checking and methods used to prevent free player movement without the basketball. In addition, coaches can no longer call timeout during live ball situations.
“I think these exhibitions this year are more meaningful than quite a while,” Loos said. “The reason is there are going to be some dramatic changes not only with the rules but how the game is called also. That is one of our objectives, to get a feel on how the game is going to be called, how we need to play. We spent some time with our players on the rules changes, talking about the emphasis on the physicality during the game. That is one thing—I expect them to get a good feel on how the game is going to be called.
“We also have to understand I cannot call timeout while the ball is live. They have to recognize that and we have to communication so that when we want to call timeout they call it because we can’t.”
Thomas More is a Division III program located in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The Saints are members of the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference and are coming off a 17-10 mark in 2014-15.
