After finishing the 2007-08 season with a 12-14 record and a first-round playoff loss to Berkley, the Runnin’ Red Foxes are practicing for the summer and poised for the 2008-09 season.
Head coach Aric Samuel is excited about the prospect for the season. “I think we have a good nucleus returning,” he said. “The team that we have now has been playing together for a long time, and they get along a lot better.”
Samuel said team chemistry was a factor last year, and he thinks this year’s team will work together well.
The team went to team camp at Winthrop University, and Samuel was impressed with the performance. He said this year’s team is a fast one, and he expects good things from the returning members.
“Everybody coming back is playing good. We are pretty balanced. The first eight (players in the lineup) are pretty much a threat at every spot. My biggest mission is to get them playing harder.”
The coach said the team has been working to get stronger and faster. They lift weights for an hour before practice, and then they practice for around an hour and a half. During the practice, Samuel has the team move from one drill to the next hurriedly, just like the pace of his team’s play during a game.
He said his intent is to get the team in the best possible shape physically. Samuel knows the team isn’t the biggest in terms of size, but he believes in terms of speed and talent, the team is ready to do great things.
The team’s overall speed is the reason he is focused on conditioning, he said. In the past, Samuel said his teams have really run the floor, and this year’s team should be no exception.
Last year’s leading scorer, Jordan Scott, is playing with the Carolina Ravens, an AAU team participating in the Beach Ball Select Tournament this week in Myrtle Beach, according to Samuel.
The Foxes also picked up a few big men to put in the paint, and Samuel hopes to refine their skills and build confidence for them before the season.
With the players expected to return and a few new additions, Samuel believes the team is poised for a big season in 2008-09. Most of the returning players were starters last year or played a decent amount, so they should be more prepared for the upcoming season.
Scott, Eric Joe, Lawrence McPhail, Gavin Thomas and Demarcus Cook are among those returning this year that made a significant impact on last year’s team.
“We are trying to develop mental toughness,” the coach said. “If we can do that, I think we can be really tough this year.”
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