The Appalachian, Basketball Preview

The Appalachian

FRESH START

A look at the 2014-15 season for App State men’s and women’s basketball

Contents

02 FRESH

START

The Appalachian, a student-run publication at Appalachian State University, was founded in 1934.

Fox leading young Mountaineers

Team schedules NOVEMBER 15

at Athens, Ohio

2:00 PM

19 Furman

Ohio

at Greenville, S.C.

7:00 PM

22 Virginia Tech

at Blacksburg, Va.

1:00 PM

24 Hampton

Boone, N.C.

7:00 PM

VOL. 89, ISSUE NO. 24

EDITORIAL BOARD

DECEMBER 4

Jacksonville

at Jacksonville, Fla. 7:00 PM

7

Hofstra

Boone, N.C.

2:00 PM

15

Georgia Tech

at Atlanta, Ga.

7:00 PM

18

Charlotte

at Charlotte, N.C.

21

Alabama

at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 6:30 PM

03 & 10 8:00 PM

05

JANUARY

Seniors legacy Fox 3 Arkansasleave State* at Jonesboro, Ark. Jim 8:05 PM 5

Louisiana*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

8

South Alabama*

at Mobile, Ala.

8:05 PM

10

UALR *

at Little Rock, Ark.

6:00 PM

15

Arkansas State*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

17

Georgia State*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

19

Troy*

at Troy, Ala.

22

South Alabama*

Boone, N.C.

24

Texas State*

at San Marcos, Tx.

08

at Statesboro, Ga.

7:30 PM

Louisiana*

at Lafayette, La.

8:15 PM

7

Troy*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

12

UALR*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

14

ULM*

at Monroe, La.

3:00 PM

19

UT Arlington*

at Arlington, Tx.

21

Georgia State *

at Atlanta, Ga.

26

Ga. Southern*

Boone, N.C.

09

28

ULM*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

29 Ga. Southern*

FEBRUARY 5

06 & 07

8:30 PM

7:30 PM 5:30 PM

Angel Elderkin

8:15 PM

2:00 PM

7:30 PM

New Mountaineers MARCH 5

Texas State*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

7

UT Arlington*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

*Sun Belt Conference game

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOSHUA FARMER MANAGING EDITOR GERRIT VAN GENDEREN VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR MALIK RAHILI CHIEF COPY EDITOR ABBI PITTMAN NEWS EDITOR LANEY RUCKSTHUL A&E EDITOR MEREDITH WARFIELD SPORTS EDITOR CORY SPIERS PHOTO EDITOR MORGAN COOK VIDEO EDITOR JACKSON HELMS ASST. VIDEO EDITOR CHRIS DEVERELL

BUSINESS OFFICE BUSINESS MANAGER PAUL HECKERT ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER IGNACIO MARTINEZ

ONLINE WEB MANAGER JUSTIN PERRY ASST. WEB MANAGER MAGGIE COZENS COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR STEPHANIE SANSOUCY

ADVISER

12

ASST. DIRECTOR, CSIL ALLISON BENNETT DYCHE FRONT PAGE Malik Rahili

NOVEMBER 15

Ohio

at Athens, Ohio

2:00 PM

19 Furman

at Greenville, S.C.

7:00 PM

22 Virginia Tech

at Blacksburg, Va.

1:00 PM

24 Hampton

Boone, N.C.

7:00 PM

FRESH START 03

DECEMBER 4

Jacksonville

at Jacksonville, Fla. 7:00 PM

7

Hofstra

Boone, N.C.

2:00 PM

15

Georgia Tech

at Atlanta, Ga.

7:00 PM

18

Charlotte

at Charlotte, N.C.

8:00 PM

21

Alabama

at Tuscaloosa, Ala. 6:30 PM

JANUARY 3

Arkansas State*

at Jonesboro, Ark.

8:05 PM

5

Louisiana*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

8

South Alabama*

at Mobile, Ala.

8:05 PM

10

UALR *

at Little Rock, Ark.

6:00 PM

15

Arkansas State*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

17

Georgia State*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

19

Troy*

at Troy, Ala.

8:30 PM

22

South Alabama*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

24

Texas State*

at San Marcos, Tx.

5:30 PM

at Statesboro, Ga.

7:30 PM

29 Ga. Southern*

FEBRUARY 5

Louisiana*

at Lafayette, La.

8:15 PM

7

Troy*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

12

UALR*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

14

ULM*

at Monroe, La.

3:00 PM

19

UT Arlington*

at Arlington, Tx.

8:15 PM

21

Georgia State *

at Atlanta, Ga.

2:00 PM

26

Ga. Southern*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

28

ULM*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

MARCH 5

Texas State*

Boone, N.C.

7:30 PM

7

UT Arlington*

Boone, N.C.

3:30 PM

*Sun Belt Conference game

Malik Rahili

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BY THE NUMBERS

7

NEW PLAYERS

Last season, averaged

Gave up an average of

67.8 points 71.7 points

per game per game

1,185-1,045 all-time record through 95 seasons Went

2-13

7 of their 9 wins came on the road at home last season

Paul Heckert

FRESH START 05

Getting better under Fox, one penny at a time

by Colin Tate, Intern Sports Reporter After a rough 2013-14 campaign that saw App State men’s basketball finish 9-21 (5-11 in SoCon), the team has a new look for the new season.

With a new coach, new style of play and seven incoming freshmen, there should be quite a contrast from last year’s team.

Not only is the team young in terms of age, but also in experience. Very few members of the team have been used as impact players in the past.

New head coach Jim Fox said he realized this early on.

“In our system, they’re all young, so we’ve just been doing a lot of teaching and trying to get them ready to play,” Fox said. “There’s always going to be ups and downs. Some days are good.

Some days are better than others, but they’re working very hard to try and understand.”

Four freshmen – Landon Goesling, Jake Babic, Griffin Kinney and

No. Name 25 10 3 21 12 1 2 20 23 5 0 14 34 4 24 15

Milos Kostic – appeared in the Mountaineers’ season-opening 7347 loss to Ohio Saturday in Athens, Ohio.

Because of the inexperience, Fox and his staff have had to build from the ground up this year. Fox said he plans to rely on the returning players to lead the way.

“Ideally, next year when our young freshmen come in, they’ll have 13 guys willing to teach them everything they need to know before we even step foot on the floor,” Fox said.

As far as this year is concerned, the players have been finding other ways to help integrate the freshmen.

“We just got to get them accustomed to playing college basketball,” junior guard Chris Burgess said. “We have a couple upperclassmen that can help them transition. Even though it’s a new offense, as upperclassman, we can help them come along.”

One of those upperclassmen is senior forward Tommy Spagnolo.

Burgess referred to Spagnolo as “the locker room type,” and explained that he has helped in getting the players accustomed to the new offense.

On and off the court, Spagnolo has stepped up to be a leader for the young players.

“He seems to be the one that, if we have to be somewhere, he’ll shoot us a text and make sure everyone’s there,” junior guard Dustin Clarke said.

Although the team is inexperienced, some freshmen have been making an early impact in practice and scrimmages. One of those freshmen has been Kinney. “[Kinney] continues to get better, bigger and stronger every day,” Fox said. “He works very hard.”

The players have seemed to pick up on that, as well.

“He’s a workhorse,” Burgess said.

Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown

Babic, Jake Burgess, Chris Clarke, Dustin Eaves, Frank Gilbert, Rantavious Goesling, Landon Hamilton, Tab Hodson, Dylan Jackson, Logan Kinney, Griffin Kobani, Mike Kostic, Milos Lawson, Jacob Obacha, Michael Sanders, Jalen Spagnolo, Tommy

G G G G F G G G G F F F F F G F

6-5 5-8 6-3 6-2 6-9 6-2 6-3 6-3 5-11 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 6-8 5-10 6-7

180 170 180 175 235 165 185 180 165 220 260 235 230 220 150 225

Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr.

“He’s got a motor. He makes mistakes like everybody else, but you can tell he works hard.”

Fox said he knows that his players are young and have a lot to learn, but he has instilled a new tradition at the end of every practice. It’s called the “Penny Jar.” After each practice, every player puts a penny in a 5-gallon glass jar to signify that they have gotten a little bit better that day.

“Every day you don’t have to get everything perfect, but you have to get one thing a little bit better every day, and that’s why we put that penny in there,” Clarke said.

That is what Fox said he has been trying to get across in practices.

“They don’t have to go to the water and part the Red Sea,” Fox said.

“They don’t have to perform miracles every day. All they have to do is get a little bit better.”

2014-15 Coaches

Oakville, Ontario Head Coach Lakeland, Fla. Jim Fox Newland, N.C. Assistant Coach Greensboro, N.C. Jason Allison Albany, Ga. Assistant Coach Irving, Texas Bryan Lentz Winston-Salem, N.C. Assistant Coach Roanoke, Va. Mantoris Robinson Waxhaw, N.C. Director of Basketball Operations Delaware, Ohio Bryan Bender Bodo City, Nigeria Graduate Assistant Belgrade, Serbia Mark Polsgrove Reidsville, N.C. Strength and Conditioning Coach Edo State, Nigeria Jimmy Edel Charlotte, N.C. West Jefferson, N.C.

Two seniors, one legacy

by Ben Cogsdale, Sports Reporter After three years in Boone, senior guard Tab Hamilton wants to accomplish one thing in his senior season.

“I just want to win,” Hamilton said. “I’ve been here for going on four years and we haven’t really been a winning program, and for my senior year, I want to win and finish my legacy the right way.”

Hamilton was ranked as the second-best shooting prospect in the 2010-11 North Carolina recruiting class coming out of Fishburne Military Academy, according to www. appstatesports.com. The success garnered in high school quickly translated to the college game as Hamilton started 19 games for the Mountaineers as a freshman.

After a successful junior season in which he led the Mountaineers in scoring at 12.7 points per game, Hamilton said his role on this team is to be a leader for the younger players.

“We had new coaches come in so we have a new system we want to run and it’s pretty much trying to pick up the new system as fast as I can and then try to teach the younger guys small tips I’ve learned throughout the years,” Hamilton said.

Reflecting on his career at App State, Hamilton said his time as a Mountaineer personally has been fairly successful, but not without some struggles.

“We’ve had some ups and downs and personally, I played good against some big schools but had some off games in the conference,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton ranked his 33-point outing against Presbyterian on December 18, 2013 as one of his most memorable moments at App State.

Paul Heckert

FRESH START 07

Malik Rahili

It has not been a traditional college career for fifth-year senior forward Tommy Spagnolo.

Although a local talent from Ashe County High School in West Jefferson, Spagnolo was not recruited by App State coming out of high school, despite garnering many high school accolades.

“I started out and thought I wasn’t going to play basketball anymore,” Spagnolo said. “I had an opportunity to walk on here and since then, I’ve just been trying to get better and have an opportunity to do something really special this year.”

Spagnolo first attended Radford University and played 14 games for the Highlanders during the 2010-11 season before transferring to App State.

Providing depth at the forward position during the 2012-13 season, Spagnolo did not see many minutes his first year as a Mountaineer, averaging 5.1 per game. By the end of the 2013-14 season though, Spagnolo had hit his stride.

The forward started the final 13 games of last season, averaging 8.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game with eight double doubles while finish-

ing second in the SoCon in shooting percentage at 59.6 percent.

Through hard work, Spagnolo looks to be a leader on this year’s team as he hopes the team’s hard work will translate into wins this season.

“I’ve been here a while and I know what it takes to win games,” Spagnolo said.

The senior forward’s journey has been different than most others and he said his greatest memory at App State was the news that he was given the chance to play another season after it was granted to him by the NCAA.

08 FRESH

START

Coach Fox brings toughness to Mountaineers

by Ben Cogsdale, Sports Reporter New head coach Jim Fox takes over an App State men’s basketball program that has not had a winning season in three years.

Fox said his first order of business is to change the mentality of the team.

“We say attack the attacker,” Fox said.

“We’re going to have guys who are tough and guys who are versatile and can do a lot of things on the court. That’s what I’m looking for.”

Fox’s coaching career began in the high school ranks as the head coach at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, New York.

Following his stint at St. Dominic, Fox started as a volunteer director of basketball operations at Davidson before working his way up the ranks to become associate head coach.

Under head coach Bob McKillop’s wing during his time on the Wildcats staff, Fox saw the team make the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament with the help of now Golden State Warrior guard Steph Curry.

Coach Fox brings a hard-nosed, day-today approach to this year’s team.

“We just want to get better each day,” Fox said, “I’m worried about how can I get better as a coach and get my guys ready for tomorrow.”

Although this year’s squad has been entrusted with picking up the new system quickly, Fox said he thinks they will be up to the task.

“The team is working really hard,” Fox said. “It’s a whole new system, so guys are trying to understand it and use that attacking style. We’re getting better each day and making progress.”

Paul Heckert

Photo Courtesy of Dave Mayo

FRESH START 09

Coach Elderkin looks for early success

by Jess Lyons, Senior Sports Reporter Angel Elderkin was announced as head coach of App State women’s basketball in October to fill the position left by former coach Darcie Vincent.

Elderkin joined App State athletics after a previous stint as an assistant coach for LSU. In addition to her position at LSU, she has served on the staffs of St. John’s, Virginia, Tennessee, Siena and East Tennessee State. Like the Mountaineers, the 2014-15 season will be her first in the Sun Belt Conference.

“The job came open and obviously it was a different time of year, but I had gone to graduate school at East Tennessee State so I was familiar with App State,” Elderkin said. “It was funny because it was May and I was having dinner in Boone and I said to one of my friends, ‘I would love the App State job to open.’”

Elderkin has been coaching since obtaining her master’s degree at ETSU in 2001.

Although Elderkin has only been working with the team for a short period of time, she has already made a positive impact.

“A lot of what she brings is a positive atmosphere,” said senior forward Maryah Sydnor, who led the Mountaineers with 33 points on 12-23 shooting in their season-opening 111-74 loss to No. 10 Kentucky Nov. 14. “Everybody wants to come in every day and bring it, and everyone has brought it. I think a lot of it has to do with the positivity of the coaches and how they come in and respond to us and how we respond to them.”

Senior guard Katie Mallow said Elderkin’s ability to let bad drills go once they’re over has helped the team move forward in the preseason.

Like Sydnor, Mallow also said Elderkin’s positivity has helped the team thrive in practice.

NOVEMBER 1410 Kentucky at Lexington, Ky. FRESH START

7:00 PM

19

ETSU

at Johnson City, Tn. 7:00 PM

22

UNCW

Boone, N.C.

2:00 PM

25

Gardner-Webb

Boone, N.C.

7:00 PM

30

Radford

Boone, N.C.

2:00 PM

DECEMBER 6

Furman

at Greenville, S.C.

2:00 PM

14

North Carolina

at Chapel Hill, N.C. 2:00 PM

17

NC A&T

Boone, N.C.

7:00 PM

30

Catawba

Boone, N.C.

7:00 PM

JANUARY 3

Arkansas State*

at Jonesboro, Ark.

4:00 PM

5

Louisiana*

Boone, N.C.

5:00 PM

8

South Alabama*

at Mobile, Ala.

6:00 PM

10

UALR*

at Little Rock, Ark.

4:00 PM

15

Arkansas State*

Boone, N.C.

5:30 PM

17

Georgia State*

Boone, N.C.

1:00 PM

19

Troy*

at Troy, Ala.

6:15 PM

22

South Alabama*

Boone, N.C.

5:00 PM

24

Texas State*

at San Marcos, Tx.

3:00 PM

at Statesboro, Ga.

5:00 PM

29 Ga. Southern*

FEBRUARY 5

Louisiana*

at Lafayette, La.

6:00 PM

7

Troy*

Boone, N.C.

1:00 PM

12

UALR*

Boone, N.C.

5:00 PM

14

ULM*

at Monroe, La.

1:00 PM

19

UT Arlington*

at Arlington, Tx.

6:00 PM

21

Georgia State *

at Atlanta, Ga.

Noon

26

Ga. Southern*

Boone, N.C.

5:00 PM

28

ULM*

Boone, N.C.

1:00 PM

MARCH 5

Texas State*

Boone, N.C.

5:00 PM

7

UT Arlington*

Boone, N.C.

1:00 PM

*Sun Belt Conference game

Photo Courtesy of Dave Mayo

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BY THE NUMBERS FRESH START 11

4

NEW PLAYERS

Last season, averaged

Gave up an average of

63.2 points 65.1 points

per game per game

583-587 all-time record through 44 seasons Went on a 4-game win streak last season Photo Courtesy of Dave Mayo

12 FRESH

START

New faces hope to improve Mountaineers

by Jess Lyons, Senior Sports Reporter

Halle Keighton

Head coach Angel Elderkin gives pointers during a women's basketball practice in Varsity Gymnasium.

No. Name 30 3 23 25 14 15 5 4 10 20 42 12 34 24 2

The Mountaineers welcome four new faces to the women’s basketball team for the 201415 season.

The new additions are Madi Story and Katelyn Doub, the only two incoming freshmen on the team, as well as junior guards Peggy Smith and Vernessa Hinnant.

Smith is a walk-on addition who previously played at Florida Tech, and Hinnant is a transfer from Miami Dade College.

Smith did not record a shot in three minutes played during the season-opening 111-74 loss to No. 10 Kentucky. Hinnant recorded one point in three minutes played.

Both Doub and Story committed early to the program and went to camps related to the program before committing. The two are both North Carolina natives who were partially drawn to the program because of its location.

“I started going to the camps and they saw me and contacted me and then I just started really liking the campus,” said Doub, who finished the season-opening loss with four points in seven minutes. “I decided that this

Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown

Bassett-Smith, Ashley Carter, Bria Cooper, KeKe Doub , Katelyn Gatewood, LaShawna Hinnant, Vernessa Hoover, Mary-Melissa Huffman, Bria Jones, Joi Mallow, Katie Marshall, Mia Smith, Peggy Story, Madi Sydnor, Maryah Wood, Farrahn

F G C/F G/F G/F G G G/F G G C/F G G F G

6-2 6-0 6-2 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-10 5-6 5-9 6-2 5-6 5-10 6-1 5-8

Jr. So. Jr. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. Fr. Sr. Jr.

Pickerington, Ohio Spotsylvania, Va. Spartanburg, S.C. Asheboro, N.C. Twinsburg, Ohio Selma, N.C. Baton Rouge, La. Clover, S.C. Duluth, Ga. Snellville, Ga. Lilburn, Ga. Sanford, Fla. Maiden, N.C. Radford, Va. Kernersville, N.C.

was a fit and that I wanted to commit here.”

Story will join the team as one of the Mountaineers’ only point guards. She is following in the footsteps of her mother, Mitzi Story, who played for App State from 1988-92.

Head coach Angel Elderkin said Story and Doub will be expected to play on the same level as the upperclassmen immediately.

“I’ve been telling Madi that the game doesn’t know your age,” Elderkin said. “I’ve been telling her that because we have a need for a point guard. She’s been fulfilling that need in practice.”

Story finished with three points on 1-4 shooting in 13 minutes against Kentucky.

As one of the first Sun Belt recruits for App State, Story said she is excited to get on the court and play.

“Coming from the high school perspective it’s going to be completely different,” Story said. “Everyone used to know you, all the teams you played know you and your playing style so it’s going to be a big transition, but I’m ready.”

2014-15 Coaches Head Coach Angel Elderkin Assistant Coach Sean Costello Assistant Coach Emily Roberts Assistant Coach Jessica Jackson

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editor@theappalachianonline.com The Appalachian welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and include the author’s name, ASU Box, phone number, classification and campus affiliation, if any. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments.

Letters should be submitted electronically via our Web site or e-mail. Letters may also be mailed to “Letter to the Editor,” The Appalachian, ASU Box 9025, Boone, N.C. 28608. Letters may also be brought to the newsroom, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union. The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space. Letters are subject to abridgement.

14 FRESH

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The

Appalachian

FRESH START 15

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