Men's basketball problems to fix by 2010
The CMU men’s basketball team seems to still be finding its identity six games into the season.
Injuries, inconsistent play from proven veterans and the emergence of newcomers has forced coach Ernie Zeigler to mix up his starting five.
Through the team’s six games, Zeigler has used four different starting combinations. The only set of players that have started together more than once are freshman guard Finis Craddock, junior forwards William McClure and Jalin Thomas and senior guards Jordan Bitzer and Robbie Harman.
Zeigler said after Saturday’s loss at Purdue he is still trying to figure out what works, particularly in the frontcourt.
And that is where most of CMU’s issues seem to lie. Coming off season-ending injuries last year, junior Marco Spica and senior Chris Kellermann have yet to find their game and have struggled early this season.
Spica and Kellermann started in the season-opener against Princeton, but the two combined for just seven points and one rebound in the 71-68 loss.
McClure and Craddock got the start in place of them the following game. Spica and Kellermann have only started one game apiece since the opener, both in separate games.
Need a turnaround
The season’s success will depend on whether Spica and Kellermann get going.
Harman and Bitzer lead a veteran-proven backcourt. Harman is leading the team in points per game, scoring 14.7, while Bitzer is second with 12.2 points per game. Craddock and the return of junior guard Amir Rashid makes the guard position arguably the team’s deepest position.
Even at the small forward position, it has received solid play out of junior transfer guard Jalin Thomas. Thomas has started all six games with the injury to sophomore guard Antonio Weary. Thomas has averaged eight points and 6.8 rebounds per game. When Weary gets back from injury later in December, that position will be solidified.
That leaves just the players in the paint for question marks. McClure has done a good job defensively and senior center Brandon Ford has effectively came in and ate some minutes. But the team desperately needs Kellermann and Spica to get going.
Before Kellermann went down with a season ending injury last season, he was leading the team with 14.4 points per game and also had 5.6 rebounds per game. This season, he is averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
The most telling sign of Kellermann’s struggles, however, is his 3-point shooting. Always a threat from beyond the arc, Kellermann is just 3-for-16.
But he is not the only player that needs to step up. After missing the entire season last year with an injury, Spica also needs to start playing the way he can.
At times, Spica has shown glimpses of what a great post player he can be. But he has had problems traveling this season and, like Kellermann, has yet to find his game. Spica is averaging 6.7 points and just 2.8 rebounds per game.
Both have the ability to play inside and shoot the ball from the perimeter, which gives teams matchup problems, but it also opens up shots for Bitzer and Harman.
If Kellermann and Spica get going, CMU will be a force to deal with in the Mid-American Conference come January.
