Craddock, Morris see more playing time in Rashid's absence
With the absence of senior guard Amir Rashid, the Chippewas had to rely on the emergence of three inexperienced players in Thursday’s game against Miami University.
Sophomore guards Finis Craddock and John Morris came off the bench and played extended minutes for the Chippewas. Craddock scored seven points, all in the first half, and played 22 minutes.
Morris, who had played only four minutes all season, played 10 minutes, tallying two steals and a rebound.
“Coach told us we all need to step up since we’re a man down,” Craddock said. “We all just had to come in and play some good (defense), come in and bring a lot of energy.”
Despite the young guy’s efforts, CMU lost 68-58, falling to 5-14 overall and 2-4 in the Mid-American Conference.
True freshman guard Derek Jackson started in place of Rashid, also playing more minutes than usual, with 31.
CMU head coach Ernie Zeigler said he was pleased with the play of the inexperienced guards.
“I thought we did a pretty good job offensively,” he said. “ I thought John Morris came in and gave us some really good minutes. (You play) the hand that you’re dealt and just keep pushing forward.”
Senior forward Jalin Thomas, who returned to the lineup for the first time in three games since suffering an ankle injury, said there was an unfamiliar feeling being on the floor without Rashid.
“His senior leadership, I think we missed that,” he said. “(We missed) his tenacity and the way he always gets up in the ball. Not having him there on the court tonight was different, but it is what it is.”
Craddock said despite the absence of Rashid, the Chippewas game plan remained the same. He said the team focused on coming out and play hard, and sticking to the same defensive strategy.
Rashid’s experience will be sorely missed. He was the point guard and floor general for the Chippewas. He led the team in assists and was third in minutes. Zeigler said the replacement’s roles will dramatically increase as the season progresses.
“Derek takes on that role of being our primary defender on the ball. That’s probably where we’ll miss Amir the most,” he said. “We need more energy coming off the bench and hopefully that’s something (Craddock) can improve upon.”
Zeigler said his team won’t be affected mentally moving forward without Rashid.
“I thought we came out with the right mindset,” he said. “In basketball, just like life, things happen. It’s a teaching point for our guys. The next guy gets an opportunity.”
