2012

www.eccc.edu East Central will look to use its experience on the court in the upcoming season. With almost everyone back from last season's team, the Warriors will try to improve on a 3-19 record. Warriors hope experience translates to wins

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By AustinBishop Spectal .o The Star

but Bowie says his team can post some big numbers this season. "I feel good about our team, 11 he said. "I think we have a chance to compete for the South and host the state tournament. That's what we want to do." Handling the point from the outset will be returning sophomore T.J. Leather– wood, but Bowie expects Chris Rhoney a 6-foot-1 freshman from West Laud· erdale to push for more playing time as he gains experience 11 The best thing T.J. has going for him is his experi· ence and I've talked to him about using that to his advantage," Bowie said. "Chris just doesn't under– stand the speed of the game yet, but that will come." ECCC returns its leading scorer in Newton County High School sophog10re Hakeem Wesley, woo aver– aged 10 points a game last year.

Aquill Baynard, a 6-foot-8 sophomore who has trans– ferred back to East Central for his sophomore year, is expected to play a major role for the Warriors in the paint, while Akeem Toppin will also play an inside role forECCC. Another key returnee for the Warriors is 6-!oot-5 Keivondre Watford. who was one of the top defenders in the MACJC last season. The Warriors are set to open their season at Coa– homa Community College tonight.Bowie said watching the video of his team's season-opener with Coa– homa last season pointed out what the differences mus t be between this year's team and last year's for the Warriors to be successful.

DECATUR- Experience matters. That's exactly what East Central Community College men's basketball coach Maurice Bowie is counting on. "We have pretty much our whole team returning, 11 Bowie said. "We got a lot of

experience last year and built a strong foundation. It's hard to express how much experience matters. 11 Bowie said freshmen have a lot of thin,Q's to learn APPEARJ and a good portion of it is not even on the basketball court. CARTHAC "They have to learn a lot .. about time management," NEWTON he said. "To play a sport in college and take care of SPIRIT Of your academics you ~ave to be pretty good at takmg MERIDJA~ care of priorit!es. We have to really retram them from high school." Last year's Warriors struggled to a 3-19 finish.

"Last year in the first half -----– of the game playing with all those freshmen we had 15 turnovers," he said. "This year, we need to turn those IRNAL - ---

turnovers into assists and cut down on the mistakes."

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