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Troy Childress
Reporter
November 4, 2005
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The leaves are changing and the air is getting a little more brisk. That means it is time for another Milligan basketball season. The men’s team has had its 24th practice and is anxiously awaiting the start of its season.
“The team has great potential,” said coach Tony Wallingford. “Our goal is to
improve every day, every practice and every game.”
Milligan has five returning players, with only one starter from last year. They
brought in 11 new players. Six out of those 11 are freshman.
“As a freshman there is the fear that when you get in you forget all that you
have learned,” said freshman Cody May. “The pace of college is so much faster
than high school. There is the fear that you can’t keep up with the pace.”
“As you get into preseason you discover more and more about your players,” said
Wallingford. “You try to plug them into the best system that will accommodate
their skills and talent.”
In past years Milligan has struggled to keep players. Three men left last fall
for academic reasons. Wallingford is working each year to improve this.
“Evaluation is the key to getting better,” said Wallingford. “Our players are
under strict rules. They are punished for missing class, and they have mandatory
meetings with their professors.”
Wallingford is teaming up with Director of Student Success Traci Smith to assist
in the monitoring of each player.
The team has also made some notable changes in size on the court this year.
“Last year we were playing about 6 feet 4 inches,” said Wallingford. “This year
we have players ranging from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 8 inches.”
“We are stronger inside because we have more variety, but you don’t get better
than Craig Emmert,” said Wallingford of last year’s standout senior.
One of the reasons the Buffs are stronger inside is junior transfer Adrian
Harrison who transferred from Greensboro, N.C. where he attended Winston Salem
State University.
“(The team) is doing pretty good so far,” said Harrison. “We still have things
to sharpen up.”
“Things have to emerge and be what we do best,” said Wallingford. “We have to
find out roll identification, who does what best for us as team.”
According to the team, sophomore point guard Yony Kifle has emerged as the
team’s leader.
“(Yony) knows the leadership role he has this year,” said sophomore Joe Brown,
“and has done well accepting the responsibilities that come with the position.”
“(Yony) is always giving encouraging comments and making sure nobody is down on
themselves,” said May. “If the team is having a sloppy practice he is the one to
collect us and get us fired up.”
With the start of the season right around the corner the team's confidence is
high.
“This team has the potential to win the conference,” said Brown. “I think if we
can push ourselves to realize our potential, we will be a force in the
conference and have a chance to do well at the national tournament.”
Milligan takes the court for their first home game on Monday against Johnson
Bible College at 7:30 p.m.