By Dennis Clark
TERRE HAUTE — Rose-Hulman men’s basketball coach Jim Shaw has probably lost any element of surprise concerning his 2009-10 team.
After all, his Engineers — featuring only three upperclassmen — played in a very public venue for the first time in a preseason exhibition game vs. Indiana State at Hulman Center on Nov. 4.
Rose fell 89-50 to the Sycamores, but Shaw, starting his 16th year, liked what he saw from his team, especially in the second half.
“Disappointed we didn’t play better, but [coaches and players] were excited about the experience,” Shaw said. “We were excited to show what we could do in that second half.”
Rose followed up the ISU experience with its annual “not for the public” scrimmage vs. Washington (Mo.) University, at Hulbert Arena on Nov. 8.
“Wash U has four starters and their entire bench back from a two-time [Division III] national championship team, three-time final four team,” Shaw noted. “We were much more competitive with them this year than we were last year.”
Shaw feels the stout competition provided by ISU and Washington will only help his team this season.
“We are still very, very young and relatively inexperienced … but I think we’re very talented,” Shaw stated. “We’re a total unknown. I’m sure people don’t know about our young kids.”
So is this team capable of turning around a stretch of five consecutive losing seasons (9-16 last year)?
“How good we are and how quickly we are good will depend on how the sophomores build on their experience from last year and how quickly the freshmen can learn what college basketball is all about,” Shaw said. “Because we’re heavily dependent on both those two classes. So far, so good.”
The three upperclassmen are seniors Jeff McCartney (6-foot-1, 175 pounds), C.J. Tuskan (5-10, 175) and junior Steve Ricks (6-1, 165).
“Jeff’s been a solid player his entire time here, a very consistent guy,” Shaw said. McCartney started all 25 games last year, averaging just under 10 ppg and shooting 36 percent on 3-pointers.
Tuskan, despite being a senior, is only in his second season playing basketball at Rose. Tuskan played five games (1.2 ppg), while Ricks played in 21 games (1.4 ppg) a year ago.
“Both of them I think have improved tremendously,” Shaw noted. “I expect them contending for starting positions and are very much in the picture in terms of quality playing time.”
While just sophomores, point guard Blake Knotts (5-10, 160), forward Jason Haslag (6-6, 200) and center Spencer Harlan (6-6, 230) — a Terre Haute South graduate — played extensively last season.
Knotts paced the Engineers in scoring last year at 11.5 ppg, including nearly 44 percent accuracy on 3-pointers. Harlan (4.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) started 10 games last year, while Haslag (5.9 ppg) played in all 25 games.
“Those three guys have done nothing to disappoint me and they’ll all three start [vs. Millikin] today,” Shaw said.
“We’re trying to do a better job with Blake of getting him open. He’s a little guy, so I think as a team we have to do a better job of creating shots for him. Spencer is a load inside. He’s really improved his offensive game. I’d like to see more consistency out of him and Jason.”
Shaw is excited with his seven freshmen entering the program.
“We have several good freshmen, but four particularly should impact us right away,” he said. “Three really quickly.”
Jon Gerken (6-6, 200) brings versatility to the post position because of his mobility and length — he pulled down 17 rebounds in 35 minutes in the scrimmage with Washington.
“Nate Gissentanner (6-4, 185) and Austin Weatherford (6-1, 165) are just two very talented wings,” Shaw continued. “Show flashes of brilliance. But they have to learn how to slow down at the right time, speed up at the right time … break some habits they could get away with in high school.”
A fifth freshman expected to contribute is forward Brent Balsbaugh (6-5, 200).
Will the style of play be any different this season?
“We’ve put emphasis on speeding up our tempo a little bit,” Shaw said. “We’d like to run. Not at breakneck speed, but we’d like to run and get some early opportunities in transition offensively. But we also need to recognize when it becomes a halfcourt possession, then being patient like we’ve always been. That’s the challenge.”
Four starters have been selected for the start of the season in McCartney, Knotts, Harlan and Haslag. Shaw hadn’t selected a fifth starter as of Friday, saying it will come from Ricks, Tuskan, Gissentanner or Weatherford. Ricks started vs. ISU, while Tuskan started vs. Washington.
• Season opener today — Rose opens its regular season with a nonconference road contest at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. at 2 p.m. CST today. Millikin edged Rose 49-45 on Nov. 30, 2008 at Hubert Arena.
“Very experienced, but lost two really good players from last year,” Shaw said of Millikin. “They are very athletic. They drive it, do some things inside on the offensive boards that concern me.
“They are a little unusual, a good shooting team from mid-range, but they’re returning guys that don’t shoot many 3’s. Hopefully they haven’t expanded their range since last year,” he joked.
Millikin is projected to start five seniors. Three of those seniors, Robert Burton, Corey Mitchell and Joscar Demby all averaged between 8.9 and 9.8 ppg last year.
Rose-hulman at Millikin
Tipoff — 2 p.m. CST today, Griswold Center, Decatur, Ill.
Broadcasts — Radio: none. Link to in-game coverage: www.rose-hulman.edu/sports
Series — Millikin leads 5-2. Millikin won 49-45 in their last meeting at Hulbert Arena on Nov. 30, 2008.
The players
Rose-Hulman Engineers (0-0) — position, name (ht., class, stats).
F Jason Haslag (6-6, So., 5.9 ppg last year), F Spencer Harlan (6-6, So., 4.6 ppg), G Blake Knotts (5-10, So., 11.3 ppg), G Jeff McCartney (6-1, Sr., 9.9 ppg), G C.J. Tuskan (5-10, Sr., 1.2 ppg) are the projected starters.
Coach — Jim Shaw (214-174, 16th year).
Millikin Big Blue (0-0) — position, name (ht., class, stats).
F Robert Burton (6-5, Sr., 9.8 ppg last year), C Joscar Demby (6-7, Sr., 9.2 ppg.), G Devin Demby (6-4, Sr., 4.5 ppg), G Charles Warren (6-2, Sr., 6.8 ppg), G Corey Mitchell (6-0, Sr., 8.9 ppg) are the projected starters.
Coach — Marc Smith (25-25), 3rd year).
Injuries — none reported.
Keys to the game
n Rose is seeking to win their fifth straight season opener, but Millikin has won the last three meetings between the two teams.
n Knotts and McCartney were Heartland Collegiate Athletic Association honorable mention players last year.
Tidbit — Rose-Hulman was 9-16 last season, their fifth consecutive losing season. Millikin was 16-9 a year ago.
Next games — Rose-Hulman opposes Southwestern in a tournament at Chicago on Saturday. Millikin is at Franklin the same day.
— Dennis Clark
Rose-Hulman men’s basketball schedule
Today — At Millikin, 2 p.m. CT
University of Chicago “Midway Classic”
Nov. 21 — vs. Southwestern Univ., 8 p.m. CT
Nov. 22 — vs. Univ. of Chicago/Earlham, 1 or 5 p.m. CT
Nov. 24 — At Robert Morris-Springfield, 7:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 29 — Blackburn, 7 p.m.
Dec. 2 — At Franklin*, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 — At Defiance*, 3 p.m.
Dec. 8 — At Wabash, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 — Transylvania*, 3 p.m.
Dec. 15 — At Fontbonne, 8 p.m. CT
Dec. 17 — Earlham, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 3 — At Manchester*, 4 p.m.
Jan. 6 — Dominican, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 9 — Bluffton*, 3 p.m.
Jan. 13 — Anderson*, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 16 — Mount St. Joseph*, 3 p.m.
Jan. 20 — At Hanover*, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23 — Defiance*, 3 p.m.
Jan. 27 — Franklin*, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 30 — At Transylvania*, 3 p.m.
Feb. 6 — Manchester*, 5 p.m.
Feb. 10 — At Anderson*, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 13 — At Bluffton*, 3 p.m.
Feb. 17 — Hanover*, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 20 — At Mount St. Joseph*, 3 p.m.
Feb. 26-28 — HCAC Tournament (top six teams), TBA
* — Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference games.
RHIT men’s roster
10 Eric Windham G 6-2 160 Fr.
11 Jason Haslag F 6-6 200 So.
12 Blake Knotts G 5-10 160 So.
15 Eric Weathers F 6-3 180 So.
21 Jeff McCartney G 6-1 175 Sr.
23 Steve Ricks G 6-1 165 Jr.
25 Austin Weatherford G 6-1 165 Fr.
31 C.J. Tuskan G 5-10 175 Sr.
33 Nate Gissentanner F 6-4 185 Fr.
41 Julian Coleman G 6-2 165 Fr.
43 Zach Kleman F 6-3 195 So.
45 Jordan Nielson F 6-3 185 So.
51 Evan Sanders F 6-4 235 Fr.
53 Jon Gerken F 6-6 200 Fr.
54 Spencer Harlan F 6-6 230 So.
55 Brenton Balsbaugh F 6-5 200 Fr.
