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October 10, 2008

McKenna feels good about Sycamores in the fold

By Todd Golden

TERRE HAUTE — In the span of two months, Indiana State’s men’s basketball team has gone from 22.1 points in its projected starting backcourt to zero.

That number will improve when Harry Marshall’s eligibility is restored either for the Dec. 13 game at Purdue or the Dec. 20 home game against DePauw, but by then, ISU will have already played at least eight nonconference games.

The Sycamores definitely won’t be getting Marico Stinson’s 12 ppg back. Stinson, ISU’s leading returning scorer, announced Monday on his Facebook web site that he left the ISU program. ISU confirmed it Wednesday.

Stinson was alternately ISU’s best 3-point shooter and one of its most inconsistent overall performers. The Memphis, Tenn., native shot 36.4 percent from 3-point range and averaged 10.7 points during his two-year career.

When Stinson was on, he was really on, as evidenced by seven career games where he made four or more 3-pointers. He also drained a famous game-winning shot in a 64-62 double overtime win against Southern Illinois on Jan. 12, as well as a dazzling 37-point, school record 9 of 10 3-point shooting performance against Drake during his freshman year on Dec. 30, 2006.

On the other hand, Stinson also hurt ISU with his cold shooting and questionable shot selection. He missed more than five 3-point attempts in a single game 13 times, including three of the final four games last season.

Stinson has not been successfully reached by the Tribune-Star; his cell phone is no longer in service.

ISU coach Kevin McKenna stressed Thursday that Stinson was not dismissed from the team, he left of his own volition. There have been rumors to the contrary circulating on various web sites.

So where do the Sycamores go from here? The likely candidates to take Stinson’s starting role are Aaron Carter, redshirt freshman Jordan Printy and true freshman Carl Richard.

It’s not that simple, however.

Obviously, the loss of production is going to affect the entire lineup, and McKenna is looking at the loss of Stinson from that big-picture perspective.

“I like the way our guys are working, I like our team chemistry. All of the guys are going to have to step up a little bit, but I like the way we’ve progressed,” McKenna said.

Replacing Stinson’s points will be a team-wide responsibility. It should give more opportunities to players like Jay Tunnell and Isiah Martin on the inside. While McKenna acknowledged both players should get more opportunities, he won’t tear down the concepts he’s tried to implement in the last 15 months.

“I think with some of the guys we have back, especially early on, we need to get some of these guys shots. I learned as the season went along how to use Jay and we can use him better. Isiah’s offense is coming around, it’s not where it needs to be, but its improved. We do need to maybe emphasize the inside more,” McKenna said. “Are we going to change the way we play? Probably not. I was hoping to have more depth and press some more, but we’re still going to do those things, I think that’s how we can play with the group we have. I want to have it in our back pocket if we need it. We’re more athletic than we were last year and we can play faster.”

Carter averaged 14.6 minutes per game last season, but he was a small forward more so than a shooting guard, though he has a shooting guard skill set. Printy and Richard are obviously both brand new, but they will be relied upon.

“Carl has come in and shown he can rebound and be a force inside and maybe be a tough matchup on the wing. I think the year Jordan spent off, he’s become stronger. We told the new guys when they came in the opportunity would be there, well, it’s there. I think Aaron is back to playing the way he did in the preseason last year before he had his ankle injury,” McKenna said.

Carter has impressed McKenna with his bounce back after an injury-marred freshman season.

“We underestimated that injury, he wasn’t really himself until the last three weeks of the season. He had played as well as anybody until he sprained his ankle. He’s back to playing that aggressive style,” McKenna said.

McKenna was not shy in praising the remaining Sycamores in the fold, none of them having played in a single game last season for various reasons.

“I’m pleased with Brant [Leitnaker’s] progress. We’ve been careful with him and he’s been healthy. Rashad [Reed] is nicked up, but he’s a guy we can run pick-and-rolls with. Tyler [Cutter] has shown he’s kind of what we’re looking for as far as running the team. Josh [Crawford] has made a big improvement in the fall. We’ve had a good fall overall,” said McKenna, who also cited progress from Kuong Doluony and Louisiana Tech transfer Dwayne Lathan, who is not eligible until 2009-10.

McKenna also said Marshall has not let his ineligibility get him down or get in the way of returning to the leadership status he still has within the team.

“Even though he’s had his setback, he’s done nothing but try to work hard and lead,” McKenna said.

McKenna said that the Sycamores need to envision Stinson’s loss just as they would a graduated senior or a player lost to injury for the season.

“I think they’ll accept the challenge. It’s just like when a senior graduates. When we lost Kyle Korver or Rodney Buford at Creighton, we’d wonder who’s going to step in. But I think guys who are competitive look for it as a way to step up. I think all of our guys are willing and able, it’s just a matter of them making it happen,” McKenna said.

ISU starts official practice on Oct. 17, one week from today.

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