Young but talented, ODU men are poised to make some noise

NORFOLK

Blaine Taylor has assembled one the youngest teams in his eight seasons as the Old Dominion men's basketball coach.

Expect to see potential, not perfection.

"We're probably going to make a mistake here and there and have to make up for it with energy and hard work," Taylor said. "We'll be long on effort and long on enthusiasm."

The Monarchs feature 10 underclassmen, the same number Taylor had to start the 2003-04 season. That year, ODU won 17 games. More is expected out of his latest youthful squad.

Although Taylor has six freshmen and four sophomores, four of the underclassmen redshirted last season, so they're hardly novices. And Taylor returns five players who started at least 13 games last year, led by junior forward Gerald Lee.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder led the Monarchs in scoring (12.9 ppg ) and rebounding (5.8 rpg ) while establishing himself as one of the Colonial Athletic Association's elite big men. He's a major reason ODU was picked third in the preseason CAA poll.

"Gerald Lee is a great player, one of the best players in this league, and when you defend ODU, you have to start there," William and Mary coach Tony Shaver said. "They have great athletes, great depth."

That depth is along the front line, where Lee is joined by 6-8 sophomore Frank Hassell (Indian River) and the team's only senior, 6-6 forward Jonathan Adams. Both played valuable minutes last season and should get a boost from 6-8 forward Keyon Carter, a redshirt sophomore who surged into the rotation after spending the entire off-season in Norfolk.

On the perimeter, sophomore swingman Ben Finney and junior guard Marsharee Neely return. The Monarchs lost a trio of players - Brian Henderson, Brandon Johnson and Abdi Lidonde - that made 127 of the team's 212 3-pointers, so finding an outside threat could be key to loosening opposing defenses in the lane.

The 6-5 Finney started 17 times and averaged 7 points. He worked in the offseason to improve his jump shot. Finney is "more psychologically comfortable with what he's trying to do, so his confidence is better than it's been," Taylor said.

"He's right now to where when he misses, he doesn't miss bad and he's more ready to take the next shot when it comes."

Like Finney (Norcom), fellow South Hampton Roads native Darius James (Tallwood) gained playing time toward the end of last season. Now James, a 6-1 sophomore, is charged with running the offense.

"Last year, sometimes I was like a deer in headlights, just happy I was playing," said James, who averaged 6.9 points. "This year, I know I can play."

Some newcomers, led by redshirt freshman Kent Bazemore, should also figure prominently. Bazemore is an athletic slasher who was impressive in preseason.

Freshman Marquel De Lancey will relieve James at point guard, while post players Nick Wright (Nansemond River) and Chris Cooper are vying for time inside. Freshman guard Trian Iliadis, an Australian, missed the entire preseason with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Taylor, who signed a contract extension in April, said the Monarchs won't use youth as an excuse. Maybe they won't have to.

"Our lot in life right now is, with so many freshmen and sophomores, we've got to play beyond our years and beyond our experience," Taylor said. "You kind of have to step past some of those things."

Jami Frankenberry, (757) 446-2295, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com