While Longwood students were away on winter break, the men’s basketball team had ups and downs. Following fall finals, the Lancers went 5-7 over the six-week period, capped off by a 76-61 loss at Charleston Southern on Jan. 21.
Head coach Jayson Gee’s squad wrapped up non-conference play with four games before Christmas, with a lone 86-67 win over Averett on Dec. 14 in the quartet. The team finished with a 3-8 record in non-conference games.
As they faced a myriad of injuries, including a broken foot suffered by redshirt junior forward Damarion Geter, the Lancers’ depth was severely tested. However, players such as redshirt sophomore guard Isaiah Walton and freshman forward JaShaun Smith have emerged as key contributors over the past month alongside senior guard Darrion Allen and redshirt junior forward Khris Lane.
“We’ve lost four really good players,” said Gee. “And a guy like Isaiah Walton, who came in to be the backup three-man and is now the starting point guard, I don’t want to underscore (his importance).”
“Honestly there’s just been a huge step-up mentality,” said Allen. “Isaiah Walton had to step up and be the point guard, and he’s taken a big role, and we’re accepting him as the point guard.”
Despite their disappointing start to the season, Walton and co. began their Big South schedule with a 79-77 win over Campbell, courtesy of Allen’s late game-winning bucket on Dec. 29. That good form carried into 2017, as the Lancers started 3-0 in conference play with wins over High Point and Presbyterian.
But their hot streak swiftly cooled off, as five consecutive losses followed, including the most recent defeat against the Buccaneers. Walton, Lane, and Allen each reached double figures, but it was not enough for a side with only eight scholarship players at the moment.
“All year we’ve just been trying (to) have our effort cover up in their (the missing players’) spots,” said Walton. “I’ve been doing my best to fill in that job (the point guard position), and I’m enjoying it. The coaches are really patient with me at that spot.”
“I think we’re playing teams whose advantage is depth,” said Gee. “And that depth eventually eats into us.”
Now sitting at 6-13, with a 3-5 Big South record, Gee’s depth was further reduced with the news that junior guard Kendrick Thompson will be academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. Now without Thompson, Longwood’s remaining players must work to avoid fatigue in the home stretch of the season.
“Everybody’s got to step up, and to this point, they have,” said Gee. “Unfortunately we haven’t had more points than the other teams the past few games, but everyone’s taken it upon themselves to do a little more, work a little harder in practice, do a bit more on the offensive end, and the defensive end, and I’ve been very pleased with our effort.”
With just 10 games remaining before the Big South tournament, both the players and Gee are aware of what the team needs to improve upon.
“We’ve got to do a better job rebounding the ball,” said Gee, whose side was outscored 20-0 on second-chance points in a 72-60 loss to Radford on Jan. 19.
“We’ve been really struggling with rebounding, our lack of size, but that’s not an excuse,” added Walton. “We’ve got to become tougher, be more disciplined and just box out.”
The Lancers return to action with a home matchup against their rival, Liberty, on Jan. 26 before embarking on the second half of conference play.
