New attitude makes a difference for Rams' Ellison

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Wakefield Ellison of Winston-Salem State doesn't call last season a wasted season — but he admits it didn't go so well.

Ellison had transferred from East Carolina, and he spent most of the season adjusting to the way Coach Bobby Collins wanted him to play. It was a contrast in styles, but Ellison did coexist well enough to help the Rams win the CIAA title.

Ellison, a 6-6 senior forward from Asheville, is now playing the best basketball of his career.
"He came in with a different attitude, a different mindset, and the basketball gods have rewarded him," Collins said.

Ellison, with his new attitude, is a big reason the Rams are ranked No. 19 in Division II and are 14-3 heading into Saturday's game at Fayetteville State.

Gone are the days of Ellison's feeling sorry for himself after a bad shot or a turnover. Last season, if Ellison made a mistake, his mood was evident in his body language.

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