Remembering Marvin Webster (Morgan State), Once a Knicks Savior

He came to New York to be a savior. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. “Can Marvin Webster turn the Knicks around?” the magazine asked. Instead, Webster — who was found dead of possible coronary artery disease in his Tulsa, Okla., hotel room Monday at the age of 56 — became one of the sadder chapters in the history of the franchise.

During a brief coaching run, Willis Reed campaigned publicly for the Knicks to sign The Human Eraser, as Webster was known, when he became a free agent. Webster had been the shot-blocking defensive hub for the rising Seattle SuperSonics during a run to the N.B.A. finals, where Seattle lost to the Washington Bullets. Reed, a great believer in post defense for obvious reasons, got his man at what was then a considerable financial cost: $650,000 a season over six years.

And then — those being the days when the league’s commissioner, Larry O’Brien, was empowered to impose compensation to the team shorn of a player — it got worse. O’Brien awarded the Sonics the Knicks’ athletic power forward, Lonnie Shelton, as well as a first-round draft choice and $450,000.

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New TSU coach wants to turn up tempo

Style of offense will take full advantage of players' talents

Lots of players are quick to say they prefer fast-break basketball over a half-court attack. Tennessee State's men's team got to experience both styles last season. With Cy Alexander as coach, the Tigers relied on the slower, half-court style. After Alexander was fired Feb. 6 and assistant Mark Pittman took over on an interim basis, the Tigers kicked it into a much higher gear. After the change, a team that started 6-16 went on a tear, winning six of its last eight games.

Not surprisingly, several players said they hoped to stick with the faster pace, and with former Auburn assistant John Cooper taking over, they'll get their wish. "One of the things I noticed is that if you look at this team at the beginning of the year and then toward the end, they averaged almost 10 points more per game,'' the 40-year-old coach said during his first news conference Monday. "I've been able to watch a little bit of videotape and get a general feel for the players in the program and I think there are some that it will certainly help their style if we're able to get out in the open court and execute."

Cooper met the Nashville media for the first time since he was named Alexander's replacement Friday. Pittman was also among those considered for the job.

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Morgan State's missing the point with Bozeman

Morgan State president Earl S. Richardson got creative three years ago when he hired banished coach Todd Bozeman to resurrect a destitute basketball program. Now he needs to get creative again to save his basketball program. Despite attempts to get an extension, Bozeman has completed the three years on his contract and is free to leave. That Morgan -- and Richardson -- have put themselves in this position seems unthinkable. The school had one winning season (15-14, at that) in 26 years before Bozeman arrived.

Another historic first for the MEAC -- Coach Todd Bozeman, 2009 Hugh Durham Award as the outstanding mid-major coach in the country. It's a sad state of affairs that Morgan State does not have Bozeman under contract.

The Bears have won back-to-back MEAC regular season championships the last two years, and this season went to their first-ever NCAA Division I tournament. The NCAA bid has earned Bozeman the Hugh Durham Award as the outstanding mid-major coach in the country, announced today. Morgan doesn't appear to appreciate what that means, or the attention that brought. They are quibbling over an extension that has taken far too long to resolve. Bozeman won't speak to negotiations, preferring to take the high road. But sources indicate the sticking point is more about benefits than salary.

His salary is sub-par, even by MEAC standards, however. His original contract called for $135,000 in annual salary, with a bonus of $25,000 for making the NCAA tournament. It is believed that he received a $10,000 raise last season after winning 22 games. That would put this year's earnings at $170,000.

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Winston-Salem State to start basketball practice this week

Senior forward Jamal Durham, 6-6/215, Winston - Salem, N.C./North Davidson High School.

Rams preparing to play in Bahamas tournament at the end of the month

Winston-Salem State's young basketball team will get a head start this year by opening practice Wednesday. WSSU is taking advantage of an NCAA rule that permits a school to play in an early tournament once every four years. The Rams will have what amounts to 10 extra practices and then play two games at the end of this month in the Bahamas.

Coach Bobby Collins, who will be in his third season with the Rams, said: "I think this is great because we'll be able to bring them all together, and we'll see what we have real early." The official opening day for other college programs is Oct. 15. The Rams will open practice Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Gaines Center, and then have nine more practices before leaving for the Bahamas on Aug. 29. They will play two exhibition games and then return to campus on Sept. 1. Collins said that his team won't miss any classes.

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WSSU Rams 2008/09 Men's Basketball Schedule

Aug 29-31- Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas

Nov 14 - at Georgia Tech
Nov 18 -at Eastern Kentucky
Nov 24 Wake Forest
Nov 27-30 at Illinois State Tournament (Normal, Ill.)

Dec 6 at S.C. State
Dec 13 at N.C. State
Dec 18 at N.C. Central
Dec 30 Averett
Dec 31 at Old Dominion

Jan 5 Columbia Union
Jan 10 at Maryland Eastern Shore
Jan 12 at Delaware State
Jan 17 at Howard
Jan 19 at Hampton
Jan 24 N.C. A&T
Jan 26 Norfolk State
Jan 31 at Florida A&M

Feb 2 at Bethune-Cookman
Feb 7 Morgan State
Feb 9 Coppin State
Feb 11 N.C. Central
Feb 14 Howard
Feb 16 Hampton
Feb 21 at N.C. A&T
Feb 28 Florida A&M

Mar 2 Bethune-Cookman
Mar 5 S.C. State
Mar 14 N.C. Central (MEAC Tournament game at Joel Coliseum)

FAMU coach Gibson puts together staff, plan

(Mark's Digital Photography)

Excerpt:

LeDawn Gibson hasn't been able to find a quiet moment yet since beginning her job two months as the new women's head basketball coach at FAMU.

So far she has found two experienced coaches in Stephen Joyner Jr. and LaTasha Shipman. Joyner comes from Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, N.C.), where he was a women's assistant coach. Shipman played at Shaw University (Raleigh, N.C.) and is joining Gibson's staff after four seasons as an assistant with the women's team at Shaw.

Gibson also has signed two players — Tameka McKelton and Antonia Bennett — who both come to FAMU ranked by Floridahoops.com as top-40 players in the state.


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Alcorn State names Tonya Edwards women's basketball coach

Photo: Coach Edwards comes to Alcorn State with superb credentials as a winner, including a high school championship, two national championships with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols in 1986 and 1987; was named MVP of the 1987 NCAA Tournament and named to the 1999 WNBA All-Star Team.

LORMAN, MS — After several weeks of searching, Alcorn State has found its new women’s basketball coach. ASU Athletic Director Darren Hamilton announced Monday that the school has hired Tonya Edwards as the new coach of the Lady Braves, pending approval of the board of trustees.

Edwards will be formally introduced to Alcorn fans at an 11 a.m. press conference today at the University Club in Jackson. Edwards comes to Alcorn State after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Detroit-Mercy. During her tenure she oversaw the budget, scheduled non-conference games and team travel, served as recruiting coordinator and coached the guards.

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Work ethic to remain high for FAMU transfer Bryant

Brandon Bryant had no clue that Florida A&M would be the Division I school where he'd play college basketball. He just knew wherever he ended up that he'd be prepared.

Bryant also knew his 6-foot-3 frame was a little too lean at 160 pounds. So he spent the past two seasons honing his skills, working with what he had. He also gained 20 pounds in the process while playing at Snead State Community College in Alabama.

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