season preview

SeasonPreview
2008-09
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes for head coach
Rod Barnes and his Georgia State basketball team.
With an INFUSION OF TALENT, including five transfers
from major programs, to go along with all-conference
returnee Leonard Mendez, the Panthers could be poised
for a BREAKOUT SEASON in year two under Barnes.
T
here’s no question we are a different
program today than we were at this
time a year ago,” said Barnes as he
enters his second season at the helm of the
Panthers.
The former Naismith National Coach of
the Year at Mississippi, Barnes was hired in
March of 2007 to rebuild the Georgia State
program. The undermanned squad that he
inherited managed just a 9-21 record last season, but that mark is deceiving because the
Panthers lost 10 games by five points or fewer,
including six contests that came down to the
final possession.
Despite the challenges of that rebuilding
season, Barnes’ presence brought renewed
energy and interest to the program, and now
the Panthers look to make giant strides in
year two.
“We’re talented,” said Barnes. “We’re
long, and we’re athletic. We’ve still got a lot
of work ahead of us, but I like the potential
of this team.
“We’ve got a chance to have a really successful season.”
Barnes knows that the Panthers are by
no means a finished product, but he eagerly
looks forward to the process.
42 •
“We’re not there yet. We’re making steps, and this year will be another
step,” he said. “How big that step is
will be up to us.
“We’re still building it,
and there are a lot of intangible things. Who’s going to
be our leader? What’s the
chemistry like? Will we
stay healthy? But I’m
not afraid to think that
we can be really good.”
Mendez, the talented shooting guard
from Smyrna, Ga., averaged
16.0 points last season to earn third-team
all-CAA honors. He is one of three returning starters who were the Panthers’ top three
scorers a year ago, along with top rebounder
Rashad Chase (7.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and sharpshooting guard Trae Goldston (9.8 ppg).
That trio, plus three other returning letterwinners, will be bolstered by junior transfers Joe Dukes, a guard from Wake Forest,
forwards Trey Hampton and Xavier Hansbro
from Ole Miss, and forward Bernard Rimmer
from Mississippi State. A fifth transfer, guard
Dante Curry from South Florida, will become
GeorgiaStateSports.com
RASHAD CHASE
SEASON PREVIEW
HIGH FIVE: The Panthers welcome five transfers from major programs. From left: Bernard Rimmer (Mississippi State),
Trey Hampton (Ole Miss), Joe Dukes (Wake Forest), Xavier Hansbro (Ole Miss), and Dante Curry (South Florida).
eligible following the fall semester. Highlyregarded junior college forward Chris Echols
of Blytheville, Ark., and freshman combo
guard James Fields from Savannah, Ga., are
also expected to contribute immediately.
Barnes’ optimism comes not only from
who he has on his team, but how many. After
struggling with depth last season, he now has
a fully-loaded roster capable of playing the
up-tempo style he prefers.
“I think people will see the same type of
discipline, but we’re going to play faster,” he
said. “People will see more action out of our
team because we won’t have to worry as much
about depth. Last year we had to play zone
to keep people out of foul trouble or walk it
down to minimize the possessions. We should
be a team this year that will press and create
more action on both ends of the floor, and I’m
excited about that.”
DUKES SOLIDIFIES
POINT GUARD POSITION
B
arnes expects much of his team’s
improvement to come from increased
production and stability at the point guard
position, thanks to the addition of 6-1 junior
Joe Dukes, a transfer from Wake Forest who
becomes eligible this season.
Dukes, a former all-state player at Randolph-Clay High School in Cuthbert, Ga.,
played in 56 games, including two starts, in
his two seasons in the Atlantic Coast Conference, averaging 2.1 points, 1.3 rebounds and
1.1 assists. He practiced with the Panthers last
season, displaying impressive quickness and
scoring ability.
“Joe’s not a shooter, he’s a scorer,”
described Barnes. “He can make three-pointers, but he’s a guy who gets to the basket. He
understands the game. He’s physical for his
position. There will be some nights when
he gets 16-18 points, but there will probably
be more nights when he scores eight or 10,
shoots a good percentage, and distributes the
ball well.
“He’s a tough player and a competitor.
He’s not quite where I want him to be defensively, but I think he can be good enough for
this team because of our speed and athleticism at the wing positions.”
Freshman James Fields of Savannah, Ga.,
is the likely candidate to back up Dukes at the
point. He can play either guard position, and
at 6-3 with good strength, he gives Barnes a
bigger body on defense.
“He’s good as an on-the-ball defender,”
Barnes said of Fields. “He’s a freshman, so
we’ll have to help him off the ball, but with
his athleticism, strength and quickness, he’ll
be good on the ball.”
Still, without an experienced player
behind Dukes, depth at the point guard position is perhaps Barnes’ biggest concern entering the season. Junior Trae Goldston could
see some action there.
“We could put Trae Goldston at the point
in certain situations like we did last year,” said
Barnes, “although we’d prefer to leave him at
the off guard.”
“We’re talented. We’re long,
and we’re athletic. We’ve still
got a lot of work ahead of us,
but I like the potential of this
team. We’ve got a chance
to have a really successful
season.”
- ROD BARNES
MENDEZ STILL THE
FOCAL POINT
M
endez, the 6-5 shooting guard from
Smyrna, Ga., enters his senior season
as one of the top three-point shooters in the
CAA, with a career accuracy rate of 43 percent from long range. He was the league’s
fifth-leading scorer last season at 16.0 points
per game, and over the last two years combined, he has averaged 14.9 points.
While Mendez will still be the focal
point of the Panthers’ attack, he should have
more options around him.
“Leonard is a very talented shooter and
scorer, but we should not have to have to lean
on him every night to score 20 like we did
last season,” said Barnes. “He may score as
many points, but the pressure for him to have
to score big every game will not be there. He
may average the same number of attempts,
but they’ll probably be better shots.
“But when we do need a big basket, we
need him to step up and knock it down. We
also want him to develop other parts of his
game by rebounding better, and making better passes. We want Leonard to be more of a
complete player, but we can’t get away from
what he does best, which is make shots.”
Another perimeter scoring threat for the
Panthers is 6-0 junior guard Trae Goldston,
who progressed last season to become State’s
second-leading scorer at 9.3 points per game.
Primarily a shooter, he posted the CAA’s top
three-point shooting percentage in conference games at 46.4 percent, along with 40
percent for all games.
After playing both guard slots last season, Goldston will be able to concentrate on
his skills as a long-range bomber.
“We’d like to leave Trae totally at the
off guard position, but we may have to use
him at the point in certain situations,” said
2008-09 Georgia State Panthers
• 43
SEASON PREVIEW
Barnes. “He’s best off the ball, taking open
shots, so we’ll try to put him there as much
as possible.”
The Panthers will add another weapon
on the wing when 6-4 sophomore Dante
Curry, a transfer from South Florida, becomes
eligible in December following the fall semester. Curry enrolled at Georgia State in January
after playing six games for the Bulls, averaging 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds.
Jihad Ali, a 6-5 sophomore, can also
contribute at the wing positions. He showed
flashes during a freshman season in which he
averaged 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds, and he
looks much improved after a summer in the
weight room. Playing with more consistency
will determine how much he contributes.
CHASE RETURNS,
BOLSTERS FRONTCOURT
T
he Panthers’ frontcourt is now characterized by depth and versatility, a sharp
contrast to last season, when State’s lack of
depth was often evident.
“My best teams at Ole Miss were teams
with interchangeable parts, and that’s probably where I coach best,” said Barnes. “On
this team, we can take a guy from the inside
and move him outside or vice versa. We’ve
got two or three guys in that bunch who are
better offensively and two or three who are
TRAE GOLDSTON
better defensively, so that gives us a lot
of options. For example, if someone
were to start and get two or three
quick fouls, that won’t kill us.
“Our numbers and depth are
going to be key,” continued Barnes.
“We’re obviously going to play a lot
faster, and we’re going to press. So I
think we’re going to have different guys
on different nights who are able to step up
and give us what we need.”
Georgia State’s top returnee in the frontcourt is Rashad Chase, a rugged 6-7 senior
who averaged 7.5 points and a team-leading
7.6 rebounds. He ranked fifth in the league
in rebounding last season, and he has more
career rebounds (520) than any player in the
CAA except James Madison’s Juwann James.
“We had to ask Rashad Chase to do a lot
for us last season,” said Barnes. “But this year,
with the options that we have in the frontcourt, I think Chase will be able to concentrate on what he does best, which is rebound.
And we need that from him.”
Chase is joined by a trio of transfers in
6-10 post player Xavier Hansbro and 6-7 forward Trey Hampton, both from Ole Miss,
and 6-8 forward Bernard Rimmer from
Mississippi State.
Hansbro, State’s tallest player,
shoots well for a big man. Rimmer
is long and athletic, while Hampton
THE PANTHERS AT A GLANCE
STARTERS RETURNING
Name ............................Pos.
NEWCOMERS
Ht.
Wt.
Cl. PPG
Rashad Chase......................F
6-7
240 Sr.
7.5
Led State, 5th in CAA in rebounding; 2006 CAA All-Rookie
RPG
7.6
Trae Goldston .................... G
6-0
182 Jr.
9.3
1.6
39.9 % 3-Pt FG; Led CAA in 3P% in conference games (46.4%)
Leonard Mendez ............... G
6-5
180
All-CAA (third team); 5th in CAA in scoring
Sr.
16.0
3.6
Ht.
Dante Curry ..................................G
6-4
Orlando, Fla. (Poinciana HS/South Florida)
*Eligible in December
Wt.
Cl.
190
So.-R
Joe Dukes ......................................G
6-1 184
Cuthbert, Ga. (Randolph-Clay HS/Wake Forest)
Jr.-R
Chris Echols ...................................F
6-6 235
Jr.
Blytheville, Ark. (Blytheville HS/Arkansas-Fort Smith JC)
OTHER KEY RETURNEES
Name ........................... Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Cl. PPG
Jihad Ali ..............................G
6-5
192
So.
3.5
1.8
Kevin Lott........................... F
6-7
215
Jr.
4.6
2.5
Ousman Krubally .............. F
6-6
195
Jr.
3.5
3.2
RPG
KEY LOSSES
Name ..................................Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
PPG
RPG
Justin Billingslea ....................... F
6-8
235
6.3
3.5
Deven Dickerson...................... F
6-9
260
5.3
4.0
D.J. Jones .................................. G
6-2
180
3.6
3.0
Michael Moynihan .................. G
6-0
170
5.9
1.0
44 •
Name ......................................Pos.
GeorgiaStateSports.com
James Fields...................................G
Savannah, Ga. (Urban Christian HS)
6-3
190
Fr.
Trey Hampton ...............................F
6-7
Hoover, Ala. (Hoover HS/Mississippi)
225
Jr.-R
Xavier Hansbro..............................F
6-10 230
Trezevant, Tenn. (West Carroll HS/Mississippi)
Jr.-R
Bernard Rimmer ...........................F
6-8 200
Grenada, Miss. (Grenada HS/Mississippi State)
Jr.-R
Marques Johnson .........................G
6-5
Ft. Wayne, Ind. (Snider HS/NC State)
*Eligible in 2009-10
Jr.
205
SEASON PREVIEW
brings strength and toughness, and both can
guard multiple positions.
“We’ve got Xavier Hansbro, who’s 6-10
and can step out and shoot but also has good
post moves,” said Barnes, who recruited both
Hansbro and Hampton and coached them
one year at Ole Miss. “Bernard Rimmer is 6-8
but really athletic. Trey Hampton is athletic
and tough with a solid body. So we’ve got
options.”
Another addition is junior college standout Chris Echols from Arkansas-Fort Smith.
“Chris Echols looks to be exactly what
we need, which is someone who can score
around the basket,” said Barnes. “He’s a little
undersized at 6-6, but he’s really athletic and
has a knack for scoring.
“He can rebound and score in the paint,
and he’s tough.”
Returnees Kevin Lott, a 6-7 junior who
has good shooting ability, and Ousman Krubally, a lanky, 6-6 junior, add more depth to the
frontcourt. Both had productive stretches in
2007-08, with Lott contributing 4.6 points
and 2.5 rebounds for the season, while Krubally chipped in 3.5 points and 3.2 boards per
game.
LEADERSHIP,
CHEMISTRY ALSO KEYS
W
hile there is no question that Georgia State’s talent has been upgraded,
Barnes knows that talent alone does not
translate into victories.
ANOTHER NEWCOMER who should
make an immediate impact is junior
college forward Chris Echols.
“First of all, we need leadership,” said
Barnes. “That is so important, and we’re getting there.
“Joe Dukes is the one who seems to be
taking charge. And we need him to. He has is
going to be our starting point guard, and it’s
always better when you have a leader at the
point guard position. He’s the one who comes
in and says, Coach, what can we work on?
What can we do to get better? He’s the one
who gets his teammates together to play.”
Team chemistry is another intangible
that is taking shape.
“Chemistry can be somewhat undefined,
but I’m seeing it now,” said Barnes. “Last year,
we had to move people around all the time
to mix and match, but now guys are understanding their roles on this team.
“We have not yet played a game with this
particular group, but we have been together.
The returning players know what’s expected
of them, and the guys who sat out this past
year know what to expect and know how to
prepare themselves. We only have two players, James Fields and Chris Echols, who
are getting acclimated. It makes for better
chemistry.”
The final piece was a strong commitment to offseason workouts under the direction of strength and conditioning coach Ken
Coggins, who joined the State staff in May.
“Ken Coggins has been a really important addition to our program,” said Barnes.
“He’s exactly what we’ve been looking for:
high energy, extremely hard-working, relates
well to our players. He is determined to help
us move this program to the next level.
“Coach Coggins helps our guys not only
with strength and conditioning, but with
their mindset. They are seeing results from
their hard work in the offseason, and as that
happens, they become more confident.
“There is no question that we’re in better
physical condition, and I think that’s going to
pay huge dividends.”
In addition to the 18-game Colonial
Athletic Association schedule, Georgia State’s
non-conference slate is highlighted by the
season-opening NABC Classic at Minnesota
and a pair of games against the Atlantic Coast
Conference. Florida State visits the Sports
Arena for the second time in three years,
and the Panthers will travel across town for a
game at Georgia Tech.
Barnes is comfortable with raised expectations for his program.
“I hoped and believed we could get to
this point, where people expect us to be better, expect us to compete, expect us to have
a winning season, and I wouldn’t have it any
other way.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
RIVALS
“A strong candidate for a 10win turnaround in 2008-09 is Rod
Barnes’ Georgia State team.
“The Panthers went 9-21 in the
former Ole Miss coach’s first season
in Atlanta, but they lost a whopping 11 games by six points or less.
Colonial Athletic Association champ
VCU, which went 15-3 in the league,
beat GSU 49-47 in Richmond and
65-60 in overtime in Atlanta. The
Panthers beat George Mason, the
CAA’s NCAA Tournament team,
66-64 in their only meeting.”
ESPN.COM
“This season’s batch clearly is the
wild card team in what looks to be
a pretty wide-open CAA. Yes, the
Panthers have upgraded their talent,
but it would be unfair to gloss over
how competitive last season’s undermanned club was. Georgia State’s
last 18 losses of the season came by
an average of 6.3 points. They lost
two games to league champ VCU by
a total of seven points, beat secondplace George Mason by a deuce, lost
twice to William & Mary by a total
of three points and split a pair of
two-point games with Northeastern.”
LINDYS
“With three returning starters,
depth off the bench and several
transfers from high-major programs,
the Panthers may be ready to make a
run at VCU’s throne.”
ATHLON
“How seamlessly [Rod Barnes]
can blend his returnees–Georgia
State brings back its top three
scorers–will determine if the
Panthers can be the darkhorse many
expect.”
2008-09 Georgia State Panthers
• 45
2008-09 ROSTER
JIHAD ALI
F • 6-5, 192 • So.
Atlanta, Ga.
JAMES FIELDS
G • 6-3, 190 • Fr.
Savannah, Ga.
14
4
RASHAD CHASE
F • 6-7, 240 • Sr.
Atlanta, Ga.
15
DANTE CURRY
F • 6-4, 190 • So.-R
Poinciana, Fla.
12
TRAE GOLDSTON
TREY HAMPTON
G • 6-0, 182 • Jr.
Decatur, Ga.
F • 6-7, 225 • Jr.-R
Hoover, Ala.
11
OUSMAN KRUBALLY
KEVIN LOTT
F • 6-6, 195 • Jr.
Atlanta, Ga.
F • 6-7, 215 • Jr.
Atlanta, Ga.
24
30
1
JOE DUKES
2
G • 6-1, 184 • Jr.-R
Cuthbert, Ga.
CHRIS ECHOLS
F • 6-6, 235 • Jr.
Blytheville, Ark.
00
XAVIER HANSBRO
MARQUES JOHNSON
F • 6-10, 230 • Jr.-R
Trezevant, Tenn.
G • 6-5, 205 • Jr.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
23
LEONARD MENDEZ
BERNARD RIMMER
G • 6-5, 180 • Sr.
Smyrna, Ga.
F • 6-8, 200 • Jr.-R
Grenada, Miss.
21
20
33
ROD BARNES
PAUL GRAHAM
WILLIAM SMALL
SCEPTER BROWNLEE
JEFF CONARROE
Head Coach
2nd Year at Georgia State
Assistant Coach
2nd Year at Georgia State
Assistant Coach
2nd Year at Georgia State
Assistant Coach
2nd Year at Georgia State
Director of Operations
2nd Year at Georgia State
46 •
GeorgiaStateSports.com
2008-09 ROSTER
ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
No.
Name ........................................ Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Yr.
Hometown (High School/Previous School)
14
Jihad Ali ............................................ F
6-5
192
So.
Atlanta, Ga. (M.L. King)
15
Rashad Chase ................................... F
6-7
240
Sr.
Atlanta, Ga. (Mays)
12 * Dante Curry .................................... G
6-4
190
So.-R
Orlando, Fla. (Poinciana/South Florida)
2
Joe Dukes......................................... G
6-1
184
Jr.-R
Cuthbert, Ga. (Randolph-Clay/Wake Forest)
00
Chris Echols ..................................... F
6-6
235
Jr.
Blytheville, Ark. (Blytheville/Arkansas-Ft. Smith)
4
James Fields ..................................... G
6-3
190
Fr.
Savannah, Ga. (Urban Christian)
11
Trae Goldston ................................. G
6-0
182
Jr.
Decatur, Ga. (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.)
1
Trey Hampton .................................. F
6-7
225
Jr.-R
Hoover, Ala. (Hoover/Mississippi)
23
Xavier Hansbro ................................ F
6-10
230
Jr.-R
Trezevant, Tenn. (West Carroll/Mississippi)
20 % Marques Johnson............................ G
6-5
205
Jr.
Fort Wayne, Ind. (Snider/NC State)
24
Ousman Krubally ........................... F
6-6
195
Jr.
Atlanta, Ga. (W.D. Mohammed)
30
Kevin Lott ......................................... F
6-7
215
Jr.
Atlanta, Ga. (Sandy Creek)
21
Leonard Mendez............................. G
6-5
180
Sr.
Smyrna, Ga. (Campbell)
33
Bernard Rimmer ............................. F
6-8
200
Jr.-R
Grenada, Miss. (Grenada/Mississippi State)
NUMERICAL ROSTER
No.
Name ........................................ Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Yr.
Hometown (High School/Previous School)
00
Chris Echols ..................................... F
6-6
235
Jr.
Blytheville, Ark. (Blytheville/Arkansas-Ft. Smith)
1
Trey Hampton .................................. F
6-7
225
Jr.-R
Hoover, Ala. (Hoover/Mississippi)
2
Joe Dukes......................................... G
6-1
184
Jr.-R
Cuthbert, Ga. (Randolph-Clay/Wake Forest)
20 % Marques Johnson............................ G
6-5
205
Jr.
Fort Wayne, Ind. (Snider/NC State)
4
James Fields ..................................... G
6-3
190
Fr.
Savannah, Ga. (Urban Christian)
11
Trae Goldston ................................. G
6-0
182
Jr.
Decatur, Ga. (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.)
12 # Dante Curry .................................... G
6-4
190
So.-R
Orlando, Fla. (Poinciana/South Florida)
14
Jihad Ali .......................................... F
6-5
192
So.
Atlanta, Ga. (M.L. King)
15
Rashad Chase .................................. F
6-7
240
Sr.
Atlanta, Ga. (Mays)
21
Leonard Mendez............................. G
6-5
180
Sr.
Smyrna, Ga. (Campbell)
23
Xavier Hansbro ................................ F
6-10
230
Jr.-R
Trezevant, Tenn. (West Carroll/Mississippi)
24
Ousman Krubally ............................ F
6-6
195
Jr.
Atlanta, Ga. (W.D. Mohammed)
30
Kevin Lott ........................................ F
6-7
215
Jr.
Atlanta, Ga. (Sandy Creek)
33
Bernard Rimmer ............................. F
6-8
200
Jr.-R
Grenada, Miss. (Grenada/Mississippi State)
# Eligible in December 2008
% Eligible in 2009-10
COACHING STAFF
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Head Coach: Rod Barnes (Mississippi, 1988), Second Year
Assistant Coach: Paul Graham (North Texas State, 1974)
Assistant Coach: William Small (Belhaven College, 1993)
Assistant Coach: Scepter Brownlee (San Francisco, 2003)
Director of BB Operations: Jeff Conarroe (Colorado College, 1999)
Asst. Dir. of BB Operations: Christopher Jordan (Georgia State, 2005)
Graduate Managers: Mark Mathew, Claude Pardue
Athletic Trainer: Bob Murphy (Marietta College, 1998)
Strength Coach: Ken Coggins (Mississippi State, 1986)
Jihad Ali ........................... juh-HAAD ah-LEE
Dante Curry ......................................DON-tay
Trae Goldston..........................................TRAY
Marques Johnson ...........................MARR-cus
Xavier Hansbro ............................x-AA-vee-er
Ousman Krubally .................... OOOSS-maan
crew-BAH-lee
Scepter Brownlee ................................. SEP-ter
Jeff Conarroe ............................. CON-uh-row
2008-09 Georgia State Panthers
• 47
SEASON PREVIEW
Q&A WITH HEAD COACH ROD BARNES
What have you seen from your team in the limited time you’ve
been able to be on the court with them during the preseason?
“We’re talented. We’re long. We’re athletic. Of course, we’ve still
got a lot of work ahead of us, but the guys have been playing well together. I have not seen a lot of selfishness.”
“I like the potential of this team. I think we can be a very good
defensive team. We’re not there yet by any means, but this team can really do some good things. We’ve got a chance to have a really successful
season.”
What kind of different look can we expect from the Panthers
this season?
“I think people will see the same type of discipline, but we’re
going to play faster. People will see more action out of our
team because we won’t have to worry as much about depth.
Last year we had to play zone to keep people out of foul
trouble or walk it down to minimize the possessions. We
should be a team this year that will press and create more
action on both ends of the floor, and I’m excited about
that.”
Leonard Mendez had an all-conference season as
a junior, when he was your primary offensive focus
every night. With so much more talent around
him, how does his role change?
You have five transfers from high-major programs who are
eligible to play this season. Joe Dukes and Dante Curry step into
the backcourt. What about the three former SEC players in the
frontcourt?
“We’ve got Xavier Hansbro (Ole Miss), who’s 6-10 and can step
out and shoot but also has good post moves. Bernard Rimmer (Mississippi State) is 6-8 but really athletic. Trey Hampton (Ole Miss) is
athletic and tough with a solid body. So we’ve got options.”
With so much more depth, how will you mix and match players,
particularly in the frontcourt?
“My best teams at Ole Miss were teams with interchangeable parts,
and that’s probably where I coach best. On this team, we can take a
guy from the inside and move him outside or vice versa. We’ve
got two or three guys in that bunch who are better offensively
and two or three who are better defensively, so that gives us a
lot of options. For example, if someone were to start and get
two or three quick fouls, that won’t kill us.
“Our numbers and depth are going to be key.
We’re obviously going to play a lot faster,
and we’re going to press. So I think
we’re going to have different guys
on different nights who are able
to step up and give us what we
need.”
“Leonard is a very talented shooter and
scorer, but we should not have to have to lean on
him every night to score 20 like we did last season. He may score as many points, but the pressure for him to have to score big every game will
not be there. He may average the same number of
attempts, but they’ll probably be better shots.
“But when we do need a big basket, we need
him to step up and knock it down. We also want
him to develop other parts of his game by rebounding better, and making better passes. We
want Leonard to be more of a complete player, but
we can’t get away from what he does best, which is
make shots.”
Rashad Chase is another veteran who now has
more around him. What can we expect from him?
“We had to ask Rashad Chase to do a lot for us last season. But this year, with the options that we have in the frontcourt, I think Chase will be able to concentrate on what he does
best, which is rebound. And we need that from him.”
Your team struggled at the point guard position all of last season,
but now Joe Dukes, the transfer from Wake Forest, steps in . What
does he bring to the team?
“Joe’s not a shooter, he’s a scorer. He can make three-pointers,
but he’s a guy who gets to the basket. He understands the game. He’s
physical for his position. There will be some nights when he gets 16-18
points, but there will probably be more nights when he scores eight or
10, shoots a good percentage, and distributes the ball well.
“He’s a tough player and a competitor. He’s not quite where I want
him to be defensively, but I think he can be good enough for this team
because of our speed and athleticism at the wing positions.”
48 •
GeorgiaStateSports.com
LEONARD MENDEZ
SEASON PREVIEW
What are your biggest concerns going into the season?
“I would have to say that our biggest concern right now is figuring
out who is going to be our backup point guard. James Fields is going
to be a good player, but he’s a freshman. With his athleticism, strength
and quickness, he’ll be a good on-the-ball defender. Still you’d like to
have more experience there.
“We could put Trae Goldston at the point in certain situations like
we did last year, although we’d prefer to leave him at the off guard.”
“Another concern will be our ability to rebound and defend in the
post. We have a lot of interchangeable parts in the frontcourt and we
have guys who can do different things, but the one thing we don’t have
is a guy who’s 6-10 and really powerful in the paint.”
Have there been any surprises?
“Dante Curry has been a pleasant surprise. He’s not eligible until
December, but he’s really been a bright spot. Another bright spot is
Chris Echols. He looks like he is going to be exactly what we need,
which is someone who can score around the basket. That’s what we
recruited him for. He is a little undersized, but he’s really athletic and
has a knack for scoring around the basket.”
What did your players accomplish in the offseason?
“Hiring Ken Coggins has already made a huge difference for our
program. He helps our guys not only with strength and conditioning,
but with their mindset. They are seeing results on the court from all
their hard work this summer, and as that happens, they become more
confident. And we’ll continue to work on strength and conditioning.
We’re in better physical condition than we were at any time last year,
and I think that’s going to pay huge dividends.”
“Any time you have two ACC teams and a Big Ten team among
your non-conference games, you have a tough schedule. We know that
our league is very balanced, with a tough game every night. We feel
like we have a schedule that is challenging and gives us an opportunity
to accomplish our goals.
Are you comfortable with raised expectations for Georgia State
Basketball?
“I hoped and believed we could get to this point, where people expect us to be better, expect us to compete, expect us to have a winning
season, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We’re still building it, and there are a lot of intangible things.
Who’s going to be our leader? What’s the chemistry like? Will we stay
healthy? But I’m not afraid to think that we can be really good.”
ROSTER ANALYSIS
* Includes one ineligible
transfer
NEW FACES
Georgia State’s 2008-09 roster has a decidedly different look. More
than half the squad--eight out of 14 players--has never previously
suited up for the Panthers.
CLOSE CALLS
Georgia State’s 9-21 record in 2007-08 was deceiving because the
Panthers’ suffered 11 losses by six points or fewer.
Georgia State’s CAA games (including the CAA Tournament)
were particularly close, decided by an average of just 6.1 points, including eight contests in which the margin was one or two points.
Eight of the Panthers’ 13 CAA losses (including CAA Tournament)
were by five points or fewer, and only two CAA losses were by more
than 10 points.
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Rod Barnes’ first Georgia State team set a school-record for fewest points-per-game allowed as Panther opponents managed just 66.2
points per game in 2007-08. The Panthers’ previous low for points allowed was 68.4 in 1999-00. In fact, before last season, the only other
seasons in school history in which State opponents averaged fewer
than 70 points per game were a three-year stretch from 1998-99 (69.6)
through 2000-01 (68.7).
BEYOND THE ARC
Comment on your schedule.
BY CLASS
Seniors .......................... 2
Juniors ........................ *9
Sophomores ................. 2
Freshmen...................... 1
NOTING GEORGIA STATE
BASKETBALL
BY STATE
Georgia ......................... 8
Alabama ....................... 1
Arkansas....................... 1
Florida .......................... 1
Indiana ....................... *1
Mississippi.................... 1
Tennessee ..................... 1
One of Georgia State’s strengths in 2007-08 was long-range shooting as the Panthers ranked second in the CAA in three-point field goal
percentage, connecting on 37.0 percent (188-506) for the second-best
mark in school history. Only the 1999-00 team shot better at 37.2 percent. Most of State’s productivity came from Leonard Mendez (70-173,
.405) and Trae Goldston (57-143, .399), who were a combined 127-for316 (.402) from beyond the arc.
The Panthers were even better in conference games, leading the
league at 40.4 percent, including 44 percent (81-185) by Mendez (42101) and Goldston (39-84) combined. Goldston was the top individual
in CAA games at 46.4 percent.
GEORGIA STATE’S TOP SEASONS - 3-PT FIELD GOAL PCT
1. 1999-00...................................................... .372
188-506
2. 2007-08 ...................................................370
178-481
3. 1997-98...................................................... .369
170-461
4. 2004-05...................................................... .367
257-700
5. 2006-07...................................................... .364
180-495
MENDEZ FOR THREE
Leonard Mendez has established himself as one of the top threepoint shooters in school history. He enters his senior season in sixth
place in Panther annals with 133 treys. His career three-point percentage stands at 42.8 percent, just off the Georgia State record of 44.9
percent.
Mendez led the Colonial Athletic Association in three-point
shooting as a sophomore in 2006-07, connecting on 47.5 percent from
beyond the arc. He hit 58 of 122 three-pointers to set a school-record
for three-point accuracy in a season, and his 1.9 treys per game ranked
seventh in the CAA.
2008-09 Georgia State Panthers
• 49
SEASON PREVIEW
Last season, Mendez ranked fourth in the league in three-point
percentage (.405) and fifth in treys per game (2.33). He was better in
CAA games, hitting 41.6 percent from beyond the arc.
GEORGIA STATE CAREER LEADERS - 3-PT FG PCT
Player ..................................................Years
3P-3PA
1. Marcus Brown .............................. 2003-05
80-178
Leonard Mendez ........................2005133-311
2. Anton Reese.................................. 1998-00
165-412
Pct.
.449
.428
.400
GEORGIA STATE CAREER LEADERS -3-PT FG MADE
Player ..................................................Years
3P
1. Shellord Pinkett............................ 1994-98
240
2. Thomas Terrell ............................. 2000-02
177
3. Anton Reese.................................. 1998-00
165
4. Kevin Morris ................................ 1998-01
160
5. Kevin Thomas .............................. 2003-05
137
6. Leonard Mendez ........................2005133
CHASE CHASES REBOUNDS
Georgia State’s top rebounder is Rashad Chase, who enters his
senior season with 520 career boards, good for ninth place in school
history.
The only CAA player with more career rebounds is Juwann James
of James Madison with 523.
Last season Chase ranked fifth in the CAA with 7.6 boards per
game, along with 7.5 points an outing. He reached double-figure
rebounds in nine games, including five double-doubles, highlighted
by a career-best 16 boards against Troy.
Chase, a CAA All-Rookie selection in 2006, led the Panthers as a
sophomore with 5.9 rebounds per game.
GEORGIA STATE CAREER LEADERS - REBOUNDS
Player ...................................................Years
Reb
1. Terrence Brandon ......................... 1991-95
750
2. Zavian Smith ................................. 1989-94
714
3. Travis Williams ............................. 1992-96
634
4. Mike Nalls ...................................... 1989-93
616
5. Chris Collier .................................. 1989-91
586
6. Keven Davis ................................... 1985-89
583
7. Nate Williams ................................ 2001-04
540
8. Rodney Turner .............................. 1986-89
527
9. Rashad Chase ..............................2005520
386 AND COUNTING
Georgia State has made at least one three-point field goal in 386
straight games, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The last team to
hold the Panthers without a trey was Stetson on Feb. 18, 1995.
JOHNSON JOINS PROGRAM
Marques Johnson, a 6-5 guard from Fort Wayne, Ind., joined
the Georgia State program this fall after transferring from NC State.
He is the sixth player to join Rod Barnes’ program from a highmajor school since Barnes’ arrival in March 2007, along with Joe
Dukes (Wake Forest), Trey Hampton (Mississippi), Xavier Hansbro
(Mississippi), Bernard Rimmer (Mississippi State) and Dante Curry
(South Florida).
Johnson will sit out the 2008-09 season in accordance with NCAA
residency requirements and then have two years of eligibility beginning next season.
50 •
GeorgiaStateSports.com
FAMILY AFFAIR: Brittany Graham, a
member of the Panther women’s basketball
team, is the daughter of Georgia State assistant
coach Paul Graham.
MENDEZ EYES CENTURY MARK
Leonard Mendez enters his final season with 953 career points as
he looks to become the 17th player in Georgia State history to reach
the 1,000-point milestone.
After playing sparingly as a freshman and scoring just 63 points,
Mendez has averaged nearly 15 points a game the last two years. A
repeat of his junior season would place him among the top scorers in
school history.
GEORGIA STATE CAREER SCORING LEADERS
Player ........................................................... Years
1. Rodney Hamilton.....................................1994-98
2. Terrence Brandon ....................................1991-96
3. Chavelo Holmes .......................................1981-86
4. James Andrews .........................................1985-89
5. Phillip Luckydo ........................................1990-92
6. Nate Williams ...........................................2001-04
7. Zavian Smith ............................................1989-94
8. Kevin Morris.............................................1998-01
9. Thomas Terrell..........................................2000-02
10. Shellord Pinkett ........................................1994-98
11. Lamont McIntosh ....................................2000-04
12. Jim Jacobs ..................................................1965-69
13. Travis Williams.........................................1992-96
14. Chris Collier .............................................1989-91
15. Anton Reese ..............................................1998-00
16. Shernard Long ..........................................1999-01
17. Leonard Mendez .................................. 2005-
No.
1,515
1,479
1,375
1,279
1,254
1,222
1,214
1,212
1,193
1,176
1,174
1,059
1,017
1,012
968
964
958