Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Blue Storm opens season tonight at home

No. 6 SWIC meets Meramec

The Southwestern Illinois College Blue Storm heads into the 2009-10 men's basketball season with everything seemingly in its favor.

SWIC returns four starters from a team that finished 31-4, won the Region 24 championship and advanced to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the second time in four years.

It will have a strong backcourt in sophomores Kenny Leverette and Mykel Cleveland, and the Blue Storm is ranked sixth in the NJCAA Division I preseason national poll.

Still, Blue Storm coach Jay Harrington isn't happy about what he said was "the team's inability to pick up the system."

"This group of players is taking an extremely long time (getting) what we're trying to do. A lot longer then normal,'' Harrington said. "We thought with five players back, four that started and two players who redshirted last year, that we would be good to go.

"But we've got a large of group of freshmen and transfers and, of that group, I'd say we have maybe two that are picking things up. It's a major concern.''

Just four wins short of 700 for his coaching career, Harrington begins his 31st year on the bench today when the Blue Storm hosts St. Louis Community College-Meramec at 7 p.m.

The game will be the first in a difficult early schedule that includes contests with national powers Southeastern Iowa, Mineral Area, Highland and Moberly, all in the first two weeks of the regular season.

"It's the toughest early schedule we've had,'' Harrington said. "We're ranked sixth in the country, but while I think that while its nice publicity for the program, it's way too high for this basketball team at this point.

"It puts a huge bull's-eye on our backs that we're not ready for yet. I just don't want people to be disappointed.''

Leverette, a 6-foot-2 guard from O'Fallon, was an honorable mention All-American last year, while the 6-1 Cleveland was a first-team Great Rivers Athletic Conference point guard.

Leverette averaged 15 points and six rebounds last season, while Cleveland averaged 10 points and six assists.

Add in sharpshooting 6-5 sophomore guard Tommy Pelczynski (Nashville) and one of the top rebounders in the GRAC in 6-5 sophomore Darnell Moore and SWIC has a strong nucleus returning.

Also back is improved Jordan Lee (6-7) as well as 6-7 sharpshooter Mike Augustine (Waterloo) and athletic 6-3 Casey Ainslie (Wesclin), both of whom redshirted last year.

"We're supposed to have one of the best backcourts in the country, but they're not playing like it. I think some of it has to do with some of the players not knowing the plays,'' Harrington said. "But Kenny's not scoring the way he can and Mykel's turning the ball over too much.

"Tommy has had a couple of days where he's shot the ball very well, but he's been inconsistent and I think Darnell is trying to do too much.''

The Blue Storm recruiting class is as good as its ever been. It's led by Torres Roundtree,a former all-state player from Missouri who played last year at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Other recruits include highly touted 6-5 guard Walter Hill, 6-7 Aaron Nelson, 6-6 Corbin Thomas, 6-5 Isiah Nunn, 6-10 Jeremy DeLange and East St. Louis standout Durand Sain.

Harrington said of all the newcomers, the 5-10 Sain has been one of the most impressive.

"Durand has come in and done everything we've asked. He's looked very solid at point guard,'' Harrington said. "I don't think there is any question that the kids we brought in this season are extremely talented players. But they've got to learn our system or they won't be seeing a lot of playing time.''

Another concern for Harrington is the competitiveness of the GRAC.

"Our conference is loaded once again. Every night will be an absolute war,'' Harrington said. "This is a really good group of kids and they've come in and worked very hard. Talent-wise this is probably one of the most talented groups of kids we've had in a while.

"Do I think we can be an excellent basketball team? Absolutely. But we're not there yet and we've got a lot of work to do.''