The return of the Bisons’ most-honored player, a deep bench and two freshmen contending for playing time are just some of the reasons Coach Scott Sanderson is excited about the 2010-2011 basketball season.
His team received a scare during the off-season, when star post and reigning A-Sun Player of the Year, Adnan Hodzic, initially declared for the NBA draft.
Hodzic withdrew, and with him and 10 more players returning from last year’s team, the Bisons look to build on their 17-13 regular season, 14-6 conference records.
The coach views the non-conference schedule as “a byproduct of getting us ready for league play.” Highlighting the Bison non-conference schedule this year are games against North Carolina, Memphis, Alabama, and Baylor.
“We’re not going to go into any venue in our league that’s going be as tough as North Carolina, Baylor, Alabama or Memphis,” Sanderson said. “I feel like we can compete in those games. The last couple of years we have won a couple of them and have been competitive in all of them.”
The Bisons will open their season against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and the game will be televised on Fox Sports South.
The Bisons have added three freshmen to the roster this off-season.
Carter Sanderson, Coach Sanderson’s son, will be red-shirting this season as he gets familiar with the system. Robert Boyd, a point guard out of Fulton High School in Knoxville, could push for some playing time this season.
“He’s a great defender,” Sanderson said. “He’s a pass first, shoot second type of point guard.”
Finally Demarius “D.D.” Smith, 6-foot-4 guard from Kenwood High School in Clarksville, might also see playing time this season.
“He’s a long, athletic kid that can defend, rebound, has good vision and knows how to play,” Sanderson said. “More than anything he’s just a defensive presence for us.
“Both of [the freshmen] add value to our team, it’s just a matter of how quickly can they learn the speed, the quickness and the strength of the game. Both of them should have excellent careers here for us.”
Listen below to hear Cooper Torrez interview sophomore basketball player Zach Brown.
Cooper Torrez interviews sophomore basketball player Zach Brown