Basketball coach looking for leadership from returning players, great defense

Without any NBA games on the slate, Ram fans still get to enjoy quality basketball this season.

Head Coach Bobby Collins said that the fans will have fun watching the Rams.

"We want to focus on winning and take it one game at a time," Collins said.

The Rams had an impressive offense last season, averaging 72 points per game.

Even with that, the Rams will be relying on players whose roles have been increased by departing players.

"Lamar Monger and Marcus Wells are the guys we will be leaning on this season," Collins said.

"We need these guys to be leaders."

Monger is a senior guard from Ahoskie, N.C.

Monger was chosen as an All-CIAA pre-season pick.

He was the team's second highest scorer, averaging 12.8 points.

Collins said he wants Monger to continue to show growth as a player.

Wells, a junior from Durham,  is the team's starting point guard.

The Rams had a 19-8 record last season and earned an at-large NCCA Division II tournament berth.

"What we did in year one was extraordinary," Collins said.

"I would say it was a success."

The Rams were led last season by eight seniors.

Collins said that even with losing those players, the Rams should be fine. They will be using some new talent.

Forwards Joseph Thompson and Wakefield Ellison will help in their quest for a CIAA championship and another NCCA tournament berth.

"Both players have talent," Collins said.

"We are going to use their abilities to put us in the best position to win ball games."

Ellison is a transfer from East Carolina and Thompson is a transfer from Louisburg Community College.

"I believe that we brought in players who want to compete," Collins said.

"We did a good job evaluating players."

Last season, the Rams finished with the best record in the CIAA Southern Division  (12-5).

The conference's preseason polls predicted that the Rams would finish third in the division behind Shaw and Johnson C. Smith.

Collins said that prediction takes a lot of pressure off the team.

"Last season we had a target on our backs," he said.

"I think it puts us in a great place as long as we don't finish in third."

They want to turn up the pace and become more of a fast break team.

"We want to push the tempo and play great defense," Collins said.

"We are smaller and deeper than last year, and we have the talent to do what we want."