Rams have impressive season against odds

The Rams finished the 2011-2012 season with an 18-8 record.

This is the first time Winston-Salem State finished with back-to-back winning seasons since 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Both years, the Rams boasted a 22-8 record.

Those were the last two CIAA seasons before the Rams left for an attempt to join the MEAC.

The Rams fought through an injury-riddled season missing guards Dominique Alston and Lamar Monger for most of the season. Alston missed the entire season due to a knee injury suffered before the season started.

Point guard Marcus Wells said that after Monger tore his ACL earlier this season he knew his responsibilities with the team would be greater.

"Coach [Theo] Howard stays in my ear a lot more about scoring and picking it up for Lamar [Monger] being gone," Wells said.

Wells said that every game they play is for Monger, and winning during"Senior Night" is even more important against Fayetteville State in the season finale.

"That whole game is for Lamar. The whole night is for Lamar," Wells said.

"Before every game I talk to Lamar, and we embrace Lamar for what he did for the team. So it's like everyone is a senior that night."

Head Coach Bobby Collins said that Monger was the heart and soul of this team and said he was glad to see that his team did not give up because Monger was hurt.

"We rode Lamar's passion, and to lose your leading scorer like we did would place any team in a tough situation," Collins said.

"For this team to win as many games as they did was remarkable. It showed the heart that this team had and their desire to win games."

The Rams got off to a strong start this season much to the surprise of Collins.

He said having seven new players come in and keep winning the way they did was impressive and unexpected.

"We lost the whole coaching staff and replaced seven players from last season," Collins said.

"You can say that the team over achieved this season, but the goal for the season is to win the CIAA tournament."

The Rams quest for collecting team hardware this year also came with some personal accolades.  

WyKevin Bazemore won the CIAA Rookie of the Year award.

Bazemore the 6-foot-3 forward is second in the CIAA in rebounding and is one of the major reasons that the Rams are having the success that they have had this season.

"He [Bazemore] is more than deserving of the award," Collins said.

"I am so proud of him to see his hard work paying off."

When Collins signed Bazemore he did so without even going to scout him.

"One of my good friends told me about him and after the conversation I signed him," Collins said.

"When you average 20 [points] and 15 [rebounds] in high school, you have to play college ball somewhere."

Bazemore said he is more than humbled by the honor.

"It feels great to know that the talent of not only myself but my teammates did not go unrecognized," Bazemore said.

"Without my teammates and coaches I would have never been able to achieve the things that I have."

Bazemore said that without his AAU coaches and high school coaches he would have never had the opportunity to play at the collegiate level.

"I give a lot of credit and recognition to my coaches and to coach Collins for giving me a chance," Bazemore said.

Last season, the Rams were 0-2 during postseason play losing in the first rounds of the CIAA and NCAA tournaments.

Bazemore said the Rams plan to have a better representation in this year's tournament.

"We plan to win this year," Collins said.

"Our players have to make plays. I believe that if we get past the first game this year that we can make a serious run at winning the conference and getting back to the NCAA's."

"Rookie of the Year" Bazemore, said that he is a little anxious about his first CIAA tournament.

"This is the second biggest tournament next to the ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference]," he said.

"I'm going to be a little nervous, but once we start playing I should be fine and ready to produce for the team."

Likely the road to a CIAA championship will go through the Shaw Bears who swept the Rams this season [76-60 Feb. 11 and 80-59 Feb. 20].

Coach Collins said it will take a great effort on his team's part to pick up the victory.

"In the postseason, records go out the window and you have to play your best ball because you will be bounced out if you don't," Collins said.

"Last year both No. 1 seeds were knocked out in the first round and we were one of them."

The Rams open CIAA tournament play against Virginia Union, March 1.