Editor in Chief Spencer Gleason explores what might make the mens basketball team work better
By: SPENCER GLEASON
Editor in Chief
A friend leaned over to me during the STLCC men’s basketball warm-up on Sunday, Feb. 22. They commented on how talented the men looked — slam-dunks and ally-oops.
True. This men’s team is one of the most talented group of basketball players I have seen in my time covering STLCC athletics. But when it comes to game time, and the issue of transferring their talent to the moment when it matters, teamwork is missing.
Instead of working together and focusing on just putting the ball in the basket, they are looking for the “Ooh’s and Aah’s” from the crowd.And the results are not in the 2014-15 STLCC Archers’ favor, with a 13-15 record.
For the first time since the NJCAA divided into three divisions in 1985, and STLCC entered the NJCAA Division II, STLCC is finishing a regular season with more losses than wins.
That dates through STLCC-Meramec Warrior basketball teams, Meramec Magic basketball teams and STLCC Archer basketball teams, following the consolidation in July 2011.
To put that in perspective, a winning percentage below .500 has not happened since Ronald Reagan was president of the United States.
The Archers have lost six of their last nine games. Their longest winning streak of three games, only reaches that high because of a one point win against a JV team — a team previous Archer basketball teams have hit the century mark against.
There is a history to uphold that comes with representing STLCC athletics — and basketball teams in particular.
Last year’s team understood what it meant to play as a collective group and achieve the ultimate goal of a NJCAA Tournament victory. What did the 2013-14 team accomplish when they played as “one” — an eighth place finish in the country.
To put that in perspective, there are 105 Division II NJCAA men’s basketball programs.
If the Archers want to accomplish anything of importance this season, as they enter the Regions XVI Tournament, there is no time like the present to kick it into gear.
And here is a word of advice — teamwork.
