Quick Facts: 2009-10 Record: 13-18 (8-8 America East)
Letterwinners Returning: 5
Starters Returning: 4
Newcomers: 3
Head Coach: Mark Macon (2nd season)/ 13-18 career-record
Entering the 2009-10 season, the Binghamton men's basketball
program was surrounded with question marks. Due to off- the-court issues, the
roster was decimated by dismissals, and changes were made throughout the
coaching staff. However, instead of feeling sorry for the program and the
situation he was thrown into, first-year head coach Mark Macon helped lead the
Bearcats to a 13-18 (8-8) record and created a culture of toughness throughout
the program.
Despite defying most of the outside expectations that surrounded
the program last season, Macon and his coaching staff certainly expect to see
more strides taken this upcoming season. While there was a bit of a mystery
factor about the style of basketball Binghamton would play under the new coaching staff, Macon
knows that the success they achieved has made it impossible for his team to fly
under the radar.
"I just want to build, personally with this team, a harder
work ethic," said Macon. "I think we need to learn how to work harder and how
to work smarter this year. Last year, we were surprising everybody. We won't be
able to surprise people this year. This year, people are going to know who we
are and they are going to prepare for us in certain ways. So as a team, my
outlook is that we need to come out and prepare harder and prepare smarter to
be successful."
One of the key pieces that Coach Macon and the rest of his
staff will rely on is Greer Wright. While the senior guard impressed with his
play on the court last season, earning an America East All-Conference First
Team selection, it's his development as a leader that will be instrumental to
this team.
"He needs to continue to develop as a vocal leader," Macon
emphasized. "His play on the court speaks for itself. He is going to have to
play better for us. He is going to have to do more, because I am going to
expect more. His verbal leadership is what we are working on. We want him to be
in command, not only with his ability, but with his voice as well."
While the return of Wright is a huge boost for the program,
the Bearcats must search for a way to replace the production of America East
Rookie of the Year Dylan Talley. However, Macon believes that there are guys on
the roster who are more than capable of embracing this challenge.
"Dylan's production was something of a team thing,"
explained the second-year head coach. "Individually, he shined at times, but
that was due to the fact that he had teammates around him that would let him
shine. I look at my returning guys, my lettermen as I would say it, to pick up
that slack. I look at Chretien (Lukusa), I look at Moussa Camara and I look at
Mahamoud Jabbi as guys that can pick up the slack, as well as Kyrie Sutton and
Taylor Johnston. Those guys will have to pick up the slack for that missing
piece of the puzzle. They did that last year when he was out those 6-8 games
with the bruised thigh."
With the start of the season rapidly approaching, the
opportunity to play in the America East Conference Tournament serves as a
motivating factor for this team. After not participating last season, due to the
decision made by the university, the Bearcats are keen to make an impressive
showing in 2010-11.
"They want to be better," Macon revealed. "They do want to
prove that they deserved to play in that tournament. They've been working quite
hard. They have been giving me everything they got, though everything is not
enough for me and my coaching staff. They do want to show that they deserved to
be there. That's all you can expect when something is taken away from you, and
you have the opportunity to take it back. You want to prove that you were
capable and worthy of obtaining it."
With the return of Greer Wright, and a second season to
better institute his system and beliefs, there is a strong optimizing
surrounding Macon and his program. When you include the arrival of three
talented freshmen (KJ Brown, Robert Mansell and Alex Ogundadegbe) to complement
the return of nine lettermen, it won't be the least bit surprising to see the
Bearcats continue to build on the momentum that they developed at the end of
last season.