SMS Bears to begin new season Nov. 18

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Southwest Missouri State University men's basketball coach Barry Hinson wants his team members to play hard, work together and, most of all, to have fun.|ret||ret||tab|

It was obvious the players were doing just that during their first game Nov. 2 an exhibition against a Yugoslav team that the Bears won 117-64.|ret||ret||tab|

The Bears took on the London Leopards in a second exhibition game Nov. 11 and begin the regular season in Louisiana Nov. 18 against the University of New Orleans.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's anticipation at its finest for basketball coaches," Hinson said. "It's nerve-wracking. You don't get a lot of sleep. You're worried about this. You're worried about that."|ret||ret||tab|

And he has more reasons to be nervous this year because, as the new season begins, Hinson, in his second year as head coach, is faced with a lot of unknowns. With a team of mostly new players (only five of the 15 squad members are returning lettermen) he's not sure just what will happen. Only four of the team's 15 members Matt Rueter, Scott Brakebill, Travis Walk and Charles Gaines have played any valuable minutes, according to Hinson. "The other 11 that we're putting on the floor have never been in an SMSU uniform or ever played quality minutes on the floor."|ret||ret||tab|

The fact that the team is so new is the Bears' greatest weakness this year, Hinson said. "Our weakness is we don't understand each other as a team, as a unit."|ret||ret||tab|

Still, he said he has high hopes for this year's team. The players have been hard at work practicing and building a solid foundation. |ret||ret||tab|

"In our sport, in any sport, you have to be good fundamentally," Hinson said. "We've been working on just our fundamentals and trying to put together what we consider a strong foundation," he added.|ret||ret||tab|

Being a new team has its advantages, Hinson said. "Everybody's excited ... it's almost like running downstairs on Christmas morning," he said. "Everybody can't wait for the first game. Everybody can't wait to see what's going to happen."|ret||ret||tab|

The players are excited, he said, because there are so many new faces and so many new combinations. When they go to practice, they know that they're going to have a chance to play, Hinson said.|ret||ret||tab|

This year's team is more athletic than previous SMSU men's teams, according to Hinson. That was one of the goals of the recruiting process to find athletic players "and I think we've achieved that goal."|ret||ret||tab|

Only one injury has sidelined a player so far this season. Guard Jason Gilbert, a new transfer, has a knee injury that will keep him from competition during the year as he gains his eligibility following his transfer.|ret||ret||tab|

Hinson has set three goals for his team this year. One is to go undefeated at home, something he said no SMSU men's basketball team has ever done in NCAA Division I play. Another is to win the regular season Missouri Valley Conference Championship and the third is to be one of the 64 teams chosen to play in the NCAA tournament.|ret||ret||tab|

But winning isn't the only thing, or even the most important thing, Hinson expects from his players.|ret||ret||tab|

"I think the most important thing you have to expect from them is do they represent your school, your community and your program in a first-class manner," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

There are three rules Hinson has set for his players that he said are essential for the team to be successful. One is to play hard, another is to work together, and the third and most important is to have fun. He quotes Casey Stengel, Hall of Fame baseball manager: "He said, It's easy to get the players. Getting them to play together that's the hard part.' I couldn't agree with him any more than that."|ret||ret||tab|

The Bears face a tough nonconference schedule this season. They'll take on the Kansas Jayhawks, Tulsa, St. Louis and Southeast Missouri State University. The Missouri Valley Conference schedule will be challenging this season, too, Hinson said. "I think the MVC in itself is going to be a lot tougher than what we saw last year."|ret||ret||tab|

Despite the tough schedule the Bears face in the next few months, Hinson said he's more excited entering this season than he has been for any team he's ever coached. "This group of young men has worked hard, they've been focused and they're coming into practice in great condition to start. Their conditioning has been successful both on and off the court. The academic progress our players have been making is at an all-time high. And, this is the most likeable group of guys I've been around in some time."|ret||ret||tab|

Hinson said this season promises to be an exciting one.[[In-content Ad]]