 "Photo: Edyta Blaszczyk ~ Daily Egyptian")
The 2009-10 SIU men’s basketball team started its season Saturday as the Salukis showed off their new players.
Thirteen different players took the court for the Salukis as SIU defeated Henderson State 82-55 Saturday at the SIU Arena in an exhibition game. Even with the new Salukis playing 55 of the potential 100 minutes of the first half, the outcome was rarely in doubt.
Head coach Chris Lowery said the team played much better after the first 10 minutes of the game.
“I thought we did a good job after the first 10 minutes of the first half,” Lowery said. “I thought we had a lot of anxious energy, and it made us passive. I think if we had to do it again we probably would have tried to get them a little more fired up in the locker room. “
Newcomers Kendal Brown-Surles, Jack Crowder and John Freeman helped set the pace for the Salukis, as they combined for 22 points off the bench.
“I liked how hard they played. I liked their energy,” Lowery said. “When John (Freeman) and Jack (Crowder) get in, they change how we are on the wing position. They’re both long and athletic. They allow us to get out in the passing lanes a little more.”
But it was the veteran backcourt duo of Kevin Dillard and Justin Bocot that set the pace for SIU, displaying an up-tempo style offense.
“It’s fun — I’m a transition kind of guy,” Dillard said. “I don’t like to slow it down unless I have to. With the athletes that we have and the big men that can run up and down the floor, it’s the best situation for us, because we get easy dunks and we have people shooting threes off the break.”
Dillard finished the game with 15 points and six assists with no turnovers, while Bocot finished with a team-high 16 points and three steals.
Bocot, who averaged 9.8 points in the last nine games last year, said his comfort level with the team and its system improves everyday.
“My understanding of the game and my role on the team has improved,” Bocot said. “I’m more comfortable in the system, and I think I bettered myself on both sides, offense and defense, since last season.”
The SIU frontcourt also had an efficient game.
Redshirt sophomore Nick Evans finished with 11 points, and 6-foot, 9-inch 290-pound freshmen Gene Teague plowed his way through the Reddies, finishing with six points and a game-high nine rebounds.
One returning member of the frontcourt who did not see any action Saturday was junior Carlton Fay. He dressed for the game, but did not take the floor. Lowery said Fay is suspended, but did not rule out the possibility of Fay playing next week.
“We’re going to wait and see,” Lowery said.
SIU will play its final exhibition game at 3:05 p.m. Saturday as it faces Southern Indiana at SIU Arena.
Ryan Voyles can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 256.
