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10B - The Michigan Daily-- TIPOFF 2000 - Thursdayovember 9, 2000
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The Michigan Daily - TIPOFF 2000 -
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Last December, Maize
Ragers and fans of all ages
thought they caught a glimps
of the future.
Before a sellout crowd, a
national television audience ar
a season full of expectations,;
still-undefeated Michigan squ
took No. 13 Duke to the wire
before losing 104-97.
The loss was a setback, but
the performance of the
Wolverines' backcourt gave
eager Michigan backers a visi
of a slashing, scoring, run-anc
shoot offense - a scoring
machine that had
Michigan's future look-
ing bright.s
Just one season
later that outlook has
changed.
Michigan is going
inside - and they're
going there often.
With the
Wolverines' back-
court again reload-
ing, expect offensive
duties to fall on the
shoulders of
Michigan's experi-
enced players down
low.
Building things around vet-
eran post players Josh
Asselin and Chris Young,
e
.nd
a
ad
it
on
d-
EBaIIgam
&e
Michigan is hoping the addition
of 7-2 big man Josh Moore can
give their post rotation the depth
it needs to become one of the-
most feared post trios in the Big
Ten
And while the propensity for
post play may surprise some
fans, Young says the combina-
tion of big men will give Michigan
a variety of weapons in the paint.
"Our offense will definitely be dif-
ferent this season, we'll be looking
to the post and I think we got
some people that can do a great
job down there," Young said.
"A guy like Josh Moore is so
big and imposing that it's going
to be tough to bang around with
him and Josh Asselin is adding to
his game. Expect him to
step out and shoot more
-- he'll play almost like a
small forward at time."
Couple that with the
experience and physical
presence of Young, who
added 5 points a game
last year, and Michigan is
poised for a strong show-
Chris lYoung,,,
ing on the blocks.
"It's different than any other year,"
Young said.
"We are all so incredibly excited and
anxious to get out there and start play-
ing. Expect some things to be a lot dif-
ferent."
Pos. Ht. Wt. CI./Elig.
Nov. 7 *Grand Rapids Hoops
Nov.12 *Wayne State
Nov.17 Oakland
Nov.21 Western Michigan
Nov. 25 Wagner
Nov. 28 Wake Forest
Dec. 2 Maryland
Dec. 3 St. John's/Geo. Wash
Dec. 9 Duke
Dec.13 Bowling Green
Dec. 23 Morris Brown
Dec.27 Towson
Dec. 30 Eastern Michigan
Jan. 3 Purdue W
Jan. 9 Indiana
Jan. 13 Illinois
Jan. 18 Ohio State
Jan. 20 Iowa
Jan 25 Illinois
Jan. 27 Northwestern
Jan. 30 Michigan State
Feb. 3 Wisconsin
Feb. 7 Penn State
Feb. 11 IndianaF
Feb.14 Iowa
Feb. 17 Minnesota
Feb. 24 Purdue
Feb 28 Northwesterte
Mar, 3 or 4 Michigan StateI
Ann Arb
Ann Arb
Roches
Ann Arb
Ann Ark(
No. WolverineI
0
1
3
4
10
12
20
21
23
25
Leon Jones
Avery Queen
Maurice Searight
Colin Dill
Herb Gibson
Mike Gotfredson
Ron Garber
Bernard Robinson
Gavin Groninger
Josh Asselin
LaVell Blanchard
Josh Moore
Chris Young
Rotolu Adebiyi
G
G
G
F
F
G
F
F
G
F/C
F
C
F/C
F
6-4
5-7
6-2
6-7
6-5
5-11
6-8
6-6
6-5
6-11
6-7
7-2
6-9
6-5
195
150
205
225
205
175
205
185
190
230
205
315
220
210
Jr/Jr.
Fr/Fr
Fr./Fr.
Fr/Fr,
Jr/Jr.
Sr/Sr.
Jr./Jr.
Fr./Fr.
So./So.
Sr/Sr.
So/So.
Fr/Fr.
Jr./Jr
Jr./Jr.
Unlike last year, when the young
Michigan basketball team enjoyed a
nonconference schedule filled with
pushovers, this year's youthful squad
will have little time to et acclimated,
facingq three potent A C opponents -
Maryland, Wake Forest, and Duke,
"Wake Forest is probably the most
mature and experienced team in the
country," Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe
said. "Maryland possibly has the No. 1
draft pick in the N BA draft next year...
Then you follow up with Duke. So
there's going to be competition for us
every year, itjust happens to be those
teams this year."
The Wolverines will also confront
these early challenges without last
season's starting backcourt - Kevin
Gaines and Jamal Crawford.
Guard Leon Jones says the
Wolverines are ready to move on and
focus on the players they have now.
"I think it's behind us now, the junior
said. "I think everyone realizes that we
are under a microscope now and that
you have to do everything by the
books.
"Hopefully, everything will be behind
us and we can carry on with the sea-
son."
The focus for Michigan this year will
be on senior forward Josh Asselin and
sophomor
"Those
alysts in to
whatever
reach," EIIE
in the top
answer a I
season ple
"If you'r
league in i
have a ch.
son."
As the s
will be Ass
mates on
Michigan 1
Asselin wil
"I'm tryir
help the o
learned ar
have taugr
do whatev
members
While sc
the No. 1c
make a tni
for the firs
"I don't
a goal," Ell
it, that's w
to be one
teams, wE
home. '
Wasn. u.C
. Wash. D.C.
Durham
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Vest Lafayette
Ann Arbor
Champaign
Columbus
Iowa City
Ann Arbor
Evanston
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
State College
Bloomington
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor
AnE An g
East Lansing
Head Coach: Brian Ellerbe
Associate Head Coach: Scott Trost
Assistant Coach: Kurtis Townsend
Assistant Coach: Terence Greene
After two seasons of solid contribution, Leon Jones enters the 200O-2001 cam-
paign as the bona fide veteran in the Wolverines' backcourt - a position he
accepts with no reservation, but one he hopes to balance with his objectives on the
court. -
"I think a leader first has to take care of his business. First you have to take care
of your game and your responsibilities before you can lead anybod else. I'm going
to try tolead by example and then as the year goes on I'll try to take it a bit fur-
ther.'
But before he does that, Jones has his sights set on '98-9 G ts Ava
growin as a player. 3 4
"Myfrst year I was a defensive player. The second year '99-001
Ike to bring some offense." the table. This year I would '9-!1-P Avg
like to bring the two together."2921 .7
FILE PHOTO
J
Shooter . .:
the new Blue
FILE PHOTO
'
A year after scoring his first collegiate poii
a three-pointer against Oakland, Mich
long range bomber returns for his s,
more season a bit older, a b
stronger and a bit more deter-
mined to see his Wolverines defy
expectations. "We're all anxious
to prove that we're a good team,"
Groninger said. "I definitely think
this is a tournament team."
After averaging 7 points per
game a year ago, Groninger
spent the summer in the
weight room where he
A bigger Groninger is added 15 pounds. But don't
back - and he's anx- expect the pure shooter
ious to show dispel to lose the soft touch
doubt in this season's that helped him shoot
Michigan team. FILE PHOTO 38 percent from three-
point range last year
when he tallied 48 triples.
Blend'ing a mix of size and athleticism, Michigan again acdsexciting faces to its roster. S
quick floor general and a giant of a past threat ---- Michigan's new clas:
I qickflor gnerl ad gint f apos thea - ichgan~s ew l-
I
Guard
6-2
205 pounds
Third in Mr. Basketball voting
last year in Michigan,
Maurice Searight hails from
Orchard Lake and joins the
Wolverines as an athletic
slashing guard. Averaging 16
points, 8 rebounds and 6
assists as a senior, Searight
was rated by Preps Spotlight
as the No. 3 prospect in
Michigan last season.
Center
7-2
305 pounds
josh
An imposing figure in the
post, Josh Moore spent a
year away from the game
training in Southern
California. Prior to that the
Newark, N.J. native aver-
aged 17 points, 10
rebounds a game for St.
Thomas More Prep in
Oakdale, Conn. - that year
Prep Spotlightranked Moore
the No. 3 center in America.
Forward
s-6
185 pounds
An explosive swing-man and
native of Washington, D.C.,
Bernard Robinson joins the
Wolverines after averaging
23 points 5 assists and 8
rebounds a game as a
senior at New Hampton Prep
in New Hampshire. Ranked
No. 8 in the nation among
recruits at the small forward
position by The Sporting
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