Men's Basketball: Schmidt year two begins
Coach leads SBU into action tonight versus former team
Ryan O'Reilly
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Sports
When Robert Morris, picked to finish third in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, comes to the Reilly Center tonight, Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt will see a few old faces on the other sideline.
Schmidt, the former Colonials coach, is familiar with many of their players because he recruited some of them. However, he does not see his past experience with the players as an advantage.
"We know their talent," he said. They have very good talent. We know how good Jimmy Chappell and Jimmy Langhurst are. We know other guys, but we don't really know the guys they brought in themselves."
Senior guard Chappell was picked as a member of the 2008-09 All-NEC Preseason team. The Colonials also earned an invitation to the NIT last season, where they fell to Donte Green and Syracuse in the first round, 87-81.
"They're athletic, and I think one of the reasons they've been successful is because they have mid-major players playing in a low-level Northeast Conference," Schmidt said.
Schmidt insisted there will be no emotions once the whistle blows and the game begins.
"There's really no emotion. We're just preparing to play Robert Morris," he said. "During the game, I'm coaching my team. It's like playing a pickup game. We might be friends before the game, but during the game you play to win. And then after the game you shake hands."
The Bonnies will begin year two under Schmidt with a new look, as seven new players will take the court this season. Schmidt said the team has been coming along well, but he does not know what to expect with so much inexperience.
"Being inexperienced, from a coach's standpoint, you just never know what to expect, and the unexpected is what a coach doesn't want," he said. "It's going to be interesting to see how we mesh and how we handle a crowd."
In terms of cohesiveness on the court, Schmidt said it is ultimately all up to the players.
"Chemistry is such a unique thing in that sometimes chemistry can be built in three weeks and sometimes it takes six months," he said. "It depends how guys relate to each other and learn how each other plays."
Schmidt, the former Colonials coach, is familiar with many of their players because he recruited some of them. However, he does not see his past experience with the players as an advantage.
"We know their talent," he said. They have very good talent. We know how good Jimmy Chappell and Jimmy Langhurst are. We know other guys, but we don't really know the guys they brought in themselves."
Senior guard Chappell was picked as a member of the 2008-09 All-NEC Preseason team. The Colonials also earned an invitation to the NIT last season, where they fell to Donte Green and Syracuse in the first round, 87-81.
"They're athletic, and I think one of the reasons they've been successful is because they have mid-major players playing in a low-level Northeast Conference," Schmidt said.
Schmidt insisted there will be no emotions once the whistle blows and the game begins.
"There's really no emotion. We're just preparing to play Robert Morris," he said. "During the game, I'm coaching my team. It's like playing a pickup game. We might be friends before the game, but during the game you play to win. And then after the game you shake hands."
The Bonnies will begin year two under Schmidt with a new look, as seven new players will take the court this season. Schmidt said the team has been coming along well, but he does not know what to expect with so much inexperience.
"Being inexperienced, from a coach's standpoint, you just never know what to expect, and the unexpected is what a coach doesn't want," he said. "It's going to be interesting to see how we mesh and how we handle a crowd."
In terms of cohesiveness on the court, Schmidt said it is ultimately all up to the players.
"Chemistry is such a unique thing in that sometimes chemistry can be built in three weeks and sometimes it takes six months," he said. "It depends how guys relate to each other and learn how each other plays."
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