USA Basketball Poised to Contend in the Sun Belt

With seven returning players, including all five starters the South Alabama basketball team is poised to make a run at the Sun Belt Title.  It all starts with forward Augustine Rubit who was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team.  Rubit was second in the Sun Belt in scoring last season and first in rebounds.  Rubit, a junior forward, understands he will be the focal point of opposing defenses this year.  "I gotta to learn to pass it out cause I'm going to get the opportunity,  I'm going to get the ball," Rubit said during the team's fan day.  "So every time they do double, pass it out and then when I have a quick opportunity to score I gotta score real quick."

While Rubit is dangerous in the paint guard Freddie Goldstein is a scoring threat from the outside.  Goldstein was first in the conference in three pointers made per game.  He was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team.  Joining him on the third team was Javier Carter.  He lead the league in blocked shots a year ago.  Add in sophomore Mychal Ammons on the wing - he was third on the team in scoring last year - and the Jags have a solid nucleus going into the season.  Coach Ronnie Arrow knows that is a bonus leading into their season opener against Florida State.  "I think early you're as good as your returning players," Arrow said.  "We hope to get off to a good start, we have to because the first round out of the box is Florida State, so, it's not one of these other schools.  We're hitting it hard and I hope that the Canada trip prepared us.  They got us good their last year, we want to show up this year and have a good showing and win."


Even though last year's starter at point guard Trey Anderson returns that position is wide open.  Coach Arrow was impressed by newcomer Dre Connor on the trip to Canada.  Connor played his freshman season at Towson and joins the jags from Labette junior college in Kansas.  Xavier Roberson is also expected to make an impact at shooting guard.  The sharpshooter had his season cut short last year after eight games beacuse of a foot injury.  Look for 6'10" freshman Viktor Juricek to contribute in the post.  At the very least he should be a solid rebounder and protect the basket while Carter or Rubit are on the bench.  It's been six years since South Alabama won a Sun Belt Title outright.  This is arguably their best team in that time.  In a poll of the league's coaches USA was picked to finish second in the East Division behind Middle Tennessee.  South Alabama hoops fans have a reason to be excited about the upcoming season, with several experienced players leading the way, the Jaguars could be headed for a special year.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban Amazes the Legendary Bobby Bowden

Even with close to forty years of FBS coaching experience under his belt, former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden still marvels at the job coach Nick Saban has done at Alabama.  “I’m amazed but he’s doing it so doggone much that you get where you’re not amazed anymore,” Bowden said during the 1st and 10 Club meeting.  His Seminoles teams played for the national title three straight years from 1998-2000, winning once in 1999, he also won a title in 1993.  Saban has won two  titles in three years and Bowden acknowledges that's no easy feat.  “The thing that I found out in coaching it’s easier to get to the top than to stay there," he said.  Staying there is what's tough…I think he wins about every time he goes and plays for a national championship.  So don’t be surprised if they're not back in there again this year.”

 

Bowden believes the key to Saban’s success lies in his ability to identify star players.  “The thing that I think he does probably as good as anybody in the country - analyze talent," he said.  You know you can go out and recruit, you get a kid, 'Boy, he’s All-World' and 'Oh he’s the greatest thing,' and maybe he's not as good as you hear.  And I think he has a knack for recognizing what the potential of a guy is and what he can do.  I think he does about as good a job there as anybody."

 

According to Bowden there are a bevy of players with potential in Florida and that is one reason the Gators are in the national title picture this year.  “Everybody comes to Florida to get athletes, Florida, Florida St. and Miami usually get the first shot at them.  Once somebody can get it together and that’s what (Coach) Muschamp has done to me they look as good as anybody,” Bowden said.

 

 

 

Florida State’s national title hopes took a bit hit this year with their 17-16 loss to NC State.  It’s a scenario that Bowden knows all to well.  “Been there done that,” Bowden said. In 98 Bowden’s Seminoles team was ranked #2 in the Country.  They scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 74 yard touchdown pass from Chris Weinke to Peter Warrick but lost the game 24-7 to the Wolfpack.  Despite the loss the Seminoles still played in the national championship but fell to Tennessee.

 

Bowden is the all time FBS leader with 377 wins and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.  He has a myriad of memories and as his 83^rd birthday approaches in just a few weeks one thing he doesn’t wish for is to be back on the sidelines.  “I really don’t miss coaching one bit," he said.  "When you’re coaching you can’t watch anybody.  You can only watch yourself. You know, you play a game, grade the film, show the film to the boys the next day, then you get on the next opponent. I don’t get to see what everybody else is doing.  So now I get to watch everybody and I really enjoy that."  When he’s not watching football Bowden has been known to enjoy a few rounds of golf.  He actually hit his first hole in one in Mobile on Monday.