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LOCATION: Greenville, NC
CONFERENCE: Colonial Athletic Association
LAST SEASON: 13-14 (.481)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-9 (7th)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 1/4
NICKNAME: Pirates
COLORS: Purple & Gold
HOMECOURT: Minges Coliseum (7,500)
COACH: Bill Herrion (Merrimack,'81)
record at school First year
career record 167-71 (8 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Steve Clifford (Maine '81)
Richard Morgan (Virginia '89)
Dee Vick (Hampden-Sydney, '94)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 18-17-17-10-13
RPI (last 5 years) 171-171-97-217-206
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference first round.
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Bill Herrion? Bill Herrion? When word first leaked that Herrion was being courted by East Carolina to leave Drexel and replace Joe Dooley as the Pirates' coach, there was a universal feeling of disbelief. Former Virginia coach Jeff Jones was supposed to be in the running. There was even talk of Wimp Sanderson, given his Arkansas-Little Rock connection to ECU athletic director Mike Hamrick. Herrion's interest caught everyone by surprise and the general reaction among his new peers when he took the job was, "Oh, cripes." No one believed Dooley actually resigned, and his ouster wasn't very popular around the CAA. "In defense of Joe Dooley, he had a couple of major injuries last year," Herrion said. Dooley was a well-respected young coach. There's a major difference with Herrion. Dooley was well-respected but hadn't really done anything. Herrion is a very well-respected young coach who has done plenty. He had Drexel in the America East final seven times in eight years and won three straight championships with the Dragons. He's proven.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH B+
FRONTCOURT A- INTANGIBLES B+
Herrion's players have to spend more time with the coach than they do with trainer Jim Bazluki. It's that simple. Bazluki is a fine fellow, but too much time with the trainer is never a good thing and that's what killed the Pirates last season. No one else in the league will have the size and versatility up front that ECU will have with Evaldas Jocys, Neil Punt, Quincy Hall and Alphonse van Ierland. Sophomore Randy Barnes adds an unknown who will probably turn out to be a quality addition. With all of them in one piece, Herrion has plenty of flexibility to produce mismatches at all three frontcourt spots. Increased inside production will make it easier to free up Garrett Blackwelder, who can hit the open three-pointer as well as anyone in the CAA. He can be a zone killer and, with sophomore Brandon Hawkins, gives the Pirates a pair of bombers. Who will get all these folks the ball? Brandon Hawkins and Kenyatta Brown can do the job. It's not like they have to be great, though Hawkins has that type of ability. They just have to be smart. Unless everyone gets hurt again. Then they have to be smart, great and play center, too. Herrion is a winner. He'll find a way to convince the Pirates that they are, too. You can argue all you want that ECU should have given Joe Dooley another chance as coach. You can't argue in any fashion with the replacement. |
The thought of him in charge of East Carolina's talent is unsettling to other CAA coaches. "We had Drexel in our tournament (at Tennessee-Chattanooga)," said Virginia Commonwealth coach Mack McCarthy. "I loved watching his team play. I thought he did an extraordinary job. The thing I really liked is they were extremely efficient on both ends of the floor. He had a really tough team, which I think reflects him." Said George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, "Bill Herrion coming in has solidified the Colonial Athletic Assocation in terms of continuing to attract top-level coaches." Herrion indeed continues a trend. Veteran coaches with good records elsewhere have moved in Charlie Woollum at William & Mary (late of Bucknell), Larranaga at Mason (Bowling Green), John Beilein at Richmond (Canisius), McCarthy at VCU (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Jeff Capel at Old Dominion (Fayetteville State, North Carolina A&T) and now Herrion. "When I was an assistant at Boston University in the late '80s, I always looked at this league as underrated with quality teams," Herrion said. "I've kind of compared it to the Missouri Valley, and I think the day we get more than one team in the NCAA is not far away." Herrion has a fine shot at making the Pirates an NCAA team this year. ECU hasn't been anywhere after the season since it won the 1993 CAA Tournament and lost to North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. "I think what's happened with our kids at East Carolina is that they really haven't been exposed to winning," Herrion said. "Everyone has mentioned on paper we have talent and ability. Those things on paper don't win championships. "I'm really excited. I think we have a chance to be a good team right away. If we can keep guys healthy and get a full year out of people ... we have the bodies and the depth." The key body is that of 6-9 senior forward Evaldas Jocys, who made quite an impression last season when a leg injury didn't keep him pinned to the bench. He missed nine games and was limited in several others. He still managed to average 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. He shot 42.5 percent from three-point range. Jocys is one of those guys who elevates others. An anecdote: Two CAA observers were talking about Jocys before one of them was to see him play for the first time. ECU won the game in question, though Jocys only had seven points and five rebounds. The other observer was quite impressed anyway. Jocys had five assists in that game. "He's a very talented kid, but I think what we need is for him to be a lot more versatile," Herrion said. "I think he can do a lot more things around the basket. He has to become a better rebounder. "(But) he is a talented kid and to be a good team, you do need kids who can play." Neil Punt (7.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg), a 6-8, 230-pound senior, provides the Pirates with a solid "garbage man" type player at power forward. He's not going to carry a team, but he will do what's necessary and make the shots he gets. He was a 54.1 percent shooter a year ago. Punt is rugged. Herrion has his pick of 7-footers if they're healthy. Quincy Hall, a 220-pound senior, is a resilient sort who has had both knees reconstructed. Last year he played in all 27 games (7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg). As his legs get stronger, he'll be able to do more. Various injuries limited 230-pound Alphons Van Ierland (2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg) to 17 games. Having both available full time would be a tremendous bonus. A knee injury ruined the season of 6-7 junior Steven Branch (4.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg), a 56.5 percent shooter, after only 15 games. His health is a key, too. "He's right on track," Herrion said. In 6-2 senior guard Garrett Blackwelder (11.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg), ECU has one of the CAA's finer shooters. He made 46 three-pointers last year and was fifth in the league at 39 percent from behind the arc. He's not much of a creater, but leave him open and you're dead. Sophomore guard Brandon Hawkins (9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg) was one of the league's better rookies last season. The 6-2 Hawkins made two more three-pointers than Blackwelder, but needed 16 more shots. He did pass for 79 assists, second on the team to the departed Alico Dunk, and could end up at the point. ECU's other returning starter is 6-4 junior swingman David Taylor (7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg). He can do a little of everything, though nothing really stands out. Taylor may see some of his minutes go to a healthy Branch or to newcomer Randy Barnes, a 6-6 sophomore who sat out last year after transferring from Lenoir-Rhyne College (19 ppg, 10 rpg two years ago). ECU's depth at guard will come from 6-4 sophomore Kenyatta Brown, 6-5 junior Vinston Sharpe and 6-1 freshman Travis Holcomb-Faye. Brown played in 18 games last year (2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg), Sharpe in 18 (1.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg). Holcomb averaged 16.o points and 6.0 rebounds last season at R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. Herrion hopes some serious offseason work goes a long way toward limiting injuries. "We've really concentrated on our physical development," he said. "They've done the job in the weight room. They've all gotten stronger."
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