By Ryan Leshko
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
There were close losses, blowout losses and a few memorable wins in an otherwise disappointing 2018-2019 season for the Towson men’s basketball team.
And there was one overarching theme: The Tigers often came up short on the offensive end. For the season, Towson averaged just 67.8 points per game — last in the CAA.
Coming off a 10-22 season, Skerry is looking to make changes on offense — and that starts with coaching.
“I couldn’t get us over the hump in close games,” Skerry said. “So we didn’t have the type of year that we have been accustomed to having. Now we have more experience. We’ve certainly made adjustments on the offensive side of the ball, and now we have to win close games.”
Towson may have an early shot to show if it can win a close game when it opens the season Tuesday by hosting George Washington (7 p.m., SECU Arena).
The Tigers lost to GW 68-64 last season. One of the bright spots on offense in that game — and on the season — was the play of guard Brian Fobbs. He scored 17 points against George Washington, a team high. Fobbs averaged 17.5 points per game last season, fifth best in the CAA.
Fobbs said he expects better offensive production from his team this season.
“There’s always room for improvement,” Fobbs said. “Last year was a struggle because we had a lot of new guys and we had to get aware of each other and know the system. So I think we have to improve on communication and playing together.”
Fobbs, a senior, looks to assume a leadership role.
“As much as it is on the court, it is definitely off the court, with class and staying out of trouble,” Fobbs said. “The little things, like being nice to people, that goes a long way. If guys see my do that, then why not them do that.”
Skerry said Fobbs and his teammates need to execute better in the final minutes of the game.
“You know when you are out of timeouts, it’s a 2-point game and you’re on the road,” Skerry said. “Make sure you know what you are supposed to execute and now we have to make sure you execute it. A couple of guys have to be rocks for us and [Fobbs] is a guy we’re expecting to do that.”
Fobbs was named to the All-CAA preseason first team — which he is using as motivation coming into the season.
“It’s very exciting,” Fobbs said. “It gives me an opportunity to prove people right or wrong. It’s about getting better every day. When I saw that poll, it encouraged me to push more and play harder.”
Towson struggled shooting last year — its field goal percentage (43.5%) was tied for worst in the CAA its and 3-point shooting percentage (32.7%) was last.
Skerry knows that better shooting — and taking more three-pointers — is key to the team’s success. As is avoiding turnovers — Towson had 10.2 per game, one of the worst in the conference.
“We gotta take care of the ball better,” Skerry said. “If you take care of the ball better, you are probably going to score more points. We didn’t get to the foul line enough last year. We were a good rebounding team, but we have to get to the foul line off of drives and post-ups.”
Skerry said the team has been working in getting into a better offensive flow and being more unselfish. That will be tested early: George Washington will take advantage of any mistake or missed opportunity by its opponent, Skerry said. Last year, Towson turned the ball over 15 times against George Washington.
One of the keys to offensive improvement: talking on offense.
“Last year, we really didn’t have a guy that was really vocal,” Fobbs said. “So this year, it’s me standing out and being a leader. Communication is key because if we talk, we have more trust in each other and we can win more games doing that.”
By Robert Sobus
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Tigers not only like to hunt, they also defend. Despite going 10-22 last season, the Towson men’s basketball team often preyed on opposing teams. Defense was one of the bright spots for a team that underachieved.
The Tigers led the CAA in field goal percentage defense last season (43.6%), held eight teams below 40 percent shooting, had 791 defensive rebounds, 154 steals and 94 blocked shots. Yet they were still outscored by opponents 71.7 to 67.8.
Towson’s first chance to show off its defense comes Tuesday with a home contest against George Washington (7 p.m., SECU Arena).
Heading into the 2019-20 season, the Tigers’ defense scheme is much the same as last year.
“We are going to be very similar this season,” said Towson head coach Pat Skerry. “We are not a tricky defensive team. But for us, it’s get back, try to keep the ball out of the red zone and finish the possession.”
A key player returning for the Tigers this season is redshirt senior Dennis Tunstall. The 6-foot-9 forward played in 32 games, making 27 starts.
During the 2018-19 season, Tunstall led the Tigers in defensive rebounding (144) and blocked shots (31). He had 10 games with at least two blocked shots in the same contest. Tunstall also had a career best five blocked shots against the College of Charleston in February. Tunstall was third in the CAA in blocked shots and 11th in defensive rebounds per game (4.8). His performance on the season earned him a spot on the All-CAA Defensive Team.
“He’s tremendous,” Skerry said. “He is a guy that takes on tremendous strain. He is one of my favorite guys that I have had the opportunity to coach here. He loves playing, he’s competitive, an awesome teammate and unselfish. He is obviously our key.”
Another key defensive player returning for the Tigers is senior forward Nakye Sanders. Sanders appeared in all 32 games, making 23 starts during the 2018-19 season. Sanders finished ninth in the CAA in blocked shots (20) and had 118 defensive rebounds, averaging 5.4 per game.
The Tigers added two players this offseason who look to make an impact on defense.
Freshman forward Charles Thompson had 74 rebounds, 32 steals and seven blocked shots during his senior season at St. Stephens & St. Agnes High School (Va.). Another Tiger looking to make an impact is redshirt junior Juwan Gray, who played two years of basketball at the University of San Diego before transferring to Towson. During his two years at San Diego, Gray had 225 defensive rebounds, 41 steals and 43 blocks.
The Tigers will rely on size and speed on defense.
“I feel like this group can really move,” Skerry said. “We have big frames and it helps us defensively.
Added Tunstall: “Our intensity has gone up on the defensive end. The coach focuses more on defense in practice this season than last season. So I feel like our gameplay is going to be a lot higher.”