I Got Next!
B-CU ended a three game skid Monday night with an 86-63 bashing of the Stetson University Hatters in Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. In every conversation I have with Head coach Gravelle Craig, the man is stressing defense. When I dig the Cage Cats during practice, he is animated about defense. Dig this after game quote. “Defense initiated offense. We had some easy baskets off defense.”
B-CU forced Stetson into turnovers on its first three possessions, within the first five minutes they jumped to an 11-3 lead. The Wildcats used an up-tempo style and blasted from beyond the arc to take the early advantage. It was cool sitting behind the bench and clapping it up with my hoops kinfolk (In this case injured B-CU players). I also got some great shots. Coach C. is a man of few words. Allow me to expound upon what he said. Adrien Coleman dropped 29 points to lead a well balance B-CU offensive game. Paul Scotland dropped 15 while Kevin Dukes was good for 13 mostly from long range.
B-CU led throughout the contest. Stetson (2-4) never got closer than a dozen 58-45 with about 11:00 to ball. The Hatters allowed the Wildcats (3-6) to shoot 63.5 percent from the field. Adam Pegg led the Hatters with 17 points in the defeat.
“They played harder, and they played better,” Stetson head coach Casey Alexander said. “There really isn’t any other explanation needed. They played better in every facet of the game. We picked things up a bit in the second half, but we dug too big of a hole to start.” The man seemed a tad heated.
“Anytime you beat your rival it’s a good win. Stetson is a talented team,” Craig said. Stetson is located in DeLand, within Volusia County. Again, let me fill in a little information from a different perspective.
B-CU is 91 percent Black. Stetson is not. Stetson’s faculty, staff and students were mostly white as the university celebrated its Centennial 25 years ago. Stetson’s serious commitment to diversity began in the late 1980s.
For the record, Stetson’s main rivals include the University of Central Florida, Jacksonville University, and Mercer University.
Next up is Webber International, who isn’t from Florida at all…It’s going down Saturday, Dec. 08 at Moore Gymnasium at 4:00 p.m. If you’ve never dug a B-CU afternoon basketball game, you are in for a treat. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be right behind the team looking like I’m ready to go in cause I Got Next!
