DCCC men’s basketball team heads into the 2009 season with first year head coach, Johnny Woods, a social studies teacher at Lindenwold High School in New Jersey, and a whole new starting lineup.
Left to Right Back Row: Babajide Aiyebo, Steven Thompson, Keenan Rand, Mark Kieh, Manager Dameian Winns, and Coach Johnny Woods.Left to Right Front Row: Assistant Coach Anthony Marks, Patrizio Capolli, Dwayne Deloatch, Daniel Diez-Merida, Tyrek Rambert, and Nathan Wyatt.
Thompson told The Communitarian that The Phantoms beat Johnson College 74-64 on Tuesday, Dec. 1, the same night this photo was taken.
(Photo courtesy of Kayla Monaghan)
The Phantoms are looking to fill some big holes after losing key departures such as Roderick Haynes, who went on to further his education and basketball career at Lock Haven University and Derrick Evans, a 2008 Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate All-Conference selection.
The team is looking forward to big things from education majors Zak Thomas, 21, and Tyrek Rambert, 19, as well as Steven “Chunky” Thompson, 20, who is currently undecided on his major, to improve on a 2008 record of 7 wins and 12 losses.
Last year, the Phantoms made it to the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC) playoffs, but eventually lost to league champion Lehigh Carbon Community College.
Woods believes there are advantages and disadvantages with having a new group, but feels the positives outweigh the negatives.
“One down side is that most of this year’s team has never played together,” Woods said. “This may result in a lack of team chemistry.”
On the other hand, he feels that with having a new squad, everybody has a clean slate and everything is new and exciting.
Woods said team chemistry takes time, but when they do get there, they will be a handful for any team to handle on the court.
“We’re just ironing out the wrinkles right now,” Rambert said. “Things are moving a little slowly, but as a team we’re definitely progressing.”
Woods and assistant coach Anthony Marks plan on running a couple of offenses, including the flex and the high-low offense, to allow each of their players to become an offensive threat.
For the defense, Woods plans on being extremely aggressive, jumping from man-to-man assignments to zone sets throughout the game.
“The coaches show us a lot of support,” said Baba Jide, 19, a liberal arts major. “They are patient with us and they have a high basketball IQ.”
The young Phantoms have first quarter energy that few teams can compete with, but they’ve had their fair share of fourth quarter troubles, which can account for their record being below expectations.
The Phantoms are winless in six games, but hope to change that tonight at Bucks County Community College at 8 p.m.
“Right now the team is 0-6,” Rambert added. “But not for long. That will soon change!”
The team as a whole is dealing with problems in the right manner and we are taking everything as a learning experience, Jide added.
“This is a slow process, but the team is beginning to gel,” said Andrew Johnson Jr., director of Wellness, Athletics and Recreation. “The team has a lot of talent and potential to turn things around in the right direction.”
Although the team started the season off in the wrong direction, fans and players believe the team is making strides in the right direction.
“We started off not knowing many of our teammates,” Rambert said. “We weren’t gelling as a unit and we were thinking about the individual instead of the team. Now that we are getting to know each other off the court, we’re beginning to develop trust, which will then bring wins and then playoffs.”
Woods said he has many goals to accomplish this year, on and off the court.
“As a team, our goal is to get better every day and we want to make it back to the playoffs,” Woods said. “Here at DCCC, I am given a great opportunity to help mold good basketball players and young men into great basketball players and even better men.”
“Come out to support and help your fellow classmates turn the season around,” Johnson added. “All home games are played in Bruder Gymnasium, located on Neumann University’s campus.”
Contact Joe Giotti at
communitarian@mail.dccc.edu
