Central Arkansas beefs up defense

Thursday, November 8, 2012

— Central Arkansas was the worst defensive team in Southland Conference men’s basketball last season.

Coach Corliss Williamson said he hopes to improve the Bears’ defensive fortunes entering his third season.

The Bears averaged 71.0 points per game, fifth in the Southland, but they allowed 81.8 points per game on their way to an 8-21 finish and a 3-13 Southland record last season.

“We were able to score on just about anyone,” Willamson said Wednesday at UCA’s media day. “It came down to us struggling was on the defensive end, whether it was giving up points in transition or open threes. Those are definitely some of the areas we’ve definitely been stressing and trying to focus on. We’re learning how to stop people. You can’t just rely on scoring points.

“We have the athleticism this year that we didn’t have in the past to be a better defensive team.”

One player Williamson looks to lead the Bears this season is junior college transfer DeShone McClure. Mc-Clure, a 6-3, 175-pound junior guard from Jacksonville, averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals per game at Navarro (Texas) College last season.

“I believe he’s going to be the heart and soul of our team because of his energy and his competitive drive that he brings to practice every day,” Williamson said. “If he brings that and continues to play that during the season, our other guys will feed off of that.”

McClure will join junior guard LaQuentin Miles (14.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg), senior guardJarvis Garner (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), senior forward Robert Crawford (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and junior forward Jordan Harks (7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) in the Bears’ starting lineup Saturday in their season opener atArizona State.

With 6-10 senior center Anthony Borden missing the fall semester because of academic ineligibility, Harks, 6-8, 210 pounds, will be the Bears’ tallest player in the starting lineup at least in the nonconference portion of UCA’s schedule.

Harks said improved trust and team chemistry are two reasons why UCA could improve from the past two seasons in which it was a combined 13-45 under Williamson.

“Last year, we didn’t have a full trust in everyone to make a shot, to make a pass, to get a rebound,” Harks said. “I think this year I’ll be more of a distributor because we have three guys who can score really well. I know that we canscore. If I play my role, I know we can be successful.”

UCA’s first-year women’s coach, Sandra Rushing, said Wednesday that while she recognizes the Sugar Bears were the second-best defensive team in the Southland Conference last season, when they allowed only 54.0 points per game, she is looking to put her own defensive stamp on the team.

“There’s a few things as a coach that I’m trying to implement into my philosophy and into this team,” Rushing said. “They’ve adjusted well to it.”

Guard Britney Gowans, one of six seniors on UCA’s roster, said she appreciates Rushing’s defensive style and believes it is good for a veteran team such as the Sugar Bears, who finished 24-7 last season, won the Southland’s regular-season title and made its first WNIT appearance.

“It is way more aggressive,” Gowans said. “I think it will shake some people up. What I like the most about Coach Rushing is you always know where you stand with her. There’s no gray area.

“She’s going to let you know what she needs and what she expects from you.”

Sports, Pages 28 on 11/08/2012