Tigers to iron out a few kinks

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

David C. Minkin

Head coach Josh Pastner, left, gives some pointers to sophomore forward Tarik Black.

 

With two days remaining before their next exhibition game and less than a week from the official start of the season, the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team still has some tweaks to tend to, according to head coach Josh Pastner. With Friday's matchup against Christian Brothers University, the Tigers have the chance to address those issues one more time.

"Some of the things we tweaked was that a lot of the offensive rebounds that we gave up were a result of us not getting back off the press," Pastner said. "Christian Bothers gives us a totally different style than LeMoyne-Owen, which I think will be good for us to be able to prepare for conference play, because you always see different styles."

While Memphis adjusts those different styles, CBU will have to account for the Tigers carousel roster, as Pastner is still mum on a starting lineup and plans to continue spreading out playing time. The third year head coach said his team will have multiple starters throughout the season.

"Going into last game I was playing everybody," he said. "This game I am going to try to go with a more game-like situation, but I keep telling everyone that we don't have a set rotation – we have eight to nine starters. The guys know it, they understand it – those are the facts."

No matter who plays and how many minutes they play, Pastner wants his team's identity to be made on the defensive end of the floor.

"Our whole team, our whole identity this year has to be on the defensive end of the floor," he said. "Because as fast as we are, the one way to use our speed and quickness is to get stops – but we've got to rebound the ball. So our two biggest things are ball pressure, not giving other teams open threes and have the same type of game we had last game turnover-wise, with 11. I was proud of the guys for that."

Though Pastner doesn't quite know how the rotation will pan out this season, there will be one player unavailable to him for 30 or more games. Junior guard and forward Drew Barham decided to redshirt this season in hopes to have a better opportunity to play next season.

"It was a tough decision, but I thought it was the best decision at the moment and for my future," Barham said. "I have a lot that I can improve on to be ready for the next two years. I can have a strong junior and senior year as opposed to maybe a somewhat average junior and senior year."