Defense—think 2008 Celtics, one of the top three defensive teams in the NBA under Assistant Coach Tom Thibodeau. The Beacons’ Men’s Basketball players aim to be that good.
But the team did not always think of defense. Kadeem Coulter, junior center for the Beacons, said their focus at first was, “Who can put the ball in the basket? […] Who can get up and down the floor?”
A few weeks ago during practice, though, Coulter said, “Everyone was scoring on each other easily and nobody was stopping each other.” Embarrassed by the lack of defense against one another, the players decided to adjust the team’s mindset on their own initiative, not because Coach Charlie Titus forced them.
“After that practice we just kept saying ‘defense,’” said freshman forward Selim Omerovic. Since then the team has preached the word defense before every game and practice. “I feel like that’s going to take us a lot further if we become more of a defensive team [because] I feel like everyone has the ability to put the ball in the basket,” said Coulter.
Two years ago, Men’s Basketball welcomed 11 freshmen who made up most of the team, according to Coulter. “We really didn’t have that experience on our team for us to grow and be better.” The squad now has transfers and eager veterans with needed experience, as well as athletic freshmen, and was projected sixth in the conference preseason poll. “We’re going to make a difference,” William Rosary, a junior guard transfer from California said. “This is it.”
The Beacons kicked off their season with a victory at Franciscan University as part of the first D3hoops.com National Invitational. Sophomore forward Brian Clarke led with 19 points and 11 rebounds. With Saturday’s win, the Beacons celebrated the program’s 300th victory and moved Titus 19 games closer to 300 victories as a head coach. The team is currently 1-2 after dropping a nail-biter to Stevenson and an equally disappointing OT loss at Fitchburg State, but they’re ready to get back on the court.
“Nobody said it’s going to be easy, but as long as we stick together and remember we’re all we got […] we have to take that and run with it and go out and win as many games as possible,” Coulter said. “I just want to win. I want a championship.”