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Point Guard Is Key For Spartans Men

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By MATTHEW POSTINS, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 7, 2007

TAMPA - With four returning starters and some solid pieces on the bench, Richard Schmidt's offseason goal was clear - find a point guard.

The University of Tampa men's basketball coach, entering his 25th season, hopes one of his candidates will fit the bill.

"We needed very badly to get someone that could play the point for us," Schmidt said.

The graduation of Mark Borders after the 2005-06 season left a gap for the Spartans that four different point guards were unable to fill last season. Jonathan Ball came the closest last season, but Schmidt envisions the 6-foot-4, 185-pound junior as an off-guard.

Schmidt said the lack of a true point guard likely held the Spartans back last season, when they finished 15-14 and in fifth place in the Sunshine State Conference.

So Schmidt signed two candidates during the offseason - Edison Community College transfer Mounir Benzegala (5-11, 190) and Bayonne, N.J., freshman Rashad Callaway (5-9, 190). He also has sophomore Jason Baker (6-1, 175) from Detroit, who joined the Spartans last spring.

Early on, Benzegala appears to be the front-runner.

"He's played a couple of years of college ball, and we like what we see with him right now," Schmidt said.

Senior forward Jeremy Black said Benzegala already has given them things in practice the Spartans lacked last year.

"He can pass, he can shoot," the former Blake High product said. "He jells well with the team. No complaints there."

The Spartans need a steady point guard because they have assembled a talented and experienced frontcourt that can score and rebound. Black (6-8, 225) led the Spartans in scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) last season. Chris Evans (6-8, 235) posted similar numbers (13.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg). Additionally, guard Chris King (6-4, 195) averaged 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

All three are seniors. And Schmidt doesn't want that experience to go to waste.

Hence the desire for a true point guard.

"I think I'm at least in a better mood about the point guard," Schmidt said.

Black believes the seniors can help whoever the point is by being reliable when they get the ball.

"We have to finish," Black said. "The point guard is going to make those passes, and if we're not finishing for him he's not going to be as confident as he should be. By us finishing early on and establishing that relationship with him, that's going to help."

Moving Ball to off-guard should help the offense, too. He scored 8.7 points and grabbed 3.6 rebounds last season shuttling between the point and the off-guard.

"I think freeing him up to score is really going to help him and the team," Schmidt said.

As long as someone can get Ball - and everyone else - the ball.

"Point guard is a key position for us, I think," Schmidt said.

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