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Posted: Tuesday October 22, 2002 2:22 PM Updated: Monday October 28, 2002 2:01 PM Richmond Spiders
The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518. Team Preview | Blue Ribbon Analysis
Richmond has a new basketball coach, but he’s not new to Richmond. After traveling to Virginia’s capital city as an opponent for 17 years, the past eight as the head coach at UNC Wilmington, Jerry Wainwright was no stranger to the city, the university or the Spiders’ basketball program. "I’ve been booed by every college basketball fan in this city, be they VCU fans or Richmond fans," said Wainwright, only half kidding. If history holds up, that list will be cut in half. On April 24, Wainwright was hired to succeed John Beilein as Richmond’s head coach. And as long as he and the Spiders stick to what they’ve been doing in recent years, there won’t be anything but cheers resonating throughout the Robins Center.
Wainwright averaged 17 wins during his tenure in Wilmington and led the Seahawks to their first two NCAA berths. Last year, his team went wire-to-wire in the Colonial Athletic Association and won its first NCAA tournament game with a 93-89 victory over Southern California and played eventual runner-up Indiana closely before falling, 76-67, in the second round. Richmond also enjoyed a successful first season in the Atlantic 10, finishing second in the rugged West division and advancing to the conference-tournament final before falling to Xavier. The Spiders, who became just the second team to reach the Atlantic 10 championship game in their first season, went on to play a school-record 36 games before their season finally ended with a loss to Syracuse in an NIT quarterfinal game at a sold-out Robins Center. Both teams also won the same way -- by avoiding turnovers on offense and playing stingy defense. "Even though we do things differently on both ends of the court, our values are the same," said Wainwright, who likes to run a motion offense and play tight man-to-man on defense. Last season the Spiders executed Beilein’s offensive patterns with acute efficiency (their 10.3 turnovers committed per game were second lowest in the nation) and played an effective zone to help compensate for their relative lack of size. They also hoisted 893 3-point shots, which ranked second in the nation behind St. Bonaventure. Richmond and UNC Wilmington did not play last season, but that doesn’t mean Wainwright had to do a lot of research on the Spiders’ personnel before taking the job. "The older players were part of teams that I coached against, and the younger players were guys that I recruited [for UNC Wilmington]," Wainwright said. "My introduction to the players was, by and large, a formality. I don’t know if you can make a more comfortable transition." Wainwright admits he left a good team behind in Wilmington, but the opportunity to coach a quality team in the Atlantic 10 and earn an NCAA bid without having to win his conference tournament appealed to him. "We didn’t live on our expectations, nor were we afraid of them, and that will be the key for this team," Wainwright said. "This league is unbelievable; you’ve got Hall of Fame coaches and NBA players. I really understand that challenge, and that’s why I came here." The second time around the conference will not be easy for Richmond. Opponents know a little bit more about what to expect, and the Spiders will not be able to surprise anyone with their talent. With four starters back, Richmond should be formidable. Wainwright understands that winning coaches don’t mess with success. "I’m not rebuilding a junk car; I’m trying to build up what I already consider a luxury car," Wainwright said. There are several players who can help him dress it up. Mike Skrocki might be the Spiders’ best player. A lanky 6-foot-6 junior, Skrocki (12.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.2 apg) is one of two Richmond players to start every game last season. He runs, jumps and shoots well and saved his best (16.0 ppg) for conference play. Skrocki made 75 3-pointers and is adept at using his off-hand to finish around the basket. A third-team All-Atlantic 10 selection, Skrocki has committed himself to becoming bigger and stronger, which will only make him a better player. "He’s really hard to guard; he’s a tough matchup," Wainwright said. "I’ve really been impressed with his work ethic and desire to get better." If it’s scoring you’re looking for, senior Reggie Brown is the guy. A 6-foot-3 guard with unlimited range, Brown (14.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.4 spg) sank 81 3-point shots last season and topped the 30-point plateau three times. Already a member of the 1,000-point club (1,113), Brown needs to make 57 3-pointers this season to become No. 1 on Richmond’s all-time list. Brown attempted just 100 free throws last season and will become an even better player if he can use his dribble-drive game to get to the basket and free-throw line more often. "He’s got good quickness and good ball skills," Wainwright said. If it’s on-the-ball-defense you like, junior Tony Dobbins is your guy. Dobbins (9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg., 1.1 apg, 2.0 spg), a 6-foot-4 swingman, started only 14 games last season but still secured a spot on the Atlantic 10’s All-Defensive Team. A transfer from Virginia Tech, Dobbins will be playing for the third coach of his college career and could thrive under Wainwright, who doesn’t get hung up on labels and positions and is known for letting his players play. "He’s really active, so one way that Tony can help you is by getting some easy baskets whether it's on offensive rebounds or off some steals," Wainwright said. The list doesn’t stop there. Senior Jeff Myers is "Mr. Intangible," and classmate Jonathan Collins is "Mr. Blocked Shot." Myers (5.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.1 apg), a 6-foot-1 guard, is one of those players Wainwright will not forget. Although he is not known for being a prolific scorer, Myers made a couple of big baskets against UNC Wilmington, and Wainwright is glad to finally have him on his side. "He’s tough as nails, and he’s just a winner," Wainwright said. "He’s also one of the best shooters at his position in our league. He has to be guarded." After averaging just 3.7 minutes per game in his first two seasons, Collins (5.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg) started 30 last season after center Eric Zwayer went down with a broken ankle in the sixth game. The 6-foot-10 Collins made the most of it, setting a school record with 77 blocked shots despite playing about 21 minutes per game. The 6-foot-9 Zwayer (10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) was given a medical red-shirt because he did not play in more than 20 percent of the Spiders’ games. He and Collins should give Richmond, which was out-rebounded by a league-worst 8.1 boards per game, an effective combination at center. "Eric gives you the wide body who is 6-foot-9, and Jonathan is long and deceptive," Wainwright said. Sophomores Patrick O’Malley and Jason Morton will be given a chance to earn more minutes in their second seasons, as Wainwright likes to have close to 10 players average 10 minutes or more per game. O’Malley (3.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg), a 6-foot-8 forward, provided good depth in the post while playing in all 36 games last season. Morton (1.2 ppg) played in 19 games, averaging about 5.6 minutes per game. Transfer Jamaal Scott and four freshmen also will look to fit into the new setup. Scott (15.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 apg in 2000-01), a 6-foot-5 sophomore swingman, was chosen Big West Freshman of the Year at Cal Poly two years ago and should make an impact right away without disrupting any team chemistry. "He’s got a lot of fire, and he’s a tremendous second-bounce player," Wainwright said. "He’s a guy that can take someone’s bad shot and turn it into a three-point play and those guys are invaluable." Wainwright also has been impressed with forward Jermaine Bucknor, a red-shirt freshman from Canada. The 6-foot-7 Bucknor, who averaged 20.2 points and eight rebounds as a senior at Ross Sheppard High School in Edmonton, is relatively young (he turns 19 on Nov. 1) and extremely strong. "Size in basketball is not just vertical; it’s horizontal," Wainwright said. "He’s just one of those kids that is good with the body, is light on his feet and can get down and get you post position." Freshman Tim Mayes, a 6-foot-6 swingman who originally signed with Wainwright at UNC Wilmington, became his first recruit at Richmond in April. Mayes, who averaged 24 points, six rebounds and two assists as a senior at Heritage Christian High School in Houston, is a versatile player with a great shooting stroke. "He can be anything he wants to be," Wainwright said. "He’s a terrific athlete." Will Holloman, a 6-foot-1 guard, and 6-foot-11 center Kevin Steenberge, who both were recruited and signed by Beilein’s staff in November, also will look to make an impact. Holloman (28.3 ppg) is a natural scorer who topped the 40-point mark three times during his senior season at Wolfson High School in Jacksonville, Fla. Steenberge, a member of The Washington Post’s All-Metro team, adds more size and talent to the frontcourt after averaging 24 points and 17 rebounds at River Hill High School in Columbia, Md. With almost everybody back on a UNC Wilmington team that gave Indiana all it could handle in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Wainwright wasn’t going to leave for just any job. But he did leave for Richmond, a team he spent the better part of two decades competing against. That decision should tell you how well respected the Spiders are. Wainwright may tinker with the ingredients, but he isn’t going to change a successful recipe. "When I came here, I liked the taste of the soup," Wainwright said. "Now it’s up to me to adjust the temperature. I really need to get it to boil at the right time." The Spiders have just three seniors on their roster, but will field an experienced, versatile team. Brown and Myers are experienced in the backcourt, and Skrocki could be an emerging star in the league. Dobbins and Collins are first-rate defenders, and Scott brings a lot to the table as a transfer. Myers fills in any gaps that the others don’t cover and a solid freshman class gives Wainwright plenty of talent with which to work. Richmond will tweak the way it does things, but the end result should be close to the same. The Spiders may not be able to overtake Xavier in the West, but they have the look of a postseason team. It’s up to them to win enough games to lock up a spot in the NCAAs after back-to-back NIT bids.
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