Brooks has a core group of seniors up front as the frame for the team he is constructing. Tommy Woods, Mike Kretzer and Tom Chilton give Coach Brooks toughness, experience and skill to rely upon as he builds.  Woods is not extremely gifted offensively but it is always nice having some beef up front that can take up space and grab rebounds. Woods is a rebounding machine who does not score much but has been vital guarding other team’s center even though he vastly undersized for that role.  Woods is almost as legendary around Johnson City as Chesney but it wasn’t always that way.  You see when Woods decided to come up from the Knoxville area to play hoops here he was the first African-American basketball player to enroll at ETSU.   He was ‘harshly booed’ in his first few years and that wasn’t just on the road.  Still, the kid endured and became without question the best rebounder this school has ever had.  At six foot six and a wiry 210 pounds Woods has had two seasons back to back now where he has averaged double digits in rebounds.  Sure, he isn’t much of a scorer except for dunks and putbacks but he is one tenacious defender and board man.  How is he so good?  Well let’s just say this kid can jump out of the gym.  Woods is one of highest (and quickest) leapers in the country and yes he is one terrific shot blocker.  Woods was even recruited by Don Haskins to come play down in Texas and played some pickup games with Big Daddy David Lattin and company. Woods loved the trip but decided to stay close to home (he is from tiny Alcoa just up the road) and play for Brooks and he recalls ‘those guys were much bigger than me and pushed me around pretty good.’ El Paso was in the end just too far away from home but maybe the fans would have been a bit less combative (and racist) even down in Texas.  After all how many kids have to endure getting called racial slurs and getting thrown popcorn and ice at during the game on your OWN home court.  Woods almost left after his first year at ETSU but Brooks convinced him to stay and be himself and that he did.  

Kretzer is the unsung hero of this group.  A six five forward who can score and helps on the boards, he has roots that are not from the South.  Kretzer comes from Springfield New Jersey and plays a different style than most of his teammates.  He is a gamer for sure who relies on smarts but can also hit jumpers from 18 and in all day.  He has not adjusted to the three-point line as of yet but is trying as he knows this team needs better outside shooting and he is a small forward and this is his role.  He might not get the accolades of his other two starting front-line members but Kretzer will start once again and he will be ready to help this team win.

The third part of the mighty triumvirate is Senior Tom Chilton.  Chilton has been the primary offensive weapon for ETSU since he arrived down from Indiana three years ago.  A legend at Austin High School in the Hoosier state Chilton is one heck of an offensive player. When he came here being a six four post player was all the rage in the Ohio Valley Conference (yes ETSU played with all of those Tennessee/Kentucky teams where they belonged).  Times have changed (thank you Rosa Parks) and Chilton has done the work and become a terrific all-around scorer.  He now has developed a solid inside-out game highlighted by a superior mid-range game that at times extends beyond the arc reminiscent of that guy named after an aviary creature.  That might be a bit of an embellishment but old Tom can play.  Of course, with all of the scoring he has been doing (on and off the court) Chilton has never been even close to a championship team.  He will gladly give up some of his scoring if he can finally be on a winner he has stated many times and is looking forward to the new kids that are all of the rage in Johnson City. 

Senior Harley ’Skeeter’ Swift is the team leader will start at the two spot once again.  Swift is as solid all-around guard who excels shooting the ball from behind the arc.  This Alexandria Virginia native is a pure shooter who really can get it going and is known to be a bit of a showman.  He does not mind getting the crowd involved after a big shot or a terrific wrap around pass.  He is truly a hot dog on the court and coming from the streets of DC is not afraid to talk some trash.  When he is on the road he takes an awful lot of heat but he gives it back and he does back it up.  When he was fouled with no time on the clock at Western Carolina down by one he calmly made the first one to tie and then after he let go of the second he walked away from the line knowing it was going in and raised his hands to the fans who had been riding him all night.  He is a legend in the Washington area and has taken his unique game and personality to Johnson City and boy do they love this guy!  You would not even think Swift was a basketball player if you saw him on the street and if you ever talked to him you would think he was running moonshine on the back roads of Tennessee.  He has a barrel chest and the body of a wrestler and has the attitude to match.  At six foot three he has enough height to get his shot off against anyone and let me tell you this Skeeter is not afraid to let it fly.  The funny thing about this muscle bound kid is that he really is a good all-around player who is a terrific ballhandler and passer.  He even played some point in the past but with two new point guards coming to town he will be at his more comfortable position of two guard full-time.  The primary reason Brooks brought in the new might mites at point gaurd was to take a load off Swift and let the pros see what kind of player he was with his great jump shot. The weird thing is that this muscle- bound Adonis is not really great on the boards but of course he is not around the paint often as he likes hanging around beyond the line.  Swift is a solid defender as well who uses his strength to his advantage and will not back away from anyone.  And we do mean anyone!  His ongoing feud with Hal Greer is the kind of stuff you go to basketball games for.  But he, like his senior teammates, have made it clear they want to win the SoCon this year so some of those extracurricular things this program has become infamous for will stop.  Too bad because this kid and his antics are worth the price of admission.  

 A few other veterans will be in line for playing time if they do not get passed up by some of the incoming studs.  Senior Ernie Simes transferred in from a JC and brought some muscle to Johnson City.  This 6’7 220 pound stud from Miami is a true physical beast in the paint who will mix it up with anyone.  He shut down Dave Cowens in a game versus Florida State in his return to the Sunshine State and quickly gained acceptance and notoriety and most importantly serious playing time down the stretch.  Still, he is only 6’7 and though he can guard bigger guys does not bring anything offensively so his role will be limited.  His ascension bumped a quintet of upperclassmen to the back of the bus. Seniors Herb Weaver and Jim Brown (not a running back or movie star) and juniors Bob Brown (not related to Jim), Ron Mitchell and Scott Place barely played the second half and right now there primary concern is making the team this year and not playing time especially with the first seven footer (well, 6’11) in program history coming to town.  Mitchell should stick as he is 6’8 and can bang and board down low but the rest are in real roster jeopardy.  Back court veterans Henry White, Houston Frazier and Willie Malone are in the same boat.  This trio of seniors have produced in the past especially Malone who was a solid combo guard next to Swift but these guys days of playing in Johnson City are in doubt with the new kids coming to town including a pair of second year kids who got some PT last year. 

Sophomore guards Troy Lee Mikell and Wes Stallings are in the mix for some PT this year on a deep bench that really only lacks size.  Mikell is a two guard who started some games next year next to Swift but will now be instant offense off the bench.  He loves getting to the hoop and playing in the key but is not a point guard.  Stallings barely played but has real quicks and could be something if he can get on the court in the crowded back court.  You would think that at 5’11 Stallings would be a point guard and was tried at that last year some but it did not work as he loves to score.  Thus Brooks bringing in the two rookies to battle for the PG spot.  Stallings might have to spend another year on the JV as he played more than half of his game there last year.  Fellow Sophomore big man Winfred King only got in a handful of games late up front and has something that is in short supply in JC.  Height. He had a few huge games and may be a solid backup this season if he decides to stay around Johnson City.  This vagabond has some talent and of course size at six ten with muscle but he was born under a wandering star! Another sophomore named Winfred (had no idea that name was so popular in the South) will get a shot at forward.  Winfred Reid is nowhere near the talent or size (he is a 6’3 small forward) but has grit and can defend.

East Tennessee State is not exactly a basketball hotbed but they have had some good teams.  Just never been able to make it over the hump and it does not help that they seem to change conferences every other year.  They say they are home now in the Southern Conference and there is a brand new team being built in this burgeoning but unknown gem of a town located in the eastern part of the Volunteer state for those geographically challenged.  East Tennessee State University is not taking any chances with their moniker as they have both a direction and a state at the end. They will not be dropping the state from the end which seems to be all of the rage (Memphis, Towson) anytime soon as most fans from across the country simply know them as ETSU. And you don’t mess with that kind of branding.  And for gosh sakes you got to know which part of this beautiful state they are in especially with those long-winded folks from the middle having a similar name though much longer. With the great freshman class coming into town there is hope again in Johnson City and they might just make it to the promised land this city so deserves.  Whether or not these folks will be dancing in March is yet to be determined but this program will get some attention this year. A terrific point guard with a great nickname and a tall skinny center with a cool fade (haircut not jump shot) and a wing who can jump out of the gym will make sure of that.