The first change the Hawks made last season was to change their name to the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks.  I don’t know why either!  The second was to change coaches.  The Coach who had put made Maryland State into a national power, the Great Nate Taylor, was stepping down.  John Bates who had recruited many of the superb athletes who made this engine run was named to replace him.  Bates was a players coach and let his boys run. They could to that as they averaged over 90 points a game almost as many as they had the two previous historic years in Princess Anne.  Bates, however, decided to leave after some issues with reimbursement as this small little school was having a hard time keeping up with all of the changes going on in college athletics.  To make matters worse he immediately got a job just around the corner in Baltimore with the Coppin State Eagles, arguably the Hawks biggest rival. Those ch ch ch changes (Did I studder?) were big but nowhere near the defection of center Joe Pace, who decided to join his coach in a package deal. Pace is one of the best big men not only in the MEAC but on the entire East Coast.  He is a terrific all-around player but is best at defending the key and rebounding and getting the ball out to his lovin to run teammates.  Think Marvin Barnes without the attitude!  When Pace transferred it left the Hawks is a huge void to fill as they have no one else on the roster who could even attempt to replace him.  He was the center of the Hawk Universe.  How important was he?  Well, let’s just say MES and Coppin State might just flip-flop (that kind of thing is big around these parts) in wins and in order for the MEAC.  IDK but maybe to put into perspective, we should ask the Dons out in San Francisco how good they would be if Mr. Russell decided to transfer to Gonzaga?  Or closer to home how good would the Hoyas be if Patrick Ewing transferred to IDK U Conn?  With all of that said and done this team that once was still has some talent and do have some terrific players coming back.  This team’s success was not all Joe Pace. 

Leading the way now will be junior forward Talvin Skinner.  Skinner would be a role player at a bigger program because he is an undersized post player.  On this team he will now have to be THE star.  Skinner was born and bred in Maryland and staying at home and choosing the Hawks was a big deal around here.  Better suited to be a small forward, Skinner is one heck of a defender and rebounder (he led the team in boards) though at six five he was a bit overmatched at times in the paint.  He does not mind mixing it up however and his baseball passes after a defensive board usually to the fastest Hawk of them all, Rubin ‘the Typhoon’ Collins. ended up in easy baskets for his sidekick in crime.  Skinner is gifted with good post moves and a nose for the ball though he is not exactly a supreme offensive force.  He will make you pay if you underestimate him but he does not have the physical gifts of some others players.  Still, Skinner has two more years to show the fans Of Princess Ann and the scouts for the pros that he is the real deal. Skinner almost averaged two assists a game and over one steal as the ‘fro’ is as the complete package.  Skinner has enough game and definitely has the heart to play at the next level but he will be remembered around these parts as ‘Tab’ the cat who fed the ‘Tuner’ that made the Hawk break go! 

Senior wing Jake Ford is option number one in the Hawk offense.  This Pittsburgh native is a solid all-around player who can really score from mid-range Ford easily led the team in scoring with 15 points a game but also helped on the boards and averaged almost three assists a game.  Like Skinner, Ford is a total package who rarely takes a bad shot and takes pressure off the overmatched boys in the paint.  Ford is an athletic wing who at six three does not mind going inside with the big boys to get his shot off.  This ‘Steel town kid on a Saturday Night’ does not mind getting banged and he will give as good as he gets.  When the Hawks played Hampton Jake went crazy scoring 28 perhaps because his brother coaches the Pirates.  Sibling Rivalry is about as good of a motivator as there is in life!  This year with the Pirates now in the MEAC those games will be even fiercer.  Ford is not a point guard but he can handle the rock and is a solid passer and a good defensive player but his best asset like many other Hawks is his ability to get up and down the court and score.  Ford may get a shot at the next level due to his ability to hit open jump shots and his need to get to the hoop.  He does need to stretch his range out to the three point line a little more but now were just nitpicking.  Ford is one of the best wings on the East coast and wings are the strength of the Hawks program.

Speaking of legendary senior Sonny Lloyd’s phenomenal season was cut short with an unfortunate injury to his knee midway thru the season.  The stud forward missed 10 games midway thru the year but came back down the stretch to give the team a much needed boost.  This six foot seven? physical beast is not the scoring machine he had been earlier in his career but still proved to be an effective sidekick to Skinner at the forward position.  Lloyd was the man at one point in Princess Anne who can flat play this game and was the first superstar this program ever had.  He helped put the Hawks on the map in NAIA basketball but at times was a little above his pay grade.  This dude was a legend in the old CIAA as he led the Hawks to their first tournament title as a freshman scoring 91 points in the three games in earning the MVP award unanimously.  But that was then and this is now and Lloyd, as good as he is, was not the scoring machine he once was.  Still when Lloyd went down any hope for this program becoming serious contenders in the MEAC went down the drain.  Here’s hoping he is back up to snuff for his final year in Princess Anne.  

Juniors Rubin Collins and Reginald Butler split the point for the Hawks.  Well at least to start the year.  Collins is a great all-around player who played wing as well as point and his flexibility is a huge advantage for the Hawks.  He can score and pass and is a monster going inside with the big boys to do his thing.  ‘Tuna’ was a high school legend who some say has a fifty inch vertical leap and is not afraid to use it.  A Princess Anne native ‘Tuner’ was already a legend before he came here and when he chose the hometown Hawks that is when this program went to the next level.  Collins iconic first step quickness and his ability to rise up and dunk over anyone (ask Pace about his torturing him in practice) made him unguardable.  His showdown with Stevie Francis of the mighty Terrapins who is considered one of the best athletic point guards in the ACC was memorable in the Tuna out played Stevie Franchise scoring 28 points on a series of acrobatic and powerful moves to the basket.  His dunk over Joe Smith is legendary around here and will be on some kids wall next year in poster form.  Collins is a team first player and when Bates suggested he move to point to take advantage of his quickness (and the fact that the Hawks were incredibly deep at the wings) he ‘jumped’ at the chance.  Butler was there to help as he is a true point but it soon became obvious this was Collins job to lose.  He did miss some games but when he was on the court Collins was spectacular.  He averaged 13 points a game and over five assists and his ability to run the court WAS the Hawks fast break.  He is the best player to ever come from these parts and has a bright future but his jump shot must improve and he must get better on defense if he is to play at the next level.  No matter how fast you are and how high you can jump you still have to be able to shoot the rock.  Ask that kid Jordan down in Tar Heel land.  As pretty as his shot and as athletic as he is Jordan sat on the bench as a freshman and worked on his jumper as only Dean Smith could sit that kid down.  Bates did sit down Collins a bit as well but this kid loves running and gunning so much and even more flying through the trees who knows if he will ever develop a true jumper.  Oh well as far as this city is concerned there is only one Tuna and he is every bit the GOAT as that Earl guy up in Harlem 

 A true penetrate and dish guy, Butler does not score much but he doesn’t need to.  There are plenty of scorers on this team and Coach Bates was more than happy with Butler’s ability to keep his teammates involved.  Butler’s role as quarterback of this team made him the incumbent starter at the first of the year but with this offense Collins was better suited and to be honest he had to get his athleticism on the court.  Butler faded into a backup role and then he got hurt  midway through the year and opened the door for first year player Donnell Boney to get some PT behind Collins.  Boney took full advantage and could be the main guy next year.  He is much more of a true facilitator than Collins but can also score.  He is good athlete though obviously nowhere near the level of Collins.  Junior Billy Gordon was also in this mix as a combo guard and is very reliable wherever he is needed.  He had some huge games but got caught in the shuffle of having too many wing guards. 

Another Junior, Kenny ‘Chick’ Simmons is one of the leaders of the team.  A good all-round player who does what it takes to win.  Simmons isn’t all that athletic but has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and can really score.  Chick might be the most consistent performer on the team outside of Skinner and came to play every night.  He was made a starter last year but still only averaged around 20 minutes a game as Bates rotated freely on the wings and he had the talent to do it.  Simmons should be starting again this season at one of the wings and will be a primary offensive force.  Hopefully he can average more than 20 minutes as this team is better with this gamer on the court. 

A pair of senior guards stepped up off the bench and had fine years in Princess Anne.  Ken McBride and Levi Fontaine combine to give the Hawks great depth on the wings.  Both can shoot and are solid contributors when they are called upon.  Neither is a great athlete but their great shooting and understanding of the game makes up for it.  McBride was upset to begin last year as he was put on the pine behind Ford and Simmons as he and Lloyd were the first stars in this program.  He played well in light of his becoming a sixth man.  This role fits him better as he can flat shoot the ball from downtown and gets the green light at all times when he comes in. Fontaine is also a solid offensive player (who isn’t on this team) but at six four can also guard athletic wings.  His ability to run the court and finish will continue to get him minutes and there is not team in this league with a player like Fontaine as their 9th or maybe even 10th man.

Senior James ‘Bones’ Morgan is the closest thing the Hawks have to an inside force and will be getting his starting job back this year. Morgan can bang but is vastly undersized at 6’7 195 pounds.  He actually rebounds better than you would expect but boy does he get manhandled sometimes.  He must improve on the offensive end but he is the most consistent true post guy they have in Princess Anne especially with the transfer of Mr. Pace.  The Hawks have to find someone to replace this cat and it will not be easy and the roster is full of guards and wings.  The new coach (the program has not decided yet but for now Taylor is back at least on an interim basis) would not mind finding someone a little bigger to play this role.  Still Bones (and he does fit that nickname) does do the dirty work inside and is tremendous on the boards. 

Bates used a plethora of players trying to find quality depth and good roles for his guys up front.  Seniors Eddie and Jesse Williams and Trent Harris were first in line.  Williams is a terrific offensive weapon but vastly undersized and the beating down low took it’s toll as he went down with injury.  Harris and Williams are solid board guys but were not suited for the fast-paced style Bates integrated.  Junior Jack Bryant got some quality minutes on the JV but we will see if he is ready to contribute up front.  They need him. Things are so desperate that they went to the football team looking for some big men to help out.  Seniors Art Shell and Clarence Clemons, who start next to each other on the left side of the line, got a tryout and might make the team.  Shell goes 6’5 265 and Clemons is 6’4 240 so they have a little more beef than the guys on the roster and in this league you need beef down low.  Whether or not they play will be seen and it will not be before the football season is finished but these two friends sure had some fun this summer banging in the paint with Morgan (who was giving up about 100 pounds to these two) and company.

In a year of transition the Maryland State basketball program made some wholesale changes which is weird because this program was a dominant NAIA team.  But the times they are a changing and the conference this team put on the map was moving forward into the world of big-time basketball and these Trail Blazers were not going to be left behind. The Now Maryland-Eastern-Shore Hawks have the talent to consistently compete with the better teams of the NCAA.  Or should I say had.  The loss of their most important player, Joe Pace, to fellow MEAC brethren Coppin State is as big of a loss as there was to any team in the country.   A preseason favorite to win the MEAC after a terrific season last year that saw the Hawks be the first HBC to play in the NIT (and they actually won a game in MSG), those prognostications have changed dramatically over the last few months in Princess Anne. That was then and this is now comes to mind and the reality is now clear that this program was not ready for Pace’s defection as Bates and company had recruited too many wings to fit their fast break style.   The lack of a low post presence hurts this team’s chances but it is not like the cupboard is bare.  Taylor’s (or whoever takes over here) main job to restock their cupboard and try to find some big men who can play this game somewhere near the level of enigmatic Pace.  That will be easier said than done! 

Since we started with Bowie, let’s end with some Springsteen.  In the words of the Boss “I left my wife and Kids in Baltimore Jack, went out for a ride and I never went back.’ Sounds apropos.