Leading the way all year long once again will junior big man Rick Mahorn.  And we do mean big at 6/10 240 and solid as a rock.  Somehow Ford convinced this Hartford kid to come down to Hampton and the rest is Pirate history.  The beefy Mahorn takes up more space down low than a Mac truck.  He has a huge butt and knows how to use it.  Simply put Mahorn knows how to play this game.  He has a reputation for being mean and ornery and nasty but that is all part of his game as he knows how to get under the skin of whoever he is facing. He uses all of the tools in his kit to get the trick done. Don’t get me wrong Ricky is also a guy you want on your side no matter who you are facing.  He will not back down.  You dare not go into his area or he will knock you on your ass.  His back screens are legendary and if you are a guard on the perimeter your head better be on a swivel.  Mahorn is also a solid scorer with a nice touch.  He is terrific at using his massive strength to post up and he knows what to do when he gets the ball.  He does not have range outside of five feet however so most of his damage is close to the basket.  A great rebounder which is pretty incredible as this guy can barely jump over the end line, Mahorn may become the first Pirate to play at the next level.  His leadership and toughness would suggest he would but he must become a little more offensive minded (even though he scored over 15 a game he does have a tendency to pass up shots) if he will succeed against better talent.  And perhaps develop a bit of a jumper let’s say up to about 15 feet?  If he does that the world is his oyster because the Pros salivate over a guy that goes six ten and about 240 and is willing to do all of the physical things this guy seemingly relishes doing on the basketball court.  Most guys today shy away from that kind of basketball!  Not Ricky!  He loves every minute of it and you know what he does not care what you think about him!  He has got one more year here though and the leader of the Pirates is the perfect guy to lead this team to the buried treasure no matter what he has got to do to get his team there. 

Ford does not have any concerns at the point guard either as the incumbent is one heck of a stud.  Sophomore Darryl Warwick took over the point guard position in his first year here and never looked back.  Warwick is a good ball handler with a nice touch and a knack for getting to the hoop.  Warwick gave up points so he could get the big guys the ball in the Pirates half court sets.  He is not overly athletic but gets the job done and his toughness and consistency were huge factors in this team’s rise to the top.  Junior Tyrome Best (yes Rome) was his biggest challenged and the first ten games they almost split time but Warwick pulled away.  Best can score and dish but is not as dynamic as Warwick.  

Starting next to Mahorn at post will be another second year player.  Sophomore Gregory ‘White Nights’ Hines was the sixth man backing up on the post last year but should take over the starting role with some vets moving on.  He is a good all-around post player that scores and rebounds but is not a superior defender.  ‘Duncan’ Hines (that nickname fit to a T as he led the team with 42 dunks, Mahorn led the team in scoring and had all of four) adjusted well to D-1 and was a perfect complement at the four to Mahorn’s five. Hines averaged over ten points and this terrific leaper also grabbed over seven boards a game coming off the bench.  He was playing almost 25 minutes a game by the end though.  Pretty dang good productivity for a guy who didn’t start a game last year, can’t wait to see what he does as the starter.  Another sophomore, Tony Washington, got his fair share of minutes and shined as an offensive force for the second team.  This 6’2 guard from Denmark (South Carolina, he is not dutch) can score and will push to start at the two next to Warwick.   Junior Prentice Hill was a primary offensive weapon off the bench but will compete for one of the two open wing spots.  He is not a long-range guy but is athletic and can finish. The Pirates definitely need to find a few guys who can shoot the long ball to keep them off Mahorn and Hines down low. Speaking of the post, Ford has a large crew of big men who were nowhere near Mahorn or Hines but did get some minutes off the pine in some blowouts and limited situations.  There is plenty of size here as Seniors Harold James and Robert Kornegay, Juniors Marvin Payne and Wayne Britt and Sophomore Cedric Miller all have size and skills.  James started some games last year and Kornegay was solid off the bench.  Payne has the most upside and has some wars with his fellow junior.  This upperclassmen ws tough in practice banging on Mahorn and the ‘kid’ but still got most of his minutes on JV last year.  That needs to change as Payne can bring the er…pain.  Britt is a board guy and Miller can block a shot but none of these guys close to that starting pair in talent.  If either of the terrific duo falters one of these guys will be ready.  And in the MEAC you need depth especially up front.  This league is not for the feint of heart.  

The Hampton Pirates almost shocked the world to come from nowhere before the year to tying for third in the regular season and within a few seconds of playing in the national tournament.  They came up just short but really turned on the fans in this Virginia town.  Monster big man Rick Mahorn was the leader of this young team and has two more years to terrorize the MEAC with his legendary screens and blockouts.  He is trying to teach and lead a group of talented but green underclassmen to the buried treasure and hopefully find the gold of the MEAC championship.  That is not as far-fetched as it may seem as this group of Bucs can bang and run with almost anyone. Now if they can get some shooters, watch out! The Pirates will be back for more this year and Aaaarrrgghhh they could unseat Captain Jack Sparrow as the most popular pirates in the country.  Or at least in the mighty MEAC!