Marshall is a University that is most known for bringing in talented players and giving them a chance when other wouldn’t.  That is the rep of the football program primarily out of need as the team needed players to suit up to make a full team and giving someone like Randy Moss a chance of course was a no brainer.   Coach Henderson has the same kind of philosophy in part because he used to be the football coach at Marshall too. Henderson has found some players that for some reason none of the major universities wanted and given them a place to play.  These are talented kids who might not have the discipline or the grades to play for a Duke or Indiana.  They do have talent and this team was pretty darn good once they realized how to play together. 

It is not the easiest thing in the world to coach talented kids.  Especially when these kids are all gifted usually in the same skill which for Marshall is scoring.  Coach Henderson has brought in several scorers to this University and the guys had to learn to share the ball.   Henderson also has developed a fast break concept that many teams are looking to copy.  This high octane offense enable the Huntington boys to average over 88 points a game but even with one of the most gifted board men in the country the Marshall had a hard time rebounding and more importantly stopping the other team from scoring.  With all of this offensive talent it is hard to find complimentary players to do the dirty work of defending and rebounding.  Of course, when you have a lineup that’s biggest guy is six five even in the smallish SoCon (and especially against some of the big time programs they played) you are going to have problems in these areas.  Marshall struggled finding consistency most of the year but got it all together at the end.  Marshall won their last six games of the season and had a good chance at postseason play but got beat in the second round of the conference tournament.  The 17 and 13 overall record which Marshall earned was not quite enough for a NIT bid though the schedule was filled with post season teams.  Still, this was a successful season in the Southern conference as these kids learned how to play together and how to win together.  Most of them will return.  

Is it possible for one player to be both the Jackie Robinson and the Hank Aaron for a program?  In the case of Marshall they have one such player and that is none other than senior guard Harold Everett Greer.  ‘Hal Greer’ is a hometown kid who was the first black athlete recruited to play in the MAC.  Just playing was a major accomplishment so no worries that he had to take a backseat to senior scoring machines Leo Byrd and Walt Walowac for the first two years on campus. Last year Greer was ready to take over the leadership along with becoming the primary offensive weapon for the mighty Marshall.  He did all of that and more. One of the things Greer has learned being second fiddle and having to earn his role is that he will not take bad shots.  Even though he increased his average by over 6 points game this year averaging over 18 a game he still shot a remarkable 54 percent from the field.  He is almost as potent from the charity stripe shooting over 80 percent (with his unique style of actually shooting that pretty jump shot from the line) and getting there almost six times a game.  But he relies on a picture- perfect jumper that this year he stretched out beyond the three point line. The season did not start well for Marshall. The fans were so worn down from the emotional season that was the rebirth of the football program they were not quite ready to fill up the huge new arena that is only a couple of years old. Greer took it upon himself to lead them out of their doldrums and he did.  He also earned 1st team SoCon honors averaging over 15 a game. He also was a huge help on the boards with over 7 a game.  And they needed it.  Marshall finished with a solid 17 ad 13 record but did not even get a sniff from the NIT even with their difficult schedule.  Too bad because these boys showed they could hang with anyone on a given night and were as entertaining as anyone with their vaunted fast break and zone defenses and to be honest it will not be any easier next year losing some legendary players to graduation and the next level of competition. 

The two leaders of this team were without doubt seniors Greer and Charlie Slack.  They have played together for three years and complement each other well. Slack is about as opposite of Greer as he can be.  Recruited from over the border in Ohio he was passed up by the Buckeyes and others because they just did not think he could get the job done down in the paint as six five 215 pounds.  But he proved them wrong as Slack has had one of the great basketball careers in West Virginia sports history and we are talking Greer, Byrd, West and Hundley. Charlie is a rebounder. No nonsense, loves to mix it up in the paint and grab boards.  That is his job and he does it well.  He is not big but uses his strength and tenacity to be a tremendous rebounder.  Slack has great timing and is a good jumper who many times just tipped the ball to his guards on the perimeter to get the Marshall fast break going.  How good is he at rebounding?  He averaged double digit boards per game throughout his first three years and this year has the highest per minute average in the country.  He did not score a lot but did not have to on this team. He does play defense even if he smaller than most of the men he has to guard. Thank goodness he plays in the vertically challenged SoCon where size does not seem to matter up front as there are very few six nine plus guys roaming the key.  Slack at points dominated but he did get hurt and it opened the door for some younger guys to get some minutes and showed this kid is not made of steel.  Still, Slack’s kryptonite has always been his height (if you think Charles Barkley is the best undersized board guy in the country think again) but he has overcome this and if some team will give him a chance at the next level he will prove once again how good he is at gathering in missed shots.  

Another couple of seniors got heavy minutes (at least early on for one of them) and are back for more.  Leo Byrd and George Stone have had great careers for Marshall.  Both could light it up though their career paths seem to be going in opposite trajectories.  Byrd was the man here for two years and coming into last year it was supposed to be his Marshall.  Byrd used an uncanny knack for getting to the hoop even at six one combined with extremely strong hands to be able to finish in the key and score an abundance of points for Henderson.  This combined with a solid jump shot gave Byrd the tools to average almost 20 a game throughout his career in Huntington.  Well, that was until last year!  Byrd did not start most of the second half as this high scoring stud became a liability with his lack of defense on the wing.  Trying to guard athletic kids who can run when you are giving up four or five inches is tough as hell no matter how strong you are. And guarding quick point guards was just not happening as he showed last year.  Byrd was slowing getting phased out with the younger, more athletics back court players. After game 16 when he was flat embarrassed by Henry Logan with his great handles (he actually did twist his knee on one of his great moves) and did not play the rest of the year.  Yes, Byrd was hurt but mainly it was his pride and he and Henderson knew it was time to move on to some of the younger talent.  This fans did not like the move as their home town hero (he was born in Huntington) is a legend here. The injury helped with some of the transition as they did not know what was going on and by the time they did the Marshall was playing well.  Byrd might have been sent out to the West Virginia pasture but he did team with Walowac to execute the up-tempo style that defines this program. Walowac who is similar to Byrd as a wing who can flat fly up and down the court and finish (Henderson’s break-fast club), was put on the bench to begin the year and bring in the more athletic Greer who could actually hang with some of the wings.  Henderson has been running this system for quite some time and has shown that it works with whoever he puts into the lineup.  Walowac and Byrd are legends here for sure and do not sell them short on what they accomplished but then again as much as they thundered down the court scoring easy baskets they gave up just as many.  Henderson knows he has to change that and is bringing in some real size to his roster this year. 

Stone turned into a solid performer especially on the offensive end and may have a future at the next level.  He is a consistent inside-outside scorer and gives Coach Henderson some real stellar play in Huntington.  At six seven he has the size to play some inside but if you think Greer acclimated to the three point shot it was made for a guy like Stone. He has range to the rafters but before when it was only two points and the fact he is not a great board guy well Henderson kept his minutes limited.  He did not start most of the time last year but he became instant offense off the bench and averaged over 20 minutes and 10 points a game.  He still needs to work on his rebounding and defense but then again so does everyone else on the roster not named Slack. Even with that, this kid from Murray Kentucky (still don’t know why he didn’t end up a Racer) and played high school ball in Covington at mouth of Ohio and Licking Rivers is one of the seniors who will not be losing minutes.  Stone learned the game on the streets of Cincinnati and will either start or be the sixth man again. After all six seven guys who can flat drill it from down town are hard to find and with the game evolving to what it has become with the three point line he might score more in the pros then he ever did in Huntington. There are several other former stars here that Henderson kept around from their glory days who Henderson will attempt to replace with younger, bigger, more athletic players but at one point were studs for the Marshall.  Andy Tonkovich, Bill Toothman, Cebe Price, Bill Hall, Bob Redd and Gene ‘Goose’ James all made a huge impact on the development of this program as these were the kids who learned to run Henderson’s new fast break offense and that tricky zone defense.  Price is the only one of this group that might survive the takeover as he can score and handle the ball.  He has been a mainstay running the break from the middle even if he is not a true point guard.  Speaking of point guards, senior Danny D’Antoni will be back but might have lost his job to his younger brother.  Really.  He can flat pass but, yes, his brother is even better at running the break-fast club.  Big boys Bob Burgess and Bob Allen were at one point the rotating sidekicks to Slack and like him were stellar board men and because of their size have a shot at keeping their jobs.  They might not athletic enough to hang onto their jobs over the influx of talent coming to Huntington though Burgess is the best low post defender on the team as had been dubbed the ‘Wall’ by his teammates.  Allen is a big (6’9 to 6’11 depending on how close you want to get to him) project that has not developed too much but has played out of necessity.  

A couple of juniors will take over leadership this year for the Marshall but they got a good start last season.  The brother, Mike D’Antoni, and forward Russell Lee will be the next lead dogs of the team.  They will handle the duty well.  D’Antoni will be the point guard this year and is adept at distributing.  He can shoot as well as pass but understands his primary role is to get his teammates the ball.  D’Antoni is tough as nails and his tenacity and tough attitude are things coaches love in players.  He had to be tough trying to guard his older brother on the carport.  This small-town kid from down the country roads of West Virginia (Mullens to be exact with a population of under 1500) understands this game as anyone who ever put on sneakers and loves running Henderson’s fast break and has even added a few wrinkles of his own.  His magical passes always seem to find the right guy just in the right spot for an easy score and is not immune to a wrap-around dime when the moment suggests it.  This passing machine is also one heck of a defensive player who got the nickname of ‘Arsene Lupin’ during a summer All-Star trip to Italy for his propensity to steal the ball.   D’Antoni is almost as famous in Huntington for his mustache (John Oates anyone) as he is for his basketball playing skills on campus but man can this kid play.  His future is bright as basketball in his blood (Thanksgivings in Mullens can be a bit tense now) but it is his innovative feel for the game and his desire to win that set him apart.  One other junior from the Northeast will be moving up from the JV and will battle for time. Tyrone Collins is a 6’3 stud who brings something to the table in heavy demand in Huntington.  Collins can flat play defense.  He also never takes a bad shot and though he does not put up crazy offensive numbers (except for the face he shot over 60% from the field as a guard both years) Collins will get a shot because of his character, work ethic and his desire to defend.  If he was a true point guard he might have a real shot of playing but behind Greer he might get lost in the shuffle.  Oh well, he is a legend in Paterson New Jersey and he came here to get an education and knows he will be returning home after his career is done and will be coaching the high school team. Ty Collins is the real deal. 

Lee is a scorer who will be counted on more heavily this.  He and D’Antoni comes from the polar opposite of small town WV as someone Henderson got him to come down from Boston.  Lee has been a huge part of this program since he arrived on campus.  Not big at only six five, Lee understands how to play the post as well as anyone in this state.  He is the go to guy on the blocks who uses a variety of moves and shots with supreme touch and English to get the ball in the hoop.  He is also a gifted passer who is adept at passing out of the double team.  He can also hit the mid-range jumper up to about 15 feet.  He is solid on the boards and just knows how to play the game.  If he was six eight we would be talking about him in the same sentences with Mike Maloy and Clyde Mayes or maybe even a Bob Petit.  But he is not but one thing for sure he makes the most out of his ability and never uses his lack of size as an excuse.  As a matter of fact he guarded the other team’s center some of the time he was on the court and did a damn good job of it.  Sophomores George Washington and LaVerne Evans are like Lee undersized forwards who can really play but these guys days of waiting in line (on the JV) might continue.  It’s nice having the father of our country on your team though! 

Sophomore Skip Henderson had a great first season and will be the main scoring option in the back court next year.  A great scorer from anywhere, Henderson relies on quickness and ability to get the job done.  Coach Henderson had Skip (not his son) playing some point and some two guard and he is solid in either role but is best scoring.  He like several other players on this team do need to work on defense. This Cartersville Georgia native was a huge get for the same named Coach and he has given him plenty of room to run his own style of offense.  Henderson was dominated the JV with an isolated style that relies on him to create his own shot which he can do and then set up his teammates.  He came up when Byrd got hurt and jumped right in with both feet.  He was not part of the great fast break system and had some runins with Henderson and we all know how that usually ends.  One thing for sure is this kid can flat put the ball in the hoop (he did finish second on the team in scoring for the last ten games) and has a motor that does not quit.  

Marshall has established itself as a strong program in the tough Southern Conference.  They have great talent at this school and are adept at getting kids into the University who love to score.  Marshall had a solid season last year finishing above 500 in both conference and regular play.  Legendary Coach Cam Henderson has brought in some gems to run his vaunted break and play his 2-3 zone including some heavyweights down low who can actually guard the rim.  They are that close to climbing the mountain to becoming a top notch team in this conference.  They are achieving their biggest goal which is giving the kids a first and sometimes second or third chance to do something else in their future besides work in Coal Mines.  Now if they can just figure out a way to stop their opponents from scoring almost at will they might just have a chance!