The Radford Highlanders know that this year in the Big South is going to be much different.  After moving up the levels of play with the rest of their brethren from the Big South, the Highlanders were playing for much more than they ever had before.  This year the Big South will actually get an invite to the Big Dance.  Yep, that’s right this small and obviously lower caliber conference, after waiting in the attic for so many years, actually gets to come out and Dance with the Prince Charmings of the World.  With that on the line this promised to be one heck of a competitive season in the big South!  The Highlanders go into the year with solid expectations that they were just as likely to pull off a great run as anyone in this conference.  Coach Ron Bradley has put together a fine program that relishes the three point shot and solid defense.  This is a blue print for success for the teams that do not have the talent of the bigger conferences.  The fans from Radford Virginia appreciate this and know they will get exciting basketball every night when they come and see the Highlanders play.  And most importantly when they are on they can beat anyone (well anyone in this league). 

Radford is a bit unique in this conference as it is public and almost has ten thousand students enrolled in this tiny little Virginia town of less than 17,000.  The residents there love their Highlanders and are especially independent.  They live in the shadow of Blacksburg and their true big brother Virginia Tech (who would not even play them until just recently) but relish their autonomy.  One of the primary reasons this program is pushing so hard to move up the ranks (they have jumped all the way from NAIA in a matter of a few years) is to show their big brothers they can fend for themselves.  And the Highlanders have decided to do it the old fashioned way which means relying on four year recruits instead of trying to use a cheat card and go the JC route.  Things have changed quite dramatically since Chuck Taylor branded this University.  No, this was not the origin of sneakers but this Chuck Taylor is the father of basketball for the Radford Highlanders.  The first coach here was successful in his short run but he also knew that this University needed an Athletic Director that could transport it from the ranks of NAIA into Division One.  He was right and he was the impetus behind accomplishing this feat in an extremely short period of time.  Bradley was the perfect hire and has helped this program to compete in this conference with lesser talent than most teams even in this league.  That could change after a trip to the former Soviet Union in the offseason where Bradley supposedly coerced a few Russian behemoths into coming West. 

Coach Bradley has a simple philosophy and that is bang the boards with your big men and let it fly from behind the arc.  One kid in particular was the embodiment of the latter part of this style of play.  Leading the way for the Highlanders is sharpshooting wing man Wilson Foster.  Foster, a junior, came into this program with his hands ready to shoot and that he did.  The first recruit for this program by Taylor, Foster was among the leaders in the Big South in 3 pointers attempted per game and can also get to the hoop.  He made more than his fair share of three’s and was first on the team in scoring and also made all league.  A little late slump last year had some to question his consistency but Foster can score and this program needs that.  

 Coach Bradley has some transitioning to work through up front as some of his big men might not be ready for this level of play.  Junior Dan Grubbs is the perfect example.  He has had some dominant games down low but when matched against bigger players he struggles.  Still, he is the best board man on the team and will get first shot at the four this year.  Steve Robinson is going to be starting up front as well for the Highlanders but as tough as he is might not be ready for even the Big South in it’s new area code.  Not very big at 6’5, the junior Robinson is smart and understands the game.  He knows how to get position, especially rebounding, and can score when he gets the ball down low.  He is more of a leader than a player but needs to be able to replicate some of his stats from last year or Bradley must go with some of the kids he is brining in.  After all it is easier to recruit talent to a D-1 school than an NAIA one.   But, Robinson is the team captain for good reason.  He knows what to say and how to say and his teammates listen.   One of the other guys is jeopardy of losing mintes is Pat Diservio.  Diservio is a six ten sophomore who really produced down low especially on the boards in his first season.  His size will help but this is a whole new ballgame this year and much bigger guys are coming in from behind the iron curtain.  Diservio, like Grubbs and Robinson, will likely take a chair on the bench once these new kids get here but for now that is your starting front line for the Highlanders.  Sophomore David Smith is also in the mix and is a gamer but at 6’5 is not what the doctor ordered in the post.  He will be the first man off the bench to begin the year and Bradley will try to utilize him as a swing forward which he could excel at.  Fellow Sophomore Eric Key who is a tad bigger (6’6) but much thicker and solid on the boards and will push for minutes.  The best bets for increased playing time go to Donnell Howard and Answan Wainwright.  This pair of second year players spent most of last year on the JV and needed the increased PT to improve their games.  Both are 6’6 and are more athletic than the players in front of them.  Howard, in particular, could be the type of wing this team needs to keep up with the Joneses and Liberties and Winthrops of the Big South. 

Point guard is a problem of the Highlanders going into the season.  Sophomores Billy Myers, Tommy Wathall, Rod Cousin and Phil Young will compete for the minutes but none of these guys are ready for prime time.  Myers has the best shot but is not really a point guard. Young at 6’3 came on strong the last few games and is the favorite as he can score and pass equally well but jumping up a couple of levels of play is not going to be easy.   

The Radford Highlanders are like all of the other teams in the Big South.  Overwhelmed. There are many conferences similar to this one but none of them are getting moved up to D-1 and the primary reason like it for just about everything.  Location. The Big South is dab in the middle of ACC country where basketball is gospel. This new league is going to take his bumps when the play the teams looking for an easy mark for their schedule from the ACC and even the Colonial.  The best thing is though is that one team from this league will get an automatic invite to the Big Dance and at this point the Highlanders, only steps removed from NAIA days, are as likely as anybody!