 "Photo: File Photo")
Last season, Texas Tech basketball coach Pat Knight would hear fans yelling at him to take out point guard John Roberson when the freshman was tired or turning the ball over. All Knight could do was look down the bench, shrug his shoulders and leave Roberson in.
However, this season, Knight will not have that problem.
He said he will go four-deep in the rotation at guard with the addition of freshman Tyree Graham and junior Nick Okorie. The 6-foot, 190-pound Graham is from Village Christian Academy in Durham, N.C., while the 6-foot-1, 191-pound Okorie played under Steve Green at South Plains College for two years. Okorie averaged 17.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in his sophomore season, leading the Texans to the NJCAA National Championship.
Knight said Graham and Okorie are versatile, athletic options who can help penetrate off the dribble, something Roberson did on his own for the most part last year.
"I have four guards that I really like with Alan (Voskuil), John, Tyree and Nick," Knight said. "I'll play three at a time, two at a time. You may even see us play four at a time if people are zoning us."
Knight will get the chance to showcase the talent at guard when the team plays St. Francis (PA) at 8 p.m. today in the United Spirit Arena. The St. Francis Red Flash, playing in the Northeast Conference, went 6-23 in 2007 and are relatively small with no player over 6-foot-8.
Tech's probable starters in the frontcourt, forwards Darko Cohadarevic, Mike Singletary and Trevor Cook outweigh the Red Flash's frontcourt by 100 pounds. Despite the size differential, every player on the Red Flash's roster can step outside and nail a jump shot, Knight said.
"They all can shoot it," Knight said. "They're real patient with the ball so from a defensive standpoint, we've got to play defense for all 35 seconds. We can play it for 20 and then we let up; they can get an easy bucket. I like how they cut and move, so size is gonna be a factor. You'll see us playing a little smaller than what we'll have to do in the Big 12 (Conference)."
To compensate for the lack of strength and size, first-year coach Don Friday said using as much time on the offensive end plays a part in keeping teams from controlling games on the defensive end.
"We're looking to control the offensive end and we have to be deliberate," he said. "We're gonna try to spread people out and play inside-outside. We're trying to show these guys the difference between what a good shot is and what a great shot is. We have a lot of work to do though."
With the first game of the season getting underway, Voskuil and Singletary both said getting to match up against someone other than their teammates is a relief. The preseason scrimmages against SMU and West Texas A&M did not provide the type of competition Tech's players have been craving.
"We've beating up on each other for a long while now," Singletary said. "I think we're just ready to go out there and just beat up on somebody else now."
St. Francis senior guards Cale Nelson and Marquis Ford will try to limit the production of Voskuil and Roberson. Nelson and forward Devin Sweetney present the team's biggest offensive threats as they each averaged 10 points a piece last season.
"Their intensity starts lacking a little bit, so it's about time we start playing other people," Knight said of his team getting the season started. "Now they can see if their stuff really works."
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