Men's basketball gets ready for new season

  Norwich University's men's basketball team is anxiously awaiting its upcoming season, according to the captain.

This season the team had "the largest group of kids we've had in many many years," said head coach Paul Booth of the number of players trying out. Of the 30 players who tried out this year, 16 made the team.

"I think for the coaches it was pretty hard because we had a lot of new guys," said Joshua Cabrera, 20, a junior math major, from Providence, R.I.

"We're always looking for the best basketball players we can find," Booth said.

"Freshmen class is going to be crucial to this year's success, they need to work hard and get better. They are going to be asked to play big roles early on this season," said student assistant coach Ryan Kelly.

By the time the team's first game rolls around it will have already had two scrimmages under its belt.

Its first scrimmage was against Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.

"I thought our kids really did a nice job. Specifically some of our younger kids I was anxious to see them play in a competitive situation," Booth said.

"The first scrimmage went well; like any scrimmage there are good things and bad things. I think we targeted the bad things and we're working to correct them right now," Kelly said.

For the team's second scrimmage it faced the Castleton State College Spartans at the Andrew's. 

One major component that was added to the team this year is height. Freshman Pim Smulders from Holland, who is 7 feet tall, will be the team's starting center.

"I think Pim is going to help us out a lot," Cabrera said.

Another key player is Joshua Cabrera who got injured last season. "He brings a lot to our basketball team," Booth said.

The team this year is changing its focus around. "I think we'll do a lot better than last year, this year the team is more committed to playing defense," said Cori Boston, 26, senior, communications major, from Boston, Mass.

In preparation for the upcoming season the team is practicing hard. "Working on different scenarios and game situations, building on fundamental drills to team transition drills. We're making sure everyone knows their role and how to serve that efficiently," Kelly said.

"We go over the plays and defense that we will run throughout the year," Boston said of what the team has been doing in practices. "I think we all have to buy into the system that coach has in place."

"I think we've challenged our guys with playing top-level competition with the league we're in," Booth said, looking at the schedule for this season. "We open the season at Southern Vermont and then we play Trinity who is picked to be one of the top teams in NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference)."

"As of right now, I think we are moving in a positive direction, I think we just need to clean up a few things and we should be pretty good," Cabrera said.

The aspiration for this year's team is "to win our conference championship and participate in the NCAA's," Booth said.

The men's basketball team will be opening its season on Nov. 15 at Southern Vermont College. It will host its first home game this season against Maine Augusta on Dec. 4.