97 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/22/16 12:10am)
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/user-311195856/inside-the-den-the-return-mixdown[/embed]
After a few months off, Justin and Hayes are back at it again with a brand new podcast. The pair breakdown the Mercer men and women's basketball seasons from start to finish.
(03/17/16 1:15pm)
In a matter of a year, Phillip Leonard went from playing junior college basketball to beating Duke in the NCAA Tournament. He played alongside future Miami Heat summer league team member Langston Hall. He was a part of a team who won an ESPY for “Best Upset.”
And he witnessed people asking his teammate to dance for them in grocery stores.
The Tulsa, Oklahoma native began his collegiate career at Northern Tonkawa Oklahoma College after playing sparingly in high school because of injuries. Midway through his high school junior season, his appendix busted. He then broke his hip seven games into his senior season.
“It was something I had to battle through,” Leonard said.
While he had the grades to play on the NCAA level — he was a member of the National Honor Society — he was not highly recruited. He chose to start at the JUCO level as a stepping stone toward a greater platform.
“Trying to get out of there made you want to work on your game more and more because you wanted to get looks,” Leonard said. “I think that kind of forced you into getting better and making your game better.”
In his first year, Leonard started all 31 games and averaged 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists. And then Mercer came calling.
He joined the Bears as a shooting guard for a memorable 2013-14 season, averaging nine minutes per game behind Hall and senior Anthony White Jr.
Leonard said learning behind Hall was a useful experience.
“Being behind him and watching him was really big,” he said. “Every day in practice just to go up against him, and in games, to play with him . . . I got to see a lot of the leadership things.”
A win against Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun Championship granted Mercer a bid into the NCAA Tournament with a 26-8 record.
And then the Bears slayed the Blue Devils.
[pullquote speaker="Philip Leonard" photo="" align="left" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]We just played our normal game, and then afterwards, it was real crazy with the media[/pullquote]
“A lot of people didn’t think we were going to win at all,” Leonard said. “Coach just kept motivating us. We all believed we could play with them, especially when we got on the court with them. We just felt they were a normal team. We just played our normal game, and then afterwards, it was real crazy with the media.”
Crazy to the point where Kevin Canevari became a country-wide sensation for his Nae-Nae celebration after the upset. He appeared on SportsCenter. He went to the ESPYs, and he danced some more.
“Everywhere we went, people just wanted to take pictures with him — wanting him to start dancing for them in a grocery store or something,” Leonard said.
Leonard called the Duke victory one of his best moments at Mercer.
After Mercer lost seven seniors, — including Hall, White and Canevari — Leonard was thrust into the starting point guard position at the start of the 2013-2014 year.
“It was a little different at first,” Leonard said of the transition from shooting guard to point guard. “The first few games were a little different just trying to get used to things.”
It didn’t take long for him to become the facilitator of the team. Leonard started all 35 games and went on to lead the SoCon with 4.5 assists per game on top of his 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Leonard said he was a little surprised by his assist numbers.
“I never thought of myself as a great passer, but I just feel like sometimes I knew when to pass it,” he said. “I just tried to run the offense and things like that. My teammates did a good job of knocking down shots.”
The next year Mercer couldn’t repeat its 2013-14 performance and posted a 19-16 record after losing to Louisiana-Monroe in the quarterfinals of the CBI Tournament.
The Bears lost seniors T.J. Hallice and Darious Moten, and along with Jibri Bryan, Leonard became one of the senior leaders on the team. Before the 2015-16 season, he said he wanted to be more of a vocal leader.
He never knew the task he would be dealt.
After its best start in program history and an 18-6 record with only eight regular season games remaining, Mercer was thrown a major-league curveball with the death of Bryan and suspensions of Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer.
The Bears won their first game without the trio but went on to lose the final seven games of the regular season.[pullquote speaker="Philip Leonard" photo="" align="right" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]It wasn’t like we were getting blown out in games. We were just, two or three possessions we do something different or somebody on their team missing a shot, we [would] probably win a lot of those games[/pullquote]
“I think we did handle it well, honestly,” Leonard said. “I know on the court in games, everyone was watching us and might have seen us losing games, but we kept talking about, ‘These are close games we’re losing.’ It wasn’t like we were getting blown out in games. We were just, two or three possessions we do something different or somebody on their team missing a shot, we [would] probably win a lot of those games.”
All seven losses were by 11 or less points. Three were by six points or less. After entering the Southern Conference Tournament with the seventh seed, Mercer snapped its seven-game skid in the first round with a victory over The Citadel but lost to ETSU in the quarterfinals to end its NCAA Tournament hopes.
Leonard saved some of his best performances of the season for the tournament, as he nearly recorded a triple double (11 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists) and scored one less point than his season high (23) in the loss to ETSU.
“I met a lot of good people here, and have had a really fun time playing basketball here,” Leonard said. “It’s more than what I ever thought it would be.”
(03/17/16 5:39am)
New faces have dominated the Mercer women’s golf team this season. After the resignation of seven-year head coach Gary Guyer, former Ole Miss coach Michele Drinkard was hired in June to lead the program.
She wasn’t the only acquisition. Freshmen Mary Janiga, Payton Schanen, Terese Romeo and Hailey Ko doubled the team’s roster size, as only four non-freshmen don orange and black: sophomores Hannah Mae Deems and Jaelyn Tindal, junior Marin Hanna and senior Meredith Owen.
But the class of 2019 hasn’t simply watched from home. Janiga, Schanen and Romeo have all competed in tournaments, with Janiga and Schanen holding the team’s two lowest scoring averages through 19 competitive rounds.
“All were late bloomers in maturing in their game,” Drinkard said. “When I got here, the first thing that was very apparent is how naturally competitive they all were and how much they love the game. That right there are your main ingredients to building a program.”
Drinkard said she researched the incoming class before accepting the job at Mercer. Once she saw some of the girls’ scores and accolades, Drinkard said it was “definitely the deciding factor” for her choosing Mercer.
Janiga, a native of Wellington, Florida, made it into the Round of 16 in the U.S. Girls Junior and the Round of Eight in the AJGA Polo. She also won the 2014 Florida Girls Junior and reached the Round of 32 in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Four Ball.
But her expectations weren’t lofty. Janiga said that she simply wanted to “make the traveling team and to live up to Mercer's name.”
Over one semester into her collegiate career, Janiga has already recorded three Top-10 finishes and an individual victory at the Fighting Camels Classic on Oct. 20 after becoming only the second player in the tournament’s 21-year history to shoot under par.
Her season per-round scoring average of 73.74 leads the team.
“As a freshman, I think we are doing a pretty good job of dominating, and we needed to prove that we belong on the team,” Janiga said. “The team chemistry is great, and we all get along. They are family to me.”
Schanen, too, has already recorded an individual victory with her four-under par performance at Florida Gulf Coast’s Eagle Invitational Feb. 14, where the Bears brought home the team title, as well.
A native of Alpharetta, Georgia, Schanen has won over 30 times during her junior career on top of her second place finish in the 2015 GSGA Women’s Match Play and acknowledgement as the GSGA’ s 2015 Girls Player of the Year.
She has led the team in two of its three tournaments this spring, as either Janiga or Schanen have finished as the lowest scorer in all but one tournament the team has completed in 2015-16.
“We knew that we had to come in and step up and play well to contribute to the team,” Schanen said. “We just followed the good example that our coaches and the upperclassmen have set for us. The team as a whole is pretty chill, and we always try to bring positive energy to lift each other up.”
Schanen ranks second on the team with a 73.84 scoring average, only a tenth of a point behind Janiga. Over the course of the season, Janiga’s low round (69) is one lower than Schanen’s, and the Floridian has played only two less shots than the Georgian.
The third best average belongs to sophomore Jaelyn Tindal at 77.13.
Drinkard said it has been a huge lift to have two freshmen leading the way.
“When we met at our first spring team meeting in January, we looked around the table at each other and said, ‘OK we know each other now, so let’s change our mindset and go win every tournament we play,’” she said.
“We can, and we will,” Drinkard said. “We don’t care who we play, what their rankings are or any other information. All we care about is each other and how we are going to play our best on that particular course that day.”
(02/25/16 5:55am)
As bright lights illuminated the hardcourt days after the death of Jibri Bryan, a mourning Hawkins Arena erupted in elation as a 6-foot-8 gliding sophomore jumped from just inside the free-throw line to throw down a bear-sized slam.
It was the highlight of an emotional victory. It was a SportsCenter Top 10 Play.
It was Demetre Rivers.
Although the thunderous dunk wasn’t the first time Bears’ fans had seen Rivers make a big play on the court, this one came in the Bears’ first outing since the death of Bryan and suspensions of starters Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer.
“It was really just all on the fly,” Rivers said. “I cut, and I think it was Jordan [Strawberry] who passed it to me. And as soon as I looked up, I saw the whole lane. I just wanted to rip the rim off . . . I wanted to get one for [Bryan].”
But it’s not the only basket Rivers has scored for his fallen teammate. Before the absences of Lewis, Ringer and Bryan, Rivers averaged 7.3 points per game, which was sixth on the team during the span.
Without the trio, Rivers has elevated his game. In the last six games, the Goose Creek, South Carolina native set a new career high in points — twice — and leads the team with 15.1 points per outing.
And that comes one season after scoring six total points.
Growing up in Moncks Corner, South Carolina as the youngest of three children, Rivers’ first love was not basketball — he preferred pads and a helmet.
“I originally wanted to play football because my older brother, he was like a big-time quarterback for his high school,” Rivers said. “I always wanted to be like my big brother. My first year of sports, like Little League and stuff, I played football. I wanted to play again, but my dad signed me up for basketball. And I loved it.”
Rivers’ father, Kenneth Sr., stands tall at 6-foot-6 and has played basketball throughout his life. Demetre’s older sister, Lakendra, laced up the high tops as well.
As Rivers matured in age, so did his love for the game. But he attributes some of his passion to Tracy McGrady, a seven-time NBA All-Star.
“I used to always be outside. My mom and my dad would always have to yell out the window telling me to come inside because it’d be dark, and I’d be outside shooting,” Rivers said. “It’d be midday — sun’s in the sky, it’s burning up outside, and I’d still be outside just messing around. All that played a big impact in just loving the game through seeing the things that Tracy McGrady used to do whenever he was in the league.”
And just like how his favorite player earned the nickname “T-Mac,” over his playing career Rivers has been given his own alter name that you’ll hear from those closest to him: Meech.
The nickname is a shorter version of his real name, but Rivers didn’t receive the name from a family member or friend. He credits a former coach.
In middle school, Rivers played for a Youth Basketball of America (YBOA) team — which he described as a smaller version of AAU — named the North Charleston All-Stars. After being persuaded to join the team by a teammate's father, Rivers said he went to practice without ever meeting the coach.
“He was trying to figure out what my name was,” Rivers said. “He knew it was like Demetre or Demetrius or somewhere around there, and he wanted to shorten it up. So he called me Meechie and Meech. Then my teammates called me Meech, and that’s where it all started.”
And it continued to stick with him even after he moved 25 minutes south to Goose Creek after eighth grade. He originally planned to attend Berkeley High School, the high school his father and siblings attended, but once the family moved, Rivers went to Stratford High School.
Rivers said he earned a spot on the varsity team at Stratford as a freshman — one year after being cut from the B team at Berkeley in eighth grade.
“It was definitely motivation, especially since we played [Berkeley] every year,” Rivers said. “Whenever we played [Berkeley], I wanted to have a real good game and show them what they’re missing out on.”
After four years, the Stags missed out on a two-time All-State and three-time All-Region performer who finished his career averaging 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
It was after his sophomore year in which he led his team in scoring and grew to approximately 6-foot-4 when Rivers said he believed he could play at the college level.
And that dream came true the summer after his junior year, only days after an AAU tournament in Suwanee, Georgia. Mercer’s assistant head coach Doug Esleeck offered him a scholarship.
“First time I ever heard of Mercer,” Rivers said. “Didn’t even know where they were at.”
But head coach Bob Hoffman said the Bears had seen Rivers play before the tournament.
“He was playing the wing. He was long and athletic. He could really shoot the ball,” Hoffman said. “We’ve been really successful with big wings in the past — long guys. I think that’s an inner strength of our teams. We thought he fit that mold really well.”
Rivers ultimately chose Mercer over his other option, Campbell University in North Carolina. But he wasn’t able to make a major impact his first year on campus, as he recorded only 43 total minutes played on the year.
Rivers said the transition from high school to college basketball was an adjustment.
“Freshman year was definitely a learning experience to get adjusted to things, get a feel for the system and the offense and defense, how they wanted us to guard and stuff like that,” he said.
But instead of going home the summer after freshman year, Rivers decided to stay on campus, take classes and workout with the basketball program.
And he said he believes the move has reaped some of the improved play this season.
“Staying that summer definitely improved my game and get a feel for things and figure out what I could do best, what things I needed to work on, things along that line,” Rivers said.
Hoffman said the work Rivers put in allowed him to get to where “he was just playing at a different level this summer” as he gained strength and confidence. Combined with the opportunity he received at the beginning of the season, that has been the recipe for Rivers’ success this year, Hoffman said.
When Bryan went to the bench with a knee injury the second game of the season, Rivers received that opportunity in the form of his first career start.
“Oh, I was nervous,” River said. “Usually I don’t get nervous playing. I don’t really see the crowd much. It’s just us guys on that court and the basketball. Just trying to go out there and play. But, it’s my first start, so . . . I was nervous, but things went well.”
He went on to score more points against George Mason (10) than he did all of his freshman year. And he hasn’t looked back since.
Part of his improvement, Hoffman said, has been his ability to put the ball on the floor and attack defenders.
“With his length and his long strides, if he can continue to get stronger and stronger with that, then he’s going to be a really tough player to guard when you can do both,” Hoffman said.
That ability was particularly evident in back-to-back games against Hiwassee and Alcorn State, when he shot 10-of-11 and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line, respectively.
But he doesn’t only draw fouls; he draws off the court, too, even though he said he hasn’t been able to do so as much since arriving at Mercer.
“Ever since, I’d say, fourth grade, I would always draw just anything — cars,” Rivers said. “The main thing I used to love drawing was cars and cartoon characters like Dragon Ball Z and stuff like that ... just making up superheroes.”
[pullquote speaker="Rivers" photo="" align="left" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]I want to get this championship for [Bryan], for our team — all the hard work we’ve been putting in this year — for our senior guy [Leonard]. That’s all I want.[/pullquote]
Rivers was the kryptonite to opposing defenses in recent games against Chattanooga, Wofford and Furman. He led Mercer in scoring in each outing with 20, 22 and 19 points, even though the Bears could not pull out a victory.
Senior guard Phillip Leonard said Rivers hasn’t approached the game differently this year, and he knew the sophomore was capable of playing at this level.
“Everybody else is just finally getting to see it,” he said. “Playing pick-up in the summer, playing pick-up before the season started, he’d have games where he was dominating — like score all seven points or something like that. We all knew he had it in him.”
Not only did Leonard say he trusted Rivers at the start of the season, but he said Mercer now relies on him; they expect this type of production.
And Rivers said he hopes it will lead to hardware this year, something his own childhood idol McGrady was unable to achieve in the NBA.
“I want that ring,” he said, alluding to the prize for winning a SoCon Championship. “I want to get this championship for [Bryan], for our team — all the hard work we’ve been putting in this year — for our senior guy [Leonard]. That’s all I want.”
(02/21/16 11:34pm)
Mercer basketball dropped its fifth straight game Saturday in a 77-74 loss to East Tennessee State. It’s the first time a Bob Hoffman-led team has lost five games in a row, and the program hasn’t done so since the end of the 2007-08 season. But I saw signs of progress and hope Saturday.
(1) Don’t count Mercer out of the NCAA Tournament yet.
Anything can happen in the SoCon Tournament.
Take last year for example: No. 10 seed Furman (8-21, 5-13) blazed through The Citadel in the play-in round, then went on to beat No. 2 seed Chattanooga and No. 3 seed Mercer before nearly beating No. 1 seed Wofford in the final.
And don’t take that as if I’m suggesting the Bears' chances are as low as Furman’s were last year. Even after its five-game skid, Mercer sits sevent in the conference behind Western Carolina and UNC Greensboro because of tiebreaking measures.
While both games were at home, Mercer took league-leading Chattanooga to overtime and had three shots to take now-second-best ETSU to overtime.
Saturday, the Bears had the Bucs on the ropes in the first half as they led by 11 points before ETSU used a 15-4 run to end the half. And they did so as a team.
I wrote in my first column that Mercer had to find production from eight-plus players — not just three or four — to play at the team's early and mid-season form.
That happened against ETSU. The first seven players to enter the game scored less than 12 minutes into the outing. Mercer plays its best basketball when every player gets involved. If it can continue to perfect that brand of basketball and become even more familiar with the new rotation, a conference championship is not out of the works.
Head coach Bob Hoffman even called this “a new season” for the team, alluding to playing without Jibri Bryan, Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer.
But while it may be a new beginning, the goal won’t change for the Bears.
And that goal still remains a reality.
(2) The Bears MUST win their next two games.
But that reality must start with two victories to end the regular season. Mercer will travel to VMI Thursday, then UNC Greensboro Feb. 28 before the conference tournament in Asheville, North Carolina March 4-7.
They are must wins for two reasons: Neither team is exactly the cream of the crop in the conference — VMI (7-19, 2-13) sits dead last while UNCG (12-17, 8-8) is sixth, — and the Bears will need confidence before Asheville.
In the first meeting with the Keydets, Mercer pulled away in the second half to down VMI 73-58 at Hawkins Arena. But it could have been worse.
VMI knocked down 10 3-pointers in the first half and attempted 37 throughout the entire game, approximately 12 above its season average for a single game. Limit the Keydets behind the arc, and the game should be a victory.
A win against a more formidable opponent in UNCG would be the much-needed confidence booster to spurn a tournament run. In an 81-67 victory in the first meeting, Mercer was led by Lewis and Ringer, who combined for 39 points.
But defeating UNCG would not only be a confidence booster. It would also allow Mercer to cement the sixth spot entering the conference tournament, meaning the Bears would avoid a play-in game.
You don't want a play-in game.
(3) Let Jordan Strawberry come off the bench.
Last time, I called for some more fish. I received that with a berry on the side.
Hoffman inserted Andrew Fishler into the starting lineup Saturday for the first time this season, moving Jordan Strawberry to the bench and Stephon Jelks to the four spot.
It worked.
Not only did Jelks register a game-high 10 rebounds — the second most he has had since Ringer’s suspension, — but Strawberry provided a dynamic spark off the bench with 22 points.
“I thought when we got to the end of the game in some other second halves that Jordan [Strawberry] and [Phillip Leonard] were getting tired at the same time — and it was hurting us. So that’s why we went back to what we were doing,” Hoffman said. “I think we found something [that] worked. Plus, we put [Jelks] at the four, which he got back to rebounding and not having to play out of position himself.”
The Bears look to finally be finding their rotation for the remainder of this season. While Fishler did not have as great of an impact as he did in previous games where he played approximately 20 minutes, Jelks was able to return to his more natural position while Strawberry provided points off the bench.
And that’s no indictment against Jordan Strawberry: That rotation works for everyone.
(02/21/16 1:01am)
Three was the number of points Mercer needed and the number of opportunities it had to tie the game in the final seconds. But when the clock struck zero, the Bears (18-11, 8-8) had come up short, 77-74.
The loss was Mercer’s fifth in a row — the worst such streak during head coach Bob Hoffman’s tenure and the first time the program has lost that many games in a row since 2007-08.
After the Bucs connected on three 3-pointers in the first five minutes, Mercer controlled the next ten minutes and stretched its lead to 33-22. But then ETSU knocked down two more 3-pointers to fuel a 15-4 run in the final 4:39 of the half to knot the score at 37.
Mercer halted the Bucs' momentum with a 7-0 run to open the second half. But ETSU slowly crept back into the game and even regained the lead at 54-53 after trailing for over 17 minutes.
The Bucs used a 13-3 run over a three-minute span to hold a 75-71 lead with over a minute remaining before Jordan Strawberry knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the lead. But a pair of Ge’Lawn Guyn free throws with 16.7 remaining would be the final points as the Bears couldn’t find the hoop in the final seconds.
What mattered:
- Sophomore Jordan Strawberry led the team with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench after Andrew Fishler made his first start of the year. With Fishler starting, Stephon Jelks moved back to the four spot, which he said is his more natural position.
- Redshirt junior Lawrence Brown scored a career-high 14 points, besting the 10 points he scored Nov. 13 in the opener against Allen this season.
- Suspended senior Jestin Lewis was not honored on Senior Day but instead helped escort Phillip Leonard onto the court. Leonard chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds in his last game at Hawkins Arena.
- According to Hoffman, Jelks suffered a concussion with over seven minutes remaining after a collision with Ethan Stair. Jelks did not return to the game, but Hoffman said the sophomore was “fine” in the locker room and will go through concussion protocol.
- The Bucs shot 14-of-28 from the 3-point line, led by Guyn, who scored 32 points on 7-of-11 from behind the arc.
- After being out-rebounded for only the second time this season Thursday, Mercer registered a 38-28 advantage on the boards Saturday.
- Fueled by Strawberry and Brown, Mercer had 37 points off the bench — the third most in a single game this season. The Bears had zero fast break points.
- Eight of the nine players who registered playing time scored for Mercer.
The inside scoop:
Strawberry on fighting in close game: “We’re very proud. We made some adjustments. We fought together like a team [Saturday], and we felt like more like a team [Saturday].”
Strawberry on coming off bench: “It doesn’t really matter to me. I just want to win. I think that me coming off the bench gives us a spark; that’s something we needed.”
Strawberry on improved play: “I think I just got back in the gym. My shot wasn’t falling last game, so I just got back in the gym, shot some more shots. [I] shot some more shots that I’m going to shoot in the game, so making sure I’m not shooting shots that I’m not going to shoot in a game; that’s what I needed to do.”
Leonard on rotation: “This is like our first full week of playing with a different group, figuring out who we want to play and how we want to play. So, I feel like we’re getting better.”
Leonard on getting another win before the conference tournament: “[It’s] really important. The main thing is just coming to practice ready. Execute the game plan and just keep playing hard. We’re going to get one of them.”
Hoffman on loss: “It’s a physical game. Our guys deserved to win [Saturday]. They played really, really good. They’re amazing young men how they continue to be resilient and fight with all they have.”
Hoffman on Strawberry coming off bench: “I thought when we got to the end of the game in some other second halves that Jordan [Strawberry] and [Phillip Leonard] were getting tired at the same time -- and it was hurting us, so that’s why we went back to what we were doing. I think we found something [that] worked. Plus, we put [Jelks] at the four, which he got back to rebounding and not having to play out of position himself.”
Hoffman on bouncing back: “These guys are going to give everything they have, because that’s what they’re made of. That’s the kind of resiliency they have, and in some ways, this is a new season for us. We’re just a little bit into it, and we weren’t able to finish some of them. We have to find a way to get a couple on the road.”
Next up:
Mercer travels to play VMI Thursday at 7 p.m. The Bears defeated the Keydets 73-58 in the first outing.
(02/20/16 4:37am)
Mercer basketball matched its longest losing streak in over five years with a 72-65 loss to Western Carolina Thursday at Hawkins Arena. Here are my three takeaways from the loss:
(1) The loss of Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer has been more difficult than expected.
When I first got the official statement announcing that Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer were suspended for an indefinite amount of time, I took to Twitter.
There was no time to even consider what the losses would mean for Mercer, but once the initial shock wore off, I knew these wouldn’t be easy to overcome.
Put this into perspective: You’re a part of a tight-knit basketball team, spending every day all day together. Tuesday, you tragically lose the leader of your team to a shocking and confusing murder.
Wednesday, a vigil for that teammate — brother — is held in the arena you call home, and you have to stand in front of cameras and talk to members of the media like yours truly.
Then to top it off, you have to gather your bearings and play a conference game Saturday. But wait! There’s more! An hour before game time, it’s announced your leading scorer (Lewis) and second-leading rebounder (Ringer) are not in the starting lineup.
What a week — one that not many teams could survive. And now in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Bears have simply struggled on the court sans Jibri Bryan, Lewis, Ringer and the concussed Niklas Ney.
But the looming question remains: Can Mercer bounce back to compete for, or even win, a SoCon Championship without Lewis and Ringer? Head coach Bob Hoffman announced on his radio show this past week that it is unlikely for the duo to return to the court this season, so if the Bears are trying to go dancing this year, it will have to be done with the current rotation.
The absence of both Ringer and Lewis has certainly been felt — just look at the stats. With Ringer playing the five spot for the team’s first 23 games, Mercer held a 10.3 rebound per game advantage on its opponents and had only been out-rebounded once.
Without him in the last four games, the Bears have won the rebound battle only once and are actually minus 0.75 total. Yes, Mercer grabbed a program-record 60 rebounds against The Citadel in the first game without Ringer, Lewis and Bryan, but I’m leaving that game out because of the Bulldogs’ playing style.
The Citadel runs more than the Road Runner, as evidenced by its astonishing 72 shot attempts in that outing. When you look past that game and consider the last four games, the statistics are more telling.
Sophomore Stephon Jelks even said rebounding has been more of a challenge for him, personally, with Ringer off the floor.
“Desmond used to help me out a bit because they used to think he was big. So they were like, ‘Box him out more,’” he said. “They’ve been trying to take me out more because they know I’m leading the team in rebounding and stuff.”
Defensively, Mercer is allowing teams to score at a higher clip in the paint. In the last four games, opponents have scored 30.5 points per game in the paint, nearly eight more than the average in the first 23 games.
Maybe you can call these past four games an anomaly. But visually, the Bears have less beef down low without Ringer. The rebounding and points in the paint issues are viable concerns, and that’s why I believe the play of 7-foot-1 Andrew Fishler could be vital for Mercer the remainder of the season.
When Fishler made an impact, the Bears downed The Citadel by 16. He had 20 points and 10 rebounds in that game, and Fishler helped Mercer take league-leading Chattanooga to overtime, where he registered eight blocks — one shy of the program record for a single game — and eight rebounds.
His length alters every shot in the lane, and if he can be effective in Ringer’s role, you’ll start to see Mercer control the rebounding game again and get back to its winning ways.
Replacing a consistent scorer such as Jestin Lewis — he had 27, 22, 23 and 26 the four games before the suspension — has been no easy feat, either.
But a 6-foot-8 sophomore has surely done his part.
(2) Demetre Rivers is the real deal.
The sophomore continues to make progress in his first year as a starter, and we’re starting to see him unleashed without Lewis in the rotation. Remember this one-handed slam against The Citadel that made SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays?
WATCH OUT BELOW! Demetre Rivers throws down the ?!!! #SCTop10 https://t.co/47A59OmSIw
— Mercer Basketball (@MercerMBB) February 6, 2016
It was as if that was Rivers’ “Hello world!” moment. In the last five contests, the Goose Creek, South Carolina native has set a career high in points — twice — and is averaging 16 points per game. He scored six total points last year. Keep in mind: This is a player who started his first game Nov. 16 after Bryan sat with a knee injury.
Rivers has fully taken advantage of his opportunity. I think we’re only going to see him improve as he becomes even more and more comfortable.
*Note: I’m currently piecing together a feature story on Rivers, so come back soon for the entire story.
(3) It’s going to have to be a team effort.
Three players (Rivers — 19 — and Jelks — 17 — and Phillip Leonard — 13) scored 49 of Mercer’s 65 points in the loss to Western Carolina. When the Bears have played their best basketball this year, it’s been more of a team effort rather than an individual show.
It’s going to be tough. Mercer’s currently down four players, and two players who normally come off the bench — Jordan Strawberry and Ethan Stair — have been thrust into the starting lineup to play more minutes.
As a result, the Bears’ bench points per game has dropped from 21.3 over the first 23 outings to 10.75 over the last four games.
Multiple players are going to have to make up for the absence of Ringer and Lewis; it cannot just fall on two or three. Head coach Bob Hoffman said inserted starters Stair and Strawberry can help lessen that load, but they'll have to score more than they did Thursday.
“We need Ethan [Stair] and Jordan [Strawberry] to get a few more,” he said. “They had some opportunities, just didn’t happen [Thursday]. They’re going to be fine.”
It was only one game. Both settled for a couple of difficult shots. Expect bounce-back games from two players who are very capable of scoring double-digit points any night.
But if the game against Western Carolina tells us anything, it’s that great individual performances will only carry the Bears so far. Outside of the 49-point-scoring trio, Mercer shot only 5-of-21 from the field.
Jelks said he knows that “people who come off the bench aren’t as confident right now because they’re coming off the bench just playing.”
But it’s going to take a couple of those guys making plays for Mercer to reach the goal it set out before the season: to make an NCAA Tournament appearance.
(02/19/16 3:27am)
Mercer could not have asked for a better start, but they needed a stronger finish.
In their first home game following a short road trip, The Bears (18-10, 8-7) jumped out to an early lead, but their quick start fizzled. The Catamounts outscored the Bears 39-31 in the second half to defeat Mercer 72-65.
The defeat is the team's fourth straight.
Early in the first half, back-to-back layups put the Bears up 7-0. But when the Bears led 15-7, the Catamounts halted all momentum and strung together three straight 3-pointers to take a 16-15 lead.
Although Mercer took a 34-33 lead into halftime, it would never regain the early-game momentum.
Western Carolina fed forward Torrion Brummitt — who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds — to start the second half and extended its lead to 11 points before the Bears tried to claw back to scare the Cats late.
What mattered:
- Three players (Demetre Rivers -- 19 -- Stephon Jelks -- 17 and Phillip Leonard -- 13) scored 49 of Mercer’s 65 points in the loss. The trio also shot 16-of-29 from the field while the remainder of the team shot 5-of-21.
- The bench scored only six points after providing 26 points Saturday at Furman; only one player played double-digit minutes off the bench (Lawrence Brown with 18).
- The Bears shot only 30.8 percent (8-of-26) in the second half and 42 percent for the game. The Catamounts shot 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half.
- Mercer was out-rebounded for only the second time this year, as Western Carolina had a 32-27 advantage. The only other time the Bears lost the rebounding battle was George Mason on Nov. 16.
- The losing streak is the longest for the program since a four-game losing streak from Dec. 23, 2010 to Jan. 3, 2011.
- Suspended starters Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer were not sitting on the team's bench during the game, but they were seen sitting in the stands near the team. Both Lewis and Ringer sat on the bench during the team's last home game -- Feb. 8 against Chattanooga -- but did not travel for the recent two-game road trip.
- The Bears now sit fifth in the SoCon, five games back of league-leading Chattanooga with three regular-season games remaining.
The inside scoop:
Rivers on strong start and then poor stretch: “We come out with a lot of energy. We have the crowd pumping us up. But we gave up a couple of easy plays that let them back into the game, and then our energy just died down a little bit.”
Rivers on trying to mesh without Lewis and Ringer: “It’s tough not having those guys. They’re both really good players; it’d be nice if we still had them, but we just have to focus with the players we have now and just try to come in and play; some of us have to step up and play different roles.”
Jelks on loss: “We didn’t get the job done. I feel like we played hard; we just had some possessions where we didn’t finish it. I think that’s what killed us.”
Jelks on rebounding without Ringer: “Desmond used to help me out a bit, because they used to think he was big, so they were like, ‘Box him out more’… They’ve been trying to take me out more because they know I’m leading the team in rebounding and stuff. So, I feel like it’s more of a challenge.”
Jelks on playing without Lewis and Ringer: “I think it’s more, ‘What can we do with the people we have?’ I’m playing the five, which is a different spot for me… We just have to figure out the rotation.”
Jelks on ending losing streak: “We just have to execute, really. Have to execute what Coach gives us, put it in the play and just finish plays.”
Head coach Bob Hoffman on rotation: “Ever since we’ve had the last five games, it’s been pretty much the same lineups. Trying to still figure some of those rotations; not many options, really.”
Hoffman on state of team: “Our guys are working really hard; I’m proud of them. Still believe there’s good things ahead for this team and for these guys. We’re not going to win the regular season conference, but we’re going to keep working hard and get one on Saturday.”
Hoffman on equal distribution of scoring: “We need Ethan (Stair) and Jordan (Strawberry) to get a few more. They had some opportunities; just didn’t happen (Thursday). They’re going to be fine. They’re working really hard… I have to keep finding the little things to put them in positions to be successful.”
What’s next:
Mercer will host East Tennessee State Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The Bears dropped the first outing to the Buccaneers in overtime, 65-63.
(02/09/16 5:03am)
Down starters Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer for the second straight game, the Mercer Bears took SoCon-leading Chattanooga to overtime Monday. The Bears ran out of gas in the extra period as the Mocs handed Mercer its first loss at home this year, 72-66.
Chattanooga (22-3, 11-1) extended its winning streak to nine games and increased its lead in the conference after outscoring Mercer (18-7, 8-4) 13-7 in the overtime period. Lewis and Ringer donned warm-ups and sat on the bench throughout the game as they continue to serve a suspension for unknown reasons.
After the Mocs fed 6-foot-10 Justin Tuoyo early and took a quick 4-0 lead, the Bears electrified the crowd with a 12-1 run over a five-minute span to take a 12-5 lead. But it would be the biggest lead for Mercer.
Once Chattanooga strung together three straight 3-pointers — all by Eric Robertson — after Mercer’s run, the teams battled for the remainder of the half. The Mocs took a 33-31 lead into the locker room behind a 22-14 rebounding advantage.
After falling behind by four in the second half, Mercer tied the game at 53 before Stephon Jelks nailed a crowd-erupting 3-pointer to give the Bears the lead with 4:38 remaining. But the Mocs responded. Dee Oldham connected on a wide open corner 3-pointer to give Chattanooga a 59-56 lead with 1:04 remaining.
And then the Bears responded. Freshman Ethan Stair drained his lone 3-pointer on the night to tie the game with 41.0 left. Neither team connected on chances late in regulation, forcing the Bears to go to overtime for the fifth time this year.
But Mercer could not snap its two-game overtime losing streak. After Demetre Rivers scored the first points of extra time, Chattanooga scored nine of the next 10 points to put the Bears into too big of a hole to dig themselves out of in the end.
What mattered:
- Sophomore Demetre Rivers scored a career-high 20 points (8-of-14 shooting) after scoring 14 in the first half on 6-of-8 shooting. His previous career high, 17, was set Jan. 9 at The Citadel, and the career performance Monday comes one game after scoring 16 on Saturday. He also chipped in eight rebounds.
- Redshirt junior Andrew Fishler recorded a career-high eight blocks, one shy of the program’s record for blocks in a single game set by Calvin Henry against Florida Gulf Coast Feb. 14, 2009. Fishler also became the first Mercer player to record five-plus blocks in a game since Daniel Coursey on Feb. 2, 2014.
- Senior Phillip Leonard scored 18 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists but injured himself late in regulation on a drive to the basket. Coach Bob Hoffman said the injury is not serious, and Leonard was seen walking after the game without any noticeable limp.
- Sophomore Jordan Strawberry shot poorly from the field — 2-of-14 — but filled the stat books in just about every other category: seven points, eight assists and six rebounds.
- Mercer was 11-0 at home going into game while UTC was riding an 8-game winning streak and had won 16 of its last 17.
- Robertson started 5-of-5 from the 3-point line and had 15 points by the 8:41 mark — he had outscored Mercer to that point — but didn’t score again until less than a minute into overtime. He finished with 20 points, six assists and four rebounds.
- The Bears finished with only a 42-40 advantage on the boards with Ringer absent. Mercer has only been out-rebounded once this year — George Mason on Nov. 16.
- Neither team shot well from the field, as Mercer finished 25-of-66 — 37.9 percent — and Chattanooga finished 23-of-63 —36.5 percent.
- Both teams finished with the same amount of second chance points (12) and point in the paint (26), but Mercer held an 8-0 advantage in fast break points.
- Chattanooga put the game away from the free-throw line, but it wasn’t the only time it shot well; the Mocs finished 17-of-20 from the charity stripe.
What’s the inside scoop:
Rivers on loss: “It’s pretty disappointing. It was a tough game. They’re a really good team; they’re leading our conference. This would have been a big win for us.”
Rivers on aggressiveness without Lewis and Ringer: “It’s hard not having (Lewis) and (Ringer) playing with us. I’m just trying to be more aggressive looking for my shot (and) taking what I can get.”
Rivers on playing undermanned: “It’s definitely more wear and tear on you, but a couple days in the cold tub back there will get you right. We just have to fight through. Fight through fatigue. Fight through the soreness and just go out and play hard no matter what.”
Hoffman on loss: “It was amazing effort by our young men, and we were right there with five seconds left driving the lane and (Leonard) goes down. I’m not sure what that was, but we had an opportunity to go to the free throw line; we didn’t get it. Our guys battled every second of the way.”
Hoffman on being shorthanded: “I think it says a lot about the character of those guys and how bad they want to do their best and give their best. I think about our assistant coaches, how hard they go and how they continue to push guys to be better. It was a special day for us. We didn’t get the win, but in our heart of hearts, I believe our guys got a victory by what they were able to give tonight.”
Hoffman on moving forward: “We’ll have a really tough day (Tuesday). It was a tough night (Monday); it will be more tough stuff (Tuesday). But more important stuff (Tuesday) than this game. Wofford, it will be important, but nothing like the importance of (Tuesday).”
Hoffman on Fishler: “He’s so long; he can affect a lot of things. So I’m happy for him. He stayed the course, he’s continued to do the right thing over and over again, working on his game. You can see him gaining a little confidence little-by-little. He’s a special young man. Sometimes he’s a little too meek for me, but I’m getting a little more out of him, and our assistants continue to believe in him and continue to work on him. I’m so thrilled for him, because he’s a genuinely great guy. Great guy.”
Up next:
The Bears will head to Savannah Tuesday to attend fallen teammate Jibri Bryan’s funeral. The next game will be at Wofford on Thursday. Mercer defeated the Terriers in a 70-69 OT thriller in the first meeting Jan. 16.
Best of social media:
Fishler w/ his seventh block, then a held ball. UTC ball w/ 6 secs on shot clock @MercerMBB pic.twitter.com/p0mgEEGUav
— Hayes Rule (@Rule0021) February 9, 2016
Fans are getting some free basketball as UTC's game winner misses. OT at Hawkins arena. 59-59 pic.twitter.com/xhRUCHv6oR
— Justin Dean (@JbClusterSports) February 9, 2016
I take you inside Hawkins Arena after @Futuristic15Kid drains a 3 to give @MercerMBB a 56-53 lead: pic.twitter.com/DXTOud9jce
— Hayes Rule (@Rule0021) February 9, 2016
Mercer takes the lead....and the crowd goes crazy!!!! The boys are hype and ready to finish the drill. #BearStrong pic.twitter.com/1xMqI6u43N
— Justin Dean (@JbClusterSports) February 9, 2016
Fish is back.. back again.. Fish is back.. tell ya friends. @MercerMBB
— Hayes Rule (@Rule0021) February 9, 2016
Fishler is playing like a man possessed or maybe a fish? Another key rebound.
— Justin Dean (@JbClusterSports) February 9, 2016
I think it's fair to say this start has been better than @MercerMBB's start @ UTC--down 33-12 at one point. UTC up 33-31, 57.6 left 1st half
— Hayes Rule (@Rule0021) February 9, 2016
Rivers set to in bound the ball at the start of the second half. #BearStrong #OurHouse pic.twitter.com/ECZ4et5mSZ
— Justin Dean (@JbClusterSports) February 9, 2016
Suffice to say, Andrew Fishler is taking advantage of his opportunity and more. He's just doing it all in the paint. @MercerMBB
— Hayes Rule (@Rule0021) February 9, 2016
(02/07/16 12:59am)
Amid the mourning of sixth-year senior Jibri Bryan's death and the suspensions of starters Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer, the Mercer men's basketball team threw down a season-high eight thunderous dunks en route to an 88-72 win over The Citadel.
Mercer (18-6, 8-3) showed no signs of ill effects from the off-court events during the time between the team’s last game — Monday at Samford — and tip on Saturday. After losing one teammate Tuesday afternoon in the tragic death of Bryan, the Bears lost two more for an indefinite time after Athletic Director Jim Cole released the following statement less than an hour before game time:
“The University has suspended Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer from participating in the men’s basketball program,” said Cole. “The suspensions are not based on any involvement in the tragic incident earlier this week. Neither do the suspensions have anything to do with NCAA issues.”
Without Lewis and Ringer in the lineup for the first time this season, the Bears jumped out to a 14-2 lead five-and-a-half minutes into the outing. The run was the difference in the first half, as The Citadel ultimately found its bearings and was outscored by only one the remainder of a fast-paced half by Mercer; the Bears took a 43-30 lead to the half.
Mercer stretched its lead to 68-44 with 8:59 remaining, but the Bulldogs scraped back with a 16-6 run over the next four minutes. Fueled by dunks and an electric crowd, Mercer held off The Citadel’s comeback and won 88-72.
What mattered:
- Players ran onto the court wearing black warm-up shirts with the following on the front:
“Walk by faith not by sight..
Life is about how you overcome adversity thrown your way..
Will you fold or stand like a man?”
And the following on the back:
#Bri’s Legacy
34
Together We Will
- Sophomore Jordan Strawberry and freshman Ethan Stair earned starts with the absence of Lewis and Ringer.
- Andrew Fishler recorded season and career highs in points (20) and rebounds (10) as a Bear in only 19 minutes. The Citadel could not handle the 7-foot-1 redshirt junior, as its tallest player on the roster is 6-foot-8.
- Demetre Rivers didn’t only make flashy plays. The sophomore was effective, recording 16 points, one shy of his career high that he set when the Bears played The Citadel Jan. 9. He also chipped in nine rebounds.
- Four players scored in double figures — Fishler, Rivers, Phillip Leonard with 12 and Stephon Jelks with 10.
- Sophomore Niklas Ney was not on the bench Saturday.
- Demetre Rivers threw down a thunderous one-handed slam with 8:06 remaining in the first half that set off the 4,772-person crowd, which was a record for Hawkins Arena. The Bears were high-flying early, as it was the fourth dunk of the game at that point.
- Every player dressed for Mercer took the court by the 8:35 mark in the first half.
- The Bears ran up-and-down the court in the first twenty minutes, registering 10 fast break points in a 43-point half; The Citadel connected on only 29.4 percent of its shots in the first half as it attempted 21 3-pointers and 13 2-pointers.
- For the game, the Bulldogs attempted 43 3-pointers and connected on 11. Mercer also outscored The Citadel 54-24 in the paint as well as a rebounding advantage of 60-36, a program record for rebounds in a single-game.
What’s the inside scoop:
Rivers on making the opening corner 3: “It was definitely big. I feel like everything done tonight was just for (Jibri). I feel like everything moving on from now is going to be for (Jibri). Making shots out there, I just dedicate it all to him.”
Rivers on win: “I think the key was just staying focused through all the adversity coming into this week with everything that happened. I think just us staying together, bonding… We stayed a couple nights at Coach’s house. I think that was a big key.”
Rivers on mindset without Lewis: “I tried to be more aggressive with my shot more, take whatever the defense gives me (and) take whatever my teammates set me up with.”
Rivers on one-handed dunk: “It was really just all on the fly. I cut, and I think it was Jordan who passed it to me, and as soon as I looked up, I saw the whole lane. I just wanted to rip the rim off… I wanted to get one for (Jibri).”
Fishler on win: “Key was just to come out and stay together. Main thing Coach has been telling us is, ‘Together we will.’ So we have to stay together through the thick and the thin time, so we came out and played for each other.”
Fishler on career game: “Just knowing we were out three players, so I knew I had to step up for my team and play through it.”
Head coach Bob Hoffman on responding to adversity: “I’m so excited for our guys and university and our staff on how they gave so much energy, and we were very tired at the end… It was just amazing over and over again how our guys competed. I mentioned to them that before the game that if we could find a way to win tonight, that this would be one of the best — right up there with every good win I’ve had. I’ve been fortunate to be in a lot of special wins, but this would beat that. Thirty-six years of coaching, and I told them after the game it was just an amazing moment.”
Hoffman on Fishler: “Fishler was amazing… Fun to see him get all the fruits of the labor he’s been working all year. I haven’t given him as many opportunities, and he was ready today. Our guys kept finding him, and he kept finishing.”
Hoffman on preparing for Chattanooga: “It’ll be really hard for us. Chattanooga is a great team. We understand that. I know our guys are really spent right now. We’ll try to re-group a little bit tomorrow and figure out what exactly we’re going to do. We probably won’t do a whole lot, but eat a little bit, try to rest some and get some energy in our tank so we can come out and play a tremendous team here.”
Hoffman on record-setting crowd: “Thank you for all of Middle Georgia showing up and making a difference in supporting our team… The energy (was) amazing in the building. Helps us get through those walls, and it happened again tonight.”
Up next:
Mercer hosts Chattanooga Monday. The Bears fell to the Mocs 74-62 in the first meeting.
(02/05/16 5:17pm)
Four. Seven. Thirteen. Twenty-four. Forty-two. No, those aren’t the numbers of the white balls in the billion-dollar Powerball drawing in January — they’re the five numbers retired by Mercer basketball. It’s time to make it six.
Jibri Bryan cannot grace us with his presence on and off the basketball court anymore. He can't leap high, lock down players defensively or motivate his fellow teammates. He cannot watch his 2-year-old son grow into a man.
After his murder, Bryan cannot make the tangible impact on Macon, Mercer or his family that he was able to provide while he was here with us. So now it’s our turn; it’s our turn to show our respect and to make an everlasting impact, one that will never emulate the one Bryan made on those around him. But we can try.
And that begins with retiring No. 34. Scott Emerson (No. 4), Tommy Mixon (No. 7), Glenn Wilkes (No. 13), Eric Chambers (No. 24) and Sam Mitchell (No. 42) donned the five jerseys that are currently retired by the Mercer basketball program.
And interestingly enough, Chambers’ number was retired during the 1985-86 season after he passed away in 1985, his junior year at Mercer. So if it’s been done before, why not again? Why not for the sixth-year senior who fellow teammates had only these inspiring comments:
Freshman Cory Kilby: “Jibri is probably the best leader I’ve ever been around.”
Sophomore Tyre Moore: “He was one of the best people I ever knew. If I can be anything like Jibri the rest of my life, I’m going to be a better person.”
Freshman Jaylen Stowe: “He was a true leader — a true teammate. He was always smiling no matter what. He kept us focused; even when he was out he was always with us.”
Redshirt sophomore Desmond Ringer: “If I was going through something he would lift me up. If I had a question, he was always there.”
Sophomore Stephon Jelks: “He taught me more than just basketball — just more about life.”
Jibri Bryan didn’t just play basketball. He was a leader. He was a graduate student working on his MBA. He was a father.
Not only did Mercerians and teammates respect him, but he also left an impact on the Macon community. Bryan was nominated for the Allstate NABC Good Works Team, a group of 10 student-athletes in the NCAA, five each from Division I and Division II.
The Savannah native had many fans, but one of the most loyal? A 7-year-old young girl named Molly Hamlin, who met Jibri through her mother’s work with OrthoGeorgia. Bryan battled numerous knee injuries as a Bear, so as he received more and more treatment, his relationship with both Christina Hamlin and Molly grew.
I remember seeing her with Bryan after some recent games. I never knew exactly what the backstory of the relationship was, but just by their interaction, it was easy to see they truly cared for each other. Here’s a picture of Molly and Jibri:
#Bearstrong #Hisbiggestfan #herguardianangel #LordHOLDMercer @BooksAndBall pic.twitter.com/48gJ8tkC9N
— Christina Hamlin (@cwebbhamlin) February 3, 2016
And a tweet by Molly’s mother after the news of Bryan’s death:
Molly pays tribute in her way. #MercerStrong #hisbiggestfan #herguardianangel #34 pic.twitter.com/X872iiFCg0
— Christina Hamlin (@cwebbhamlin) February 4, 2016
Those four spectacular players who earned having their number retired because of their play — Emerson, Mixon, Wilkes and Mitchell — undoubtedly made their own impact on the university. But so has Jibri, arguably more so with everything considered.
You cannot put a numerical value on what Bryan has done while at Mercer. But there is one number we can always tie to Bryan’s legacy: 34.
Follow this link and sign the petition if you agree that Mercer should retire Jibri Bryan’s number: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/691/791/426/retire-jibri-bryans-number/
(02/04/16 4:25pm)
Seven Mercer basketball players and head coach Bob Hoffman spoke to media Wednesday night after the vigil held for Jibri Bryan in Hawkins Arena. It was the first time players spoke to the media since Bryan was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon at the Flash Foods gas station on the corner of Forsyth and College streets. The following are quotes from each interview.
Sophomore guard Jordan Strawberry:
“Being together is the most important thing for us to deal with something like this. That’s probably the most important thing that’s going to help us get through this tough time.”
“He always kept me laughing. Something he always did was push me. As a freshman coming in, he always pushed me to be great – a great player. So I think his encouragement, him in the locker room just being a great team leader for us, was something special.”
“He just had that grit to him. He was that senior who’s been here a long time. He’s been here and done this and done that -- been in those tough situations. So that’s something we’ll definitely be missing from him going forward.”
“I think playing 2K (is something I’ll miss). That’s something, we really did play a lot of that. Basketball 2K video games; that’s something we did a lot together… He liked playing with the Warriors.”
“Last year after we had lost to Furman in the SoCon Tournament, he told me that to keep working hard, and I’ll be a great player… That words of encouragement really was a moment I’ll cherish with him forever.”
“He was definitely like a brother figure to us, because he was playing the same game we were playing. But also, he’s kind of like a father figure because he’s been there through those tough times going with Coach."
Redshirt sophomore forward Desmond Ringer:
“Toughest thing is just knowing he’s not going to be there the next day we wake up. Every day, I would at least talk to Jibri; he would lift me up about something. If I was going through something he would lift me up. If I had a question, he was always there. Just knowing he’s not going to be there is the toughest thing – not only for me but for all of us.”
“I feel like that’s all we have (is to lean on each other as teammates). That’s what Jibri would want us to do – to stay close to each other, grow on each other, learn from each other, because that’s what we did for him. That’s what we got from him.”
“I had a feeling it was Jibri’s, but there’s a million white Monte Carlo’s down here in Macon. We were hoping it wasn’t, but it turned out to be him.”
Freshman guard Ethan Stair:
“We’ve always been a close group, so we’re just going to keep it that way.”
“He was always a guy to come and correct me and help me out with where I was with some of the classes or off-the-court stuff. He was kind of a mentor for me.”
Freshman froward Cory Kilby:
“I was actually out of town when I heard. So when I got the call, I immediately came back home to be with the team."
“Jibri is probably the best leader I've ever been around."
“Jibri was one of the funniest guys I've ever met. All he did was joke and have a smile on his face."
“How I will remember Jibri was when it was just him and me on the practice court."
Sophomore guard Tyre Moore:
“Jibri was one of the highest character people I ever knew. Every day he worked to make himself a better person."
“He was one of the best people I ever knew. If I can be anything like Jibri the rest of my life, I'm going to be a better person."
“The games don't compare to Jibri’s life."
“I want people to remember Jibri as one of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life."
“He was at Mercer to give his son a better life."
Freshman guard Jaylen Stowe:
“Jibri would want us to be strong. That's what we are trying to do: to stay strong for him and his family."
“He was kind of like that big brother. Even if I messed up or something he would always be there to help me."
“He was a true leader -- a true teammate. He was always smiling no matter what. He kept us focused; even when he was out he was always with us."
Sophomore forward Stephon Jelks:
“Jibri was more of a brother to me than anything. He taught me more than just basketball -- just more about life."
“We got to win this championship for him."
“Me and Jibri just had a thing where he would come over and play video games. Just hang out and talk about life. Off the court, it was never really about basketball."
“Just remember Jibri as a free spirited, loving person. Any time you see Jibri after a game you would just see him loving on his son. That is one of the most precious things I could say about Jibri is that he really loved his kid."
Head Coach Bob Hoffman:
“My wife, the first thing that came to her mind was the last game that he played. He hit some free throws, and little (Jibri) was in front of him, walking -- instead of (Jibri Sr.) holding him -- slapping fives, walking around the building. And (Jibri Sr.) was so proud of him that day. He was so proud of his son, and we’re proud of Jibri.”
“For me, it’s not so much for him, but it’s all about giving all you have because you don’t know what tomorrow holds. That’s the message, is, you have to give all you’ve got every day. (You) never know what that next day may be all about. Be grateful for the opportunities you have in front of you when they are there, and that’s what we’re going to approach every day, every game, the rest of the way.”
“Probably just about three or four weeks ago, I don’t remember the exact time… He came over to me and thought he was done – that he wasn’t going to play anymore. His knee was giving out, and he was telling me how much it meant to him to be a part of the team and the program. He was thanking me for believing in him, and I was thanking him for believing in me, and I said, ‘Don’t give up on yourself yet. Maybe you can help us the second part of the season; maybe you could do some low impact things.” And he said, ‘OK, Coach, I will do that.’ And we had a big hug and teared up a little bit right over here. That was a special moment.”
“Our team is built on more than basketball, and it has always been. It’s about relationships, and it comes to the forefront when you’re dealing with something as catastrophic as we are right now. Our guys are just hanging on to each other right now and believing in each other and looking to each other and to their faith.”
“(I’ll remember) just his infectious smile. Can light up a room more than anybody else. How he was always worried about me, asking how I was doing. No matter whether he was playing or not, he was for us. He was never against us. He was always for us. He was the epitome of a team guy.”
“He knew last year, we weren’t to the level in everything we wanted to do as a program and a team, and I think he just continued to try to push us -- push the guys to be better. I’m just grateful I got to know him and be a part of his life. He made a difference in my life, and I’m grateful for the moments we had.”
“His perseverance was amazing and what he was able to battle through and overcome, and his willingness to work with Brad (Crowe) over and over again -- our trainer. His family, fantastic people, they were a joy to be a part of, and they’ll always be a part of the Mercer family.”
“He just kept trying to find ways to help our team; he was a team guy. He wanted us to win. He was excited for our guys being successful, even when he wasn’t getting to play himself this year.”
“(The relationship) got closer and closer as we went through so many struggles with his injuries. Just building how hard he worked to get back and him graduating. He graduated the year we went to the tournament; he was one of eight guys who graduated that spring.”
(02/03/16 4:23pm)
The second suspect in the killing of Mercer basketball player Jibri Bryan was arrested Friday evening, according to a report from the Telegraph.
Damion Henderson, a 33-year-old originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, was captured by U.S. Marshal's Southeastern Regional Task Force as he attempted to escape from an apartment in Decatur, Georgia. Henderson has ties to west Macon.
(02/03/16 2:33am)
Jibri Bryan never let injuries deter him. The sixth-year senior battled through a season-ending injury as a redshirt sophomore and a knee injury this year, which kept him out of 17 games this year. But he never stopped.
When some doubted his return, he stormed the court in a shining knee brace – all while his 2-year-old son watched from the sideline, eagerly awaiting for the opportunity to crawl into his father’s arm at the end of the game.
But Bryan's comeback came to a tragic end inside a parked white Monte Carlo. Bryan was shot in the head and killed by an unknown gunman Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Flash Foods gas station on the corner of Forsyth and College streets. He was 23.
According to a report by Joe Kovac, Jr., of The Telegraph, Bryan was taken to a local hospital with his injuries. The Telegraph confirmed that he died later, becoming the first homicide in Macon this calendar year. Wednesday, Kovac updated the story with news that Bibb County sheriff's investigators charged Jarvis Clinton Miller with the murder.
"Jibri Bryan was a very special man who was a great contributor to our team and did everything that was asked of him," said Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman in an official statement released by the team. "He was important to us in every way. I loved him and cared about him from the very first time he was on our campus. We grew to be very close over the years. Our thoughts and prayers are with his special family."
Mercer University President William D. Underwood also released a statement showing his support for the Bryan family while Athletic Director Jim Cole said in his statement that not only will the basketball team miss Bryan's company but so will the athletics department.
"The Mercer athletic family is deeply saddened by Jibri's passing," Cole said. "Jibri was always cheerful and greeted everyone in the department with a smile."
But Hoffman, Underwood and Cole weren't the only ones to show support for Bryan, the Mercer family and Mercer basketball Tuesday. Twitter erupted after the news was released, and the hashtag #BearStrong became a commonality among supporters.
My roommate. My teammate. My brother. Please Lord wake me up from this nightmare.
— Bud Thomas (@BudThomas245) February 3, 2016
The world is short one good man today. We won't ever forget you Bree. @BooksAndBall #together
— Jakob Gollon (@CoachGollon) February 3, 2016
Rest in paradise bro #34 pic.twitter.com/ueSQ0F1orN
— Ikechukwu Nwamu (@ike_nwamu) February 3, 2016
Please Lord just wake me up from this nightmare
— TJ HanzIce Hallice (@Hallice30) February 3, 2016
There could never of been a better brother or teammate. Jibri Bryan you will truly be missed. pic.twitter.com/dLsNfphSmn
— Daniel Coursey (@StayTheCourse52) February 3, 2016
One of the strongest men I knew, nothing he couldn't handle...I love you more than you will ever know Bree https://t.co/YLkRwg8ZlU
— Bud Thomas (@BudThomas245) February 3, 2016
I'm so upset I can't even cry
— Monty Brown (@MU_Baller45) February 3, 2016
You will always be my brother
— TJ HanzIce Hallice (@Hallice30) February 3, 2016
This has to just be a nightmare! I love you bro!
— Langston Hall (@langston21) February 3, 2016
Current teammates commented:
#34? the rest of my career for you man!
— STOWE (@BeGreatStowe) February 3, 2016
At a loss for words right now. Love you Jibri and I'm gonna do everything in my power to help look after your son for the rest of my life
— Tyre Moore (@tyremoore4) February 3, 2016
My heart is broken as I have lost not just my teammate but my brother Jibri I love you forever you will live in my heart always. RIP#34...
— jordan strawberry (@jstrawberry_0) February 3, 2016
Rest easy, fam. We love and miss you, Jibri. #34 #bearstrong
— Lawrence Brown (@Lawrence25Brown) February 3, 2016
Rest in peace Jibri. You will truly be missed. We love you brother. #RIP34
— Ethan Stair (@Ethan15Stair) February 3, 2016
Students and fellow athletes also showed support:
Genuinely one of the nicest people I've ever met. Prayers go out to the Bryan family. #BearStrong
— David Murtaugh (@Dirtymurty27) February 3, 2016
It's times like these when you're reminded how precious life is. Keep mercer in your prayers tonight #bearstrong
— Tricia Surber (@SuperSurber13) February 3, 2016
Prayers out to Mercer tonight. Incredible player, incredible person. #34 sad to see you go. #bearstrong
— Michael Wagner (@Mwagner48) February 3, 2016
It's like I'm just waiting to wake up from a dream.
— Tony Perella (@TheTonyPerella) February 3, 2016
I'm speechless, but now's not a time for words, only prayers.
— Monica Johnson (@monicajohnsn) February 3, 2016
As a redshirt junior, Bryan started all of Mercer’s 35 games and recorded career highs in points (7.8), rebounds (4.4), assists (1.3) and steals (1.4). This season, the senior averaged 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
A candlelight vigil will be held for Bryan on Cruz Plaza at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The event will be moved to Hawkins Arena if it rains.
(01/30/16 5:11am)
5. Jama runs away from competition for Julius Johnson Invitational win
Men’s cross country runner Ahmed Jama took the reigns as a freshman for Mercer last semester, leading the Bears in all five of the team’s races -- but that doesn’t tell the whole story for the Woodstock, Georgia, native. An impressive first semester -- which featured a program record time of 15:31.9 for a 5K race and a spot on the All-SoCon Freshman Team -- was highlighted by a first-place finish at Mercer’s home race, the Julius Johnson Invitational held in Macon on Sept. 25. His individual title propelled the Bears to their best finish of the season, as the team took home the team title, as well.
"The win was big for my confidence for bigger meets throughout the season," Jama said.
Janiga finds the cup for a win at the Fighting Camels Classic
Another freshman, women’s golfer Mary Janiga, putted her way into the record books on Oct. 20 when she earned medalist at Campbell University’s Fighting Camels Classic in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
“I just wanted to end the season with a good tournament,” Janiga said of the win.
Similar to Jama, the Wellington, Florida, native led the team in all three tournaments the Bears completed in the fall, registering a 71.4 scoring average in those tournaments.After finishes of fifth and tied for seventh in her first two outings, Janiga culminated her first semester of strong play with a three-round total of 1-under par in North Carolina, becoming only the second player in the tournament’s 21-year history to finish under par.
Janiga’s medalist marked the first time a Mercer women’s golfer had won a tournament since Katy Harris’ victory at the 2014 Forest Oaks Fall Classic.
With the spring season and six tournaments still ahead, the freshman will have the opportunity to possibly add another trophy to her resume. But she won’t let the win affect her psyche too much.
“Going into spring season, (I) just hope for the best, play my game, keep everything level-headed,” she said.
3. Mercer men’s basketball makes history
Mercer’s men’s basketball has been playing in the NCAA’s Division I for over 42 years. It never started a season 8-1 -- until this year.
The 2015-16 squad broke the previous record of 7-1 held by the 1984-85 team led by eventual NBA player Sam Mitchell and legendary coach Bill Bibb, who leads the program with 222 wins. That team went on to win the Atlantic Sun title and made an NCAA Tournament appearance.
“That’s something special that we can always remember,” said sixth-year senior Jibri Bryan of the record. “When we’re 50 years old, we can come back and talk about that.”
The Bears reached the 8-1 mark in a 68-43 win over Alcorn State in Hawkins Arena Dec. 5 after their lone loss in the first nine games at Davidson. Not only did sophomore Demetre Rivers score a career-high 15 points in the outing, but it was the last game Bryan played before taking a 10-game absence. He returned to the court Thursday night against VMI.
2. Mitchell highlights the “student” in student athlete
Eight sophomores have received Academic All-America First Team status in Division I football in the last 13 years. Mercer running back Tee Mitchell’s name rounds out the list. The near-1,000-yard rusher this season joined the likes of Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffery out of Stanford as a recipient.
Mitchell became the first Mercer football player to ever receive the award and the 11th Mercer athlete to earn such recognition in the last 10 years. Softball’s Natalie Shiver and women’s soccer’s Ashani Samuels earned Academic All-America honors in 2014.
"Our entire program is very proud of Tee for receiving such an incredible honor," head coach Bobby Lamb told mercerbears.com in December. "I can't say enough about what he has accomplished both on and off the field. He has set the standard for our program going forward."
The sophomore out of Jacksonville, Florida, headlined a Bears team which boasted a SoCon-leading 48 Academic All-SoCon selections and three players with a 4.0 GPA in the fall.
1. Mercer football claws through No. 3 Chattanooga
But the classroom wasn’t the only grounds for success for Mercer’s football team in its third season since re-establishment. Although Mercer was under .500 (5-6) for the first time under the new regime, head coach Bobby Lamb said he believes the team is right where it should be at this point.
But few third-year programs achieve this: beating the FCS’ No. 3-ranked team. SoCon foe Chattanooga came to Five Star Stadium Nov. 7 with a flawless record in conference play. And then it entered the Bears’ den.
Mercer defeated the Mocs 17-14 for only its second-ever SoCon victory after junior safety Zach Jackson intercepted Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman deep in Mercer territory with 3:57 remaining. The Bears eventually ran out the clock after junior quarterback John Russ converted a fourth and inches with 2:00 left.
“What a great win for us,” Lamb said. “I can’t be more proud of this team because time, time and time again, we sat right here and it’s been a 7-point loss, a 3-point loss, a 2-point loss, it’s been a loss on the last play of the game. These kids are resilient. They finally just stepped up.”
And the Bears chose an appropriate time for one of its best wins in the last three seasons -- its first program win over a Top-25 opponent. Mercer unveiled and donned camo uniforms for the outing as the team held Military Appreciation Day.
“Our camouflage uniforms may have helped us a little bit,” Lamb said. “They couldn’t see us out there a little bit.”
But the rest of the FCS did after the victory.
(01/30/16 5:08am)
Everyone who went to college remembers the feeling of that first day on campus. Most likely leaving home for the first time, the new college student enters an unknown environment with new faces and places to discover.
Although, that new student is not alone -- hundreds or even thousands of other people experience this new beginning during the same time span. Bonds and friendships can be formed through both the good and bad.
But what about the transition for someone who starts his or her journey in the spring semester? Jake Flath, a 17-year-old offensive lineman from Lakeland, Florida, now treks Mercer’s campus after graduating high school a semester early.
After earning Second Team All-State and First Team All-County as a senior offensive tackle at Lakeland High School, Flath finished his high school career in December and joined the Mercer football team at the start of the second semester.
But what is it like as the youngest athlete on campus, one just trying to find level ground during his first few weeks?
Question: What was your main decision behind coming to Mercer early?
Answer: Well, my dad was actually a coach at Lakeland until my 10th-grade year. He left at the beginning of my 10th-grade year. So, he knew all the principles and guidance counselors, and one of the guidance counselors one day at the beginning of my junior year told him, “Hey, look, your son can graduate high school early. All he’s got to do is get a credit for English, like a whole credit.” … I had three English credits, and I had all of the other requirements done, so she said, “Look, all you have to do is get this one English credit, and you have to do it in a semester.” So, what I did was take an online course, and I got the whole class done before the end of the first semester in high school. So I had all that done, and I had all my other credits done by the end of my senior year. What would have happened if I stayed in high school is I’d have to have five P.E. classes, a study hall class -- which I wouldn’t have done anything in because I finished that online course -- and an intern class, which was really no work at all either. I would have been able to participate in all the fun senior year events and stuff that they have, but I would have basically wasted a whole semester of schooling for nothing -- just for a few small events. The time came that I needed to pick the college I was going to, and I said, “Well, I like Mercer.” So, I committed to Mercer, and they got it all set up and ready for me.
Q: What has the transition been like for you so far coming in during the middle of the year as a 17 year old? Obviously, you wouldn’t know what it’s like coming in as a freshman in the fall, but do you feel like it’s a little bit different?
A: It’s definitely been a little bit of a shock. There’s another kid on the football team who graduated early from high school and came early; his name is Zac Rice. What he’s told me is, basically, “Play it out.” All these freshman coming into the fall semester, they’ve all got each other and they know each other because they all come in at once, and it’s their bonding time. For me, you don’t get many people that are coming in together. It’s more, a lot of international students and transfer students. Generally, football players are going to hang out with football players, and I had two football kids come in with me this semester who are mid-year transfers. One is a junior who came in from another school, so he kind of runs with a different crowd, and I don’t see him much. One is a kid named Charlie (Davidson), who went to Navy Prep for his first semester, so technically, he’s already a year ahead of me already. But, I have frequent contact with him and we’re friends, but he still runs with a different crowd, too. It’s kind of hard because you have to find your niche in college, because me personally, I’m not a partier. I don’t drink and smoke; I just don’t believe in it. I’ve found a lot of people that, that’s what they do. And so I’m starting to find my niche a little bit and finding some kids who don’t do that stuff and spend their time doing other things. I’m not judging anyone; I just need to find my niche. It’s been hard, but I think I’m starting to fit in and find people I like and do the same things and are interested in the same things as I am.
Q: How has going from high school workouts to college off-season workouts been going for you?
A: I come from a high school where, we have a little saying. It’s: “Where winning is a tradition.” So, our coach is a very, very good, esteemed coach. He’s won like six state championships and two national championships, so it’s not easy at our high school. Some high schools, they just want to take it easy. We’ve really pushed ourselves. It’s definitely harder here (at Mercer); it’s college. But it’s not as much of a shock as a lot of kids who come in doing the minimum requirement for lifting and running and stuff to doing max of what you’re going to do probably for the rest of your life. I would probably say I was definitely closer to the amount of time and effort that we’re putting in here; I was a lot closer in high school than a lot of these kids. The transition between working out and running and doing all the physical conditioning stuff and team requirements has been a little bit easier for me.
Q: Have you been able to come upon a mentor yet since you’ve been here? I know you said Zac Rice was also in the same position as you. Has he helped you out a little bit?
A: Yeah, yeah. He introduced me to a guy who has a car, and he goes to church, and so last weekend (Jan. 16-17), I was kind of alone in my room for most of the time, but I got invited to church, so I went to church (Sunday) morning. Then, Zac Rice’s friend was having a Sunday football watch party at his house, so they invited me there. Mentor-wise for athletics and just having a friend outside of the class, there’s really not anyone yet. That takes time to develop that relationship. So not really anyone of the mentor status yet, but Zac and -- the kid’s name is John Mitchell; he’s also a football player -- hopefully I’m going to be able to engage in a friendship with them and hopefully that friendship can branch out as I meet people who are like them and are like me, and hopefully those friendships can start to develop in places like that. It’s hard to find a mentor in football that’s not your coach. Coaches reign supreme, and those guys are typically your mentors no matter what you do.
Q: Academics must be a pretty big part of your life, maybe just as big as your football game?
A: I want to be a coach, so football is going to be pretty high up there. The way a lot of coaches go, a lot of times when you play at a higher level, you learn more, and that gives you the ability to coach at a high level. Now, obviously that’s not true for everyone, but a lot of coaches these days have Master’s degrees. That’s just what it is; a lot of coaches have higher education degrees, and a lot of them are really, really, smart guys who know the game. If I want to keep playing this game, keep my scholarship and keep playing college football, I’m going to have to keep my academics up. I’m not super passionate about school. I think it’s very important to obtain that knowledge and to get a degree; I think it’s extremely important. My parents have always emphasized it. It is what it is. It’s a part of my life. I’ve embraced it; I’ve learned to embrace it. I’ve learned to try my best. Some people just get by lowballing the system and trying to scrape past the bare minimum, but I want to excel. I don’t want to be seen as one of those kids who are, “Oh, man, that kid, he’s just hanging on to that 2.3 (GPA) so he can keep playing ball.” I love ball, and ball is a big part of my life. But ball is not everything. Ball, I was blessed with the talents and opportunities to play ball, and that’s going to be my job. But my academics are certainly a huge part of what’s gotten me to where I am. A lot of schools, they see that you don’t have the right scores or good grades, or you haven’t maintained good grades, and they don’t even look at you. I’ve had people tell me in the recruiting process that one of the biggest things that caught their eyes was that I had a 29 ACT and a 4.2 GPA. That’s just what it is. I’m talented, and God’s blessed me with the talents and gifts that I have, but I’ve also worked really hard to maintain what I have.
Q: How has the coaching staff been so far, and how do you feel like they’ve helped you get comfortable?
A: Oh, yeah, that’s huge. The first thing I looked at when I went to colleges, it wasn’t how big it was, it wasn’t how big the college was or how successful they were or if they had the best stuff or anything that. It was: Do I like this coach? Can I work with this coach for four years? Is he a good man? Does the program treat his family well? Does he treat the program well? Those were my biggest questions coming in. I love the whole coaching staff here, and they’ve been extremely helpful. I had a rough little situation in the first week that I was here. I thought things were going to be certain ways, and they weren’t. And the coaches helped me, and they got things straight… It’s hard to be an athlete and have to room with a kid, just a random kid who’s up until hours of the night while you’re trying to sleep. And then you get up in the morning, and you have to be as quiet as you can because the kid’s asleep; he’s going to be sleeping in until nine or 10. So that was frustrating. And the kid was a little sloppy -- a little messy. So, that was a big frustration for me. I’ve voiced my grievances, and they were totally great about it. And they said, “Look, Dude, we understand. We’re going to try as fast as we can to get you out of that room and in with another football player so you guys keep the same schedule, keep the same times and keep each other accountable . . . They’ve helped me through all my grievances and stuff I’ve had.
(12/06/15 12:46am)
After Wednesday’s 82-47 win against Hiwassee, senior guard Jestin Lewis said the talk around the locker room has been to “make history” this year. Mission accomplished.
Only nine games into the year, the Bears have indeed made history, recording the best start (8-1) in the program’s Division-I history after a 68-43 win at Hawkins Arena Saturday against winless Alcorn State.
Demetre Rivers led the cause with a career-high 15 points, nine of which came in a first half where every player donning orange and black earned playing time. The Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Alcorn State hung with the Bears early, as Mercer led only 12-10 nine minutes into the game.
But Jestin Lewis and Stephon Jelks provided the cushion the Bears needed -- quickly. The combination scored 15 straight points, eight straight from Lewis, in a matter of five minutes to fuel a 19-3 run which gave Mercer a 31-13 lead.
The Bears controlled the double-digit lead until the half, as they led 36-17 after out-rebounding the Braves 20-9. Alcorn State opened the second half much like it did the first, as it outscored Mercer 11-10 over the first eight minutes.
But the Braves would never legitimately threaten, as the Bears gradually pulled away on a 22-15 run in the final 12 minutes of the game. Two other players outside of Rivers finished with double-digit points, as Jelks and Lewis contributed 10 each.
What mattered:
- Sixth-year senior Jibri Bryan returned after a seven-game absence to score seven points on flawless shooting -- 3-3 from the field. He checked in at the 12:55 mark in the first half and sunk a 3-pointer before the shot clock expired less than a minute into his outing.
- Nine of Rivers’ 15 points came from the free throw line, where he attempted a game-high 11 shots. In the last two games, Rivers has shot 19-of-22 from the charity stripe. He broke his career-high 10 points, which he has registered on four different occasions, on the first offensive possession of the second half. He also chipped in a career-high six rebounds.
- The outing was the third time on the early season that the Bears’ defense held a team to under 50 points. The other two occasions were Nov. 19 against Alabama State and Wednesday against Hiwassee.
- The Bears were hot behind the arc early; in the opening 14 minutes, Mercer shot 5-of-8 from the 3-point line. Lewis increased his streak of at least two 3-pointers in a game to three straight and five of the last six. The Bears finished 6-of-13, registering a season-high 46.2 percent from downtown.
- Mercer shot 48.9 percent from the field but tied a season-low with 68 points.
- Alcorn State made only 13 shots in the outing, shooting 28.3 percent from the field; it’s the lowest an opponent has shot against the Bears this year.
What’s the scoop:
Bryan on his return: “It felt great, man. (I) feel like I’ve been out for a year, but it felt good to get out there with my buddies… (The knee) felt pretty good. I worked hard to get back, so I was confident in it.”
Bryan on breaking the record: “That was very big, man. That’s something special that we can always remember. When we’re 50 years old, we can come back and talk about that.”
Rivers on career-high points: “I wasn’t really paying too much attention about the points; I was just trying to get the (win). But my teammates were setting me up well.”
Rivers on recent free-throw shooting: “It’s been something I’ve been trying to focus on more lately, because I shoot a lot of outside shots, and it attracts a lot of defenders out for me to drive by and get to the lane.”
Head coach Bob Hoffman on Bryan’s return: “He’s been working really hard… Jibri plays unbelievable defense, and when you can have his defensive presence, and then even throw in a few shots, and then his experience with these young guys... I think it really helps our team.”
Hoffman on focus in next few games: “We know we’re going to get pressed once we walk in the building at Auburn and Arkansas. Hopefully we can get some transition baskets and get to the free throw line a little bit. That will help us against those really good teams and great coaches.”
Hoffman on atmosphere at Power 5 schools: “I don’t know about (the players), but I love it, myself. We’ve been blessed to win a lot of those and be in a lot of those games, and I think our guys will relish the opportunity… I believe our guys are good enough to win anywhere, any time, any place, but we’ll have to play a high level to beat some really good teams.”
Next up:
The Bears have 10 days off before traveling to Auburn Dec. 15, the start of a four-game road trip that begins with three straight Power Five opponents -- the Tigers, Arkansas, and Ohio State. Mercer doesn’t return to Hawkins Arena for nearly a month.
(12/05/15 8:53pm)
This week on the Christmas edition of Inside the Den the hosts discuss the holidays and Christmas music. They are joined by point guard for the Mercer Bears, Phillip Leonard. He discuss the early season success as well as his fear of failure. The second guest on tap is managing editor for the Cluster, Nick Wooten. Nick picks the games of the week around the sports world and offers his insights on some of the key matchups. All of that and more on the newest episode of Inside the Den with Hayes Rule and Justin Baxley.
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/mercer-cluster-sports/inside-the-den-christmas-special[/embed]
(12/03/15 6:58am)
They lost their three leading scorers from 2014. But that doesn’t mean the Bears have fallen off; they’ve never been better, as with an 82-47 win over NCCAA Hiwassee Wednesday, the Mercer men’s basketball team improved its record to 7-1, tying the program’s record for the best start to a season as a D-1 team.
The record was set by the 1984-85 team led by Sam Mitchell, a third-round pick in the NBA draft and eventual head coach of the Toronto Raptors as well as current interim head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mitchell is the second all-time leading scorer in program history with nearly 2,000 points and led the record-setting team to the Trans-American Atlantic Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bears are two games a way from tying the all time record for the program's best start. In 1966-67 before they became a D-1 program they got off to a 9-1 start.
But the 2015-16 Bears have won by committee, as seven players are averaging at least 6.8 points per game through the first eight outings. The win against Hiwassee was no different, as six players scored at least eight points -- Jestin Lewis had 17, Ethan Stair finished with 11, Demetre Rivers scored 10 from the free throw line, and Stephen Jelks, Jordan Strawberry, and Lawrence Brown had 8 -- in the 35-point victory.
An 11-0 run in a four-minute span during the middle of the first half gave the Bears a 22-9 lead with 9:03 remaining until half, but Mercer could not pull away from the Tigers; Hiwassee out-scored the Bears by one in the final nine minutes to trail 38-26 at the half.
The Tigers continued to battle, as they outscored the Bears by a point in the first seven minutes of the second half. And then the onslaught ensued: leading by 14 with over 11 minutes remaining, Mercer ran off a 28-7 run to cage the Tigers for good.
What mattered:
- The Bears dominated the glass, especially in the second half. After possessing a nine-rebound advantage in the first half, Mercer finished with twice as many rebounds as the Tigers -- 54-27.
- Lewis’s 17 points were one shy of his career high, which he set Jan. 8 last season against East Tennessee State. The senior has now connected on at least two 3-pointers in four of the last five games.
- Freshman Ethan Stair’s 11 points were also one shy of his career high, which he recorded twice in his first seven games. He also recorded six rebounds and four assists. Stair sits at 9.1 points per game, third on the team.
- Mercer moved the ball effectively, as the Bears assisted on 22 of their 25 made baskets in the game.
- Behind Rivers’ 10 free throws, Mercer scored 20 more points from the charity stripe and attempted 30 more than the Tigers; Mercer shot 64.1 percent -- 25-39 -- compared to 55.6 percent -- 5-9 -- for Hiwassee.
- With the game in hand, every player registered at least four minutes for the Orange and Black.
What’s the scoop:
Lewis on carrying momentum from the Challenge in Music City victory: “It was real good for us, man… If we didn’t come here with energy, they was going to beat us. We basically wanted to come in, get another win at home, and tie the best start in history.”
Lewis on recent hot streak after struggling early: “Man, about time… My teammates, they got me open, and everybody has faith in me, telling me no matter how many I miss, just keep shooting.”
Head coach Bob Hoffman on pulling away: “Our guys executed at the end of the first half and got on a run. We got some transition baskets which got us some separation, which was really the best minutes of the game, I think, was about a four or five minute stretch at the end of the first half, because it was a close game up until then.”
Hoffman on possibly making history: “We’ll talk about it; we already did. You need to know what you’re playing for. If you can get that done, that would be huge. You think of all the years that Mercer has played basketball, and if you can have the best start, that speaks volumes to what these guys have done at the beginning of the season.”
Hoffman on ball movement: “[Strawberry] and [Phillip Leonard] do a lot of it, but Ethan Stair even had four assists tonight. That’s always been a hallmark of our programs and our teams: trying to find ways to be unselfish and make others better around you, and our guys have embraced that.”
What’s next:
The Bears welcome Alcorn State Saturday at 4:30 p.m. before going on a three-game road trip against Auburn, Arkansas, and Ohio State.
(12/01/15 9:03pm)
It’s Saturday in the fall. The scoreboard at Five Star Stadium is illuminated. Football players fill the field, and hectic fans dominate the stands. The description depicts the expected scene at a Mercer football game. But think again.
The Mercer Bears football team is nowhere to be found. It’s a high school state championship game.
Every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) takes over the artificial turf on Five Star Stadium for its state championship football game in all three of its classifications. But the private school association is not the only one taking its talents to the home of the Bears.
The Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the major classification for public schools in the state, has held games at Mercer, such as an opening-week doubleheader on a Friday night to kick-off the 2015 season. In 2014, Northside Warner Robins even used Mercer’s facilities to host a playoff game after its own field’s conditions were too poor.
“The kids get to play in normal high school stadiums all their whole career,” said Thomas Smith, the head coach for Robert Toombs Academy, who just lost the GISA AA state championship at Five Star Stadium Nov. 28. “For that to be sort of the ending moment of their high school career, it’s something they’ll always remember playing there.”
Deerfield-Windsor School head coach Allen Lowe also spoke of the special chance for players to leave the comfort zone of the typical “Friday Night Lights” atmosphere for the facilities at a Division-I college football program.
“Our kids, we had never been there, so it was an exciting time for us to be able to go and play at Mercer,” he said. “The facilities are fantastic, and we were treated very well. At that point and time, we would play anywhere for a state championship, but we enjoyed the invitation and the right to play.”
But Mercer Athletic Director Jim Cole said the experience does not only offer high school players a once-in-a-lifetime experience it provides an opportunity for the school to put a small sum back into the facilities and draws in prospective students.
“We do want to show (the facilities) off,” Cole said. “And it does help student recruitment. The more kids you can get on campus, especially from the Atlanta area who may not be coming down this way anyway, the better.”
Cole said it’s “50-50” between associations contacting the school and the university reaching out to organizations when scheduling events at Five Star Stadium. But he said it’s not just Mercer Athletics-centric.
“When I say, ‘We,’ it’s a Middle Georgia effort; it’s not just us,” he said. “The city of Macon might really want to promote a game, and they might want to use our facility.”
But the system is not perfect. Cole and the university’s compliance office must monitor that they follow NCAA rules with high school athletes on campus. Also, scheduling presents a problem when the Bears are in town.
“We don’t want to host a game on Friday night when we play on Saturday,” Cole said.
And while positives are seen from both Mercer and the high schools’ perspectives, don’t expect events to overrun Mercer. Cole said he would like the partnership with the GISA and GHSA to continue, as long as it does not harm the athletics program.
“A lot of those, they run it themselves, but we have to provide certain services because they just can’t – security, parking, operating the scoreboard, things of that nature -- that they don’t have an expertise,” he said. “Our main mission is Mercer athletics, so we don’t want to do so many events out there that we burn out.”