Hornet men hope to avoid sluggish play after week-long layoff
By Jesse Newell
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Scott Elliott’s challenge this week wasn’t guarding the post or making sure to hustle back on defense.
Instead, it was Promotional Management — and the five essay questions that made their way onto the final.
“I think I might have perfected the art of cramming the night before,” Elliott said. “There was not a whole lot of sleep this week.”
So maybe the seven-day layoff between games wasn’t exactly a week of rest for the Hornets. Still, ESU hopes to avoid any sluggishness in today’s game against Bethany at 5 p.m. in White Auditorium.
“We want to come out and give them our best shot,” Elliott said, “just as they will to us.”
It will be the Hornets’ first game with their new national ranking. ESU was picked at No. 22 in the NABC Division II poll this week thanks to its 8-0 start this season.
The Hornets’ hot start is somewhat of a surprise, as they were picked ninth out of 10 teams in the preseason in the MIAA. Still, Elliott said the players were not satisfied with just getting into the rankings — or even staying where they are now.
“I feel like 22 isn’t good enough,” Elliott said. “I feel like we’ve done well so far, but with conference play coming up after Christmas, that can be taken away from us in the next few games.
“I feel that we have higher goals than to be ranked 22.”
ESU opened some eyes in the conference with its last win — an 86-71 victory over Fort Hays State. The Tigers were preseason picked No. 2 in the conference.
“We knew we were good enough this whole time, but we still have to prove that we’re good enough to be ranked,” ESU guard Wes Book said. “We actually end up with another target to our back because we’re undefeated and now we’re ranked. That’s going to give teams extra motivation.”
That should be the case for NAIA Bethany, which enters with a 4-4 record. The Swedes dropped their last two home games to Kansas Wesleyan and McPherson College by a combined 44 points and also lost to Fort Hays State in an exhibition game by 51.
ESU will face Bethany tonight and Friends on Dec. 28 before starting conference play for good against Southwest Baptist on Dec. 30.
Donta Watson leads the Hornets in scoring with a 17.9-point average. Book — who has been named MIAA player of the week two out of four weeks this season — is right behind him at 17.1 points per contest.