Texas State begins the Doug Davalos Era with an exhibition contest Tuesday night against Texas Lutheran at Strahan Coliseum.

Nov. 6, 2006

SAN MARCOS - When asked what he wants fans to take away from experiencing Texas State basketball this season, first-year coach Doug Davalos does not hesitate with his reply.

"I want everyone to say that our kids play with a passion and a purpose," he says. "I think when you say you are playing with a passion it says you care about everything you are doing. I just want fans to see a team that is going to work extremely hard and work well together."

Passion. It is witnessed every day in the team practices Davalos runs. Players diving for loose balls. Defenders turning around on transitional breaks and taking a hard charge. Kids just "getting after it" during workouts that are as intense as Davalos hopes his team will play.

"Right now, we're not a great executing basketball team," Davalos said as the Bobcats went through team drills in late October. "But the effort and intensity and passion for competing is there. They need to play hard, play smart and play together. Right now we are centering on playing hard and playing together. Hopefully playing smart will work into the equation before we start playing a lot of games." The expectation for the Bobcats is to move to an uptempo style of basketball - an attacking style on both ends of the floor. A basketball court is 94 feet from baseline to baseline. Look for the `Cats to use every bit of the floor to attack opponents.

"We want to make people react and adjust to us," Davalos said. "Everybody in our league is having intense practices. We didn't invent the wheel. But I don't think you can emulate what we are doing for a couple days before you play us. It's going to make for more of an impromptu basketball game. If we can establish that throughout the year, we'll have a chance."

Davalos could spend the better part of a day talking about the benefits of playing an uptempo style. It was what his squad at Sul Ross State did en route to three straight American Southwest Conference West Division titles. Sul Ross had not posted a winning record since 1979 prior to Davalos' arrival for the 2002-03 season. The Lobos went 19-6 in Davalos' first season and went on to have a combined 72-35 record in four years.

Now Davalos is installing the same uptempo system at Texas State.

It's a product that fans in San Marcos will likely embrace.

"It's fun to watch. Fans are going to want to come out and watch a team that is always on the attack and dictating the tone of the game for 40 minutes," Davalos said. "It's not going to be possession-to-possession with me calling a play everytime down the floor. It is a fast-paced game.

"Even if a fan doesn't understand the Xs and Os of basketball or even if they are not a real big fan at all, it's an exciting way to play to generate fan interest."

Secondly, it is a style that players want to play. An uptempo system does allow players to play with more freedom, and Davalos said it also allows for the development of more team chemistry. If a player is going to play with the intensity Texas State's coaching staff is asking of its players, they are not going to go long before they raise a fist in order to be substituted for and get a breather. A team has to be at least two-deep at every position to make an uptempo style work.

"The more players that get into games and take stock in our program, the more it will create a cohesive unit," Davalos said. "And it makes a team's practices more competitive and spirited. It is not a star system where we have four or five guys we are building our program around and then other guys fitting into roles. Six through 10 know they are going to play as much as one through five at times depending on the situation.

"It motivates everyone to come out every day and get better. I don't establish any starting lineups that are etched in stone. People have to compete every day in practice. Our first five and our second five are basically two starting groups. It's not as important that you are a starter in our system."

Davalos said there will always be benefits in different styles of play but he has seen the reward of a team playing an up tempo style ... watching a group of players turn into a tight-knit, cohesive group where players are relying on one another to be successful.

"I want everyone to say that our kids play with a passion and a purpose," he says. "I think when you say you are playing with a passion it says you care about everything you are doing. I just want fans to see a team that is going to work extremely hard and work well together." Doug Davalos, Texas State Men's Basketball Coach

"All coaches talk abut working hard but it is very difficult to actually achieve that," Davalos said. "What we have done is set some very high standards in our program, defining what working hard is. I think we have done that through our conditioning, through our weight training and our on-court work.

"You have to set a high standard from an intensity standpoint and teach them how to work hard and then polish it," he added. "I don't think you can start with the technique, have a soft-type practice and turn up the intensity as you progress.

So the Bobcats go through the drills that teach how to grab a loose ball, take a charge or gain position and win a rebound.

"If we are going to work on the fundamental of shooting, we are going to work on the fundamentals of taking a charge. We don't assume anything about the game," Davalos said. "When you catch the ball, you don't think about the technique that goes into a shot. It's a muscle-memory response. And the same holds true when there is a loose ball. We don't want them to think about it. They just immediately dive on the floor."

Also, without any true shot blockers on this year's squad, look for the Bobcats to swarm the basketball.

"It's nice to have shot blockers when you play this style of basketball. We have to make up for the lack of shot blockers by swarming the ball," Davalos said. "We have to attack the dribble before it gets to the lane, and secondly, we have to sacrifice our bodies to stop a possession. If you can do those things, you can overcome not having shot blockers to a certain extent."

Personnel
Texas State used a preseason "boot camp" of sorts to bring together a group of players which is heavy with newcomers. Only four players return from last year's squad. This year's team features seven junior college transfers and four true freshmen.

Below is a player-by-player breakdown of the Bobcats personnel with comments from Texas State first-year coach Doug Davalos ...

JUNIOR FORWARD CHRIS AGWMARO
Agwumaro averaged 18 points and six rebounds at Northlake College. He helped lead Northlake to the 2005-06 NJCAA Division III national championship and was named the championship's MVP.
"Chris has been a really valuable player to this point because of his versatility. He is one of our most athletic players. In this system, he is someone who can slide between the forward and guard positions. In an uptempo system that will allow him to be on the floor more often he is going to be valuable."

JUNIOR FORWARD Nana Baafi
Baafi averaged 2.7 points and 3.9 rebounds for a Monroe College team which advanced to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
"Nana has to be a tough, blue-collar, hard-nosed rebounder and interior defender for us. He has the potential to be our most physical paint player. But he needs to develop more consistent, positive habits to reach his potential. It is going to be important for him to accept and learn the things that he can really do well. The things he doesn't do well - his footwork and running the floor - we are going to work on. Nana needs to focus on being a physical, `10-foot and In' basketball player."

SENIOR GUARD Antwoine Blanchard
Blanchard is a fifth-year season on this year's squad who is a career 78.5 percent free throw shooter. Last year he averaged 5.3 points and 2.5 assists for the Bobcats.
"Antwoine has definitely been our best lead-by-example player. He really wants to have a successful year. He just demonstrates by going out and practicing every day with a blue-collar work ethic. He's our best defender right now just because how he works at it.Antwoine is accepting the fact that this is his last year of playing college basketball and he is playing like it. He wants to have the best year of his career."

SOPHOMORE FORWARD Brandon Bush
Bush played in all 27 games last year as a sophomore and was the team's second leading scorer, averaging 9.3 points an outing to go along with 3.6 rebounds.
"Brandon is probably our most talented player and most versatile threat. He could be our best overall defender. He could be our best overall offensive player. The sky is the limit with him. Brandon has really bought into what we are doing. He made a comment that he `didn't realize defense could be so fun.' I thought that was one of the greatest comments I have heard from one of my players. In our system, Brandon is ideal. He is a guy at 6-7 that we can really take advantage of mismatches."

SENIOR FORWARD Charles Dotson
Dotson averaged 11.8 points and 6 rebounds as a junior. He starts this year as a Preseason Second-Team All-Southland Conference pick.
"Charles is a really tough competitor between the lines. He will probably play a lot more four in our system. He needs to attack his senior season like Antwoine Blanchard is. If he comes with the attitude that he is going to have the best season of his life and approaches it that way, he is going to have a great senior year. I believe Charles wants to be a big contributor.Charles is undersized at the four but he is one of our best runners. He is definitely a guy who is going to flourish in a transition system and he is going to create some mismatch problems."

JUNIOR FORWARD Matt Fullenwider
Fullenwider averaged 15 points and 8.7 rebounds as a sophomore at Collin County Community College where he was an all-conference and all-region performer.
"Matt has always heard what he can't do, and Matt has used that as a fuel. He is an intense competitor. He has always gone out and earned everything he has received. He is a guy who has developed into a better player. We're hoping his two years at Texas State are the two best years of his career.Matt's biggest problem has been defending on the perimeter. He can defend on the low block but he needs to learn how to improve his footwork and defend on the perimeter. From a versatility standpoint he can defend the four or five for us and create some mismatches with his ability to both face up and post up."

JUNIOR FORWARD Brian Hill
Hill was a First-Team NJCAA All-American last year at Hamilton College where he averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds.
"Brian is a very analytical and mature young man and a very attentive listener. He accepts coaching. Those qualities make me believe he is going to play a big role for our team. Again versatility ... Brian can play from the one to the four position. He is a physical kid. He has a nice repertoire offensively where he can shoot and put the ball on the floor. From an uptempo standpoint, he can guard several positions."

JUNIOR GUARD Brent Holder
Holder averaged 11.3 points and 2.3 rebounds as a sophomore at Blinn College. He led NJCAA's XIV Region in three-point percentage.
"Brent is by far our best shooter. He is an outstanding catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. Recently, he has really picked it up as a defender and rebounder. He is realizing no matter how many shots he hits, he is not going to get to play if he doesn't defend and rebound. From where he was at the start of school to where he is now, he has made some of the greatest strides."

JUNIOR GUARD George Kiel
Averaged 10.5 points and three assists per game while shooting 85 percent from the free throw line last season at Trinity Valley. He also played his freshman year at Mary Hardin-Baylor.
"George is an experienced college basketball player. He got to play a lot of minutes at point guard last year at Trinity Valley. George is a very skilled offensive player. He's a good shooter and has a good feel for the game offensively. I expect him to contribute early on because he has point guard experience at the college level."

FRESHMAN GUARD Didier Kollo
Kollo teamed with fellow, first-team Bobcat Antoine Sam to lead Cypress Christian School to back-to-back TAPPS state championships in 2005 and 2006. He averaged 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 steals as a senior.
"Didier is a very raw offensive and defensive player. He hasn't been playing basketball his whole life. But he is making up for that by really competing hard. He really wants to be successful as a player. Things such as shooting a left-hand layup which comes easily for guys, he has to work harder on from a fundamental stand point.Didier needs to buy into the fact that he can be a tremendous contributor for our program if he comes out every day and defends, defends, defends. He can do that. He is a good athlete who has a big heart."

SOPHOMORE FORWARD Dylan Moseley
Initially expected to red-shirt last year, Moseley ended up seeing significant minutes during Southland Conference play. He averaged 2.1 points and 2.4 rebounds as a true freshman.
"Dylan is a versatile player who has looked better since we started practice. He is always going to have to be a tremendous competitor to be a successful basketball player. And he is competing harder. He is rebounding better. He has a good basketball IQ and understands the game. He thinks his way through the game. In basketball, the game moves so quickly that when you say basketball IQ, what you mean is making decisions on the run. And Dylan has the ability to do that. We're mostly going to play him inside. He's not extremely quick or athletic but he is versatile. He can shoot the ball and if he learns how to defend on the low block with more toughness and a more physical approach he is going to help us."

FRESHMAN GUARD Gordon Taylor
Taylor helped Pearland High School to a bi-district title last year and is a walk-on to the Texas State program.
"Gordon is one of our best student-athletes. He is a very intelligent young man who is doing well in the classroom. On the court, he really competes and has been one of our top two or three every day in terms of competing. He is learning the point guard position where we will need him to play. He is not a true point guard and needs to improve his ball handling at the point position. I really think he can help us defend the point."

JUNIOR GUARD Brandon Thomas
Thomas is a transfer to the Texas State program from Navarro Junior College.
"Brandon is a tremendous competitor. He should really be able to fluorish in an uptempo style of play. He can really be an asset to the program as an on-ball defender."

FRESHMAN FORWARD Antwon Williams
Williams averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds at Connaly High School en route to being named the District 26-4A MVP. "Antwon is probably our best physical specimen at the forward position. He is a runner, a jumper and strong as an ox. He has good face up skills. He knows how to finish around a basket. Antwon is learning how to work hard, as a lot of freshman are, on a daily basis. When Antwon learns to work hard consistently at a high level, he is gong to be a big contributor. He is such a versatile athlete and he's so strong, he is a prototypical four player in our system. He can help us press. He can guard smaller players with his footwork. And when you try to match up with himwith a smaller player, he can bury him on the low block."