Chapman men’s basketball team is learning what it takes to win
The team is growing their chemistry on the court as the games come thick and fast. Pictured: starting guard McKelary Robertson. Photos courtesy of Larry Newman
To achieve your season-long goals, you must have good and precise preparation; the preseason and first few games of the year set the tone for how the season will go. Chapman’s men’s basketball team has been entrenched in their own preparation over the past few months, and now, they are starting to put the practice into play.
McKelary Robertson, a senior business management major, says he believes the hard work the team displays in practice is helping them progress as a unit.
“This team can be great if we buy into each other and do the little things,” Robertson told The Panther. “A lot of wins and losses come down to the boring stuff like defensive rotations, rebounding (and) running the lanes hard on breaks. Most of these things aren’t going to end up on a stat sheet but are a necessary component of all great teams.”
Basketball is a very complex sport with many intricacies, but a lot of the time, it is those minute details that make the difference in any game. Robertson, currently averaging the second-most points per game on the team, talks about the momentum the squad is building in the early season.
“There will be ups and downs all year, especially in the beginning,” Robertson said. “I do believe we’re on the right track now and have been playing our best basketball so far this season.”
Chapman has had success in the early season as they are beginning to put all the puzzle pieces together in the correct order. Every unit of the team is important, but of course, certain players have a larger impact on winning.
Blakely Stoughton, a junior business administration major, has been lights out shooting from three-point range. The 6’3'' guard helps stretch opponents out on the offensive end, but he also averages the most steals on the team currently. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor is invaluable to Chapman because they can have one player performing multiple jobs on the court.
Chapman also has good playmaking in the form of Cruz Billings, a sophomore business administration major. He averages the most assists on the team and is always looking to pass to his teammates. That kind of leadership is what could propel the men’s basketball team towards their dreams.
Chapman men’s basketball wants to impose their will on opponents, playing their style in an unflinching manner, according to Billings.
“The motto for our team this season is just to go out and play our brand of basketball,” Billings said. “We want to play fast and push the pace from start to finish.”
Robertson, a starting guard for Chapman, provides dynamism for the team by scoring from all three levels: around the basket, mid-range and three-point range.
The team’s lineup is very deep so far this year as nine different players have averaged over ten minutes. Chapman has options for any scenario, which makes them a dangerous opponent.
Billings says that having a team filled with players who can step in and play their role is important.
“When it comes to the makeup of our team, we are really deep from top to bottom,” Billings told The Panther. “We have a lot of guys who are very capable of making an impact on the floor whenever their number is called. I think the next step for us to elevate our greatness would just be to keep playing our roles to the best of our abilities.”
“When it comes to the makeup of our team, we are really deep from top to bottom. We have a lot of guys who are very capable of making an impact on the floor whenever their number is called. I think the next step for us to elevate our greatness would just be to keep playing our roles to the best of our abilities.”
It can sometimes be hard as an athlete to not know how big of a role you’ll be playing in any given game. However, the current rotation is working for the men’s basketball program. That’s because the team is building their chemistry, according to Robertson.
“As a team, we’re building chemistry in a multitude of ways,” Robertson said. “I would say it comes mostly from experience and time playing with each other.”
While the season is still young, Chapman has their goals set at lofty heights. Robertson explains what the team wants to accomplish.
“Our main goal as a team is to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament,” Robertson said. “Other milestones would be nice as well, but ultimately, winning the championship is the main goal.”
One of the hardest parts of building a winning team is finding balance in the squad. Currently, Chapman is allowing their team to learn through playing, and in doing so, they’re setting themselves up for success down the line.