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MARSHALL SPORTS
Now real practice begins for Herd basketball
HUNTINGTON -- They rolled out the green carpet for Marshall University men's basketball Saturday night.
A fan group known as the Marshall Maniacs carried the green carpet used for the 'We Are Marshall" movie premier downtown out on the Cam Henderson Center court for the players to use as they entered the arena for Thundering Herd Madness.
The team received a rousing welcome from the crowd of 2,009 before running through some drills and playing a scrimmage.
Official practice begins Friday.
"Friday we start the real deal," said sophomore forward Tirrell Baines. "We're looking forward to it."
Marshall is working eight new players, including four freshmen, in with a group of five returnees who were part of last season's 16-14 team -- the first winning season since 200-01.
Players have been bonding on and off the court since summer.
"I think they're doing well," second-season head coach Donnie Jones said. "They've been working together, eating together and playing basketball together."
One big question needs answered as practice begins for a season that opens Nov. 16 against WVU Tech.
Senior Markel Humphrey sat out the Saturday night function because of an ankle problem. Humphrey, a 6-foot-6 guard and forward, averaged 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds last season. He made the All-Conference USA third team for the second time.
"We're waiting on (medical test) results on him," Jones said.
Marcus Goode is already a Herd fan favorite.
The 6-foot-10, 315-pound Goode sat out last season for academic reasons. The sophomore is eligible now. He's also trimmed down from 348 pounds.
Goode rocked the crowd with a pair of 3-point shots in the scrimmage, hardly the kind of shooting you expect from someone his size.
"I knew Marcus was going to be a fan favorite," Jones said. "We've got to get him scoring on the block, too."
Overall, Jones considered it a good night.
It was good to perform for a crowd, Jones said. It was also good for the players to get some of the pick-up game mentality out of their systems.
"Now we've got this week to get our minds right," Jones said.
