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MARSHALL SPORTS
Herd hopes for magical season
HUNTINGTON — Some people expect Donnie Jones to perform magic with the Marshall University men’s basketball team.
It was fitting then that a magician made Jones mysteriously appear out of a stack of boxes before a Thundering Herd Madness crowd of 2,009 spectators Saturday night in Cam Henderson Center.
“We’re going to need some magic to make some magical things happen this year,” Jones said.
Marshall, which was 16-14 last season, used the public session to work out some of its kinks before practice officially begins Friday.
Marcus Goode, a 6-foot-10, 315-pound sophomore, was the star of the intra-squad scrimmage.
The teams played 15 minutes on a running clock and ended in a 32-32 tie. Goode and freshman point guard Damier Pitts led the scoring with 12 each. Junior forward Tyler Wilkerson tossed in nine and Kore White, a freshman forward, had eight.
Goode got it started by roaming outside to hit a jump shot. Then he nailed consecutive 3-point shots that excited the crowd and his teammates.
“I’m not a 3-point shooter,” said Goode, who was academically ineligible last season and worked hard to get his grades and physical condition in shape. He was once 340 pounds. “I do what I can to help the team to victory.”
Markel Humphrey, a two-time All-Conference USA third team selection, sat out the event because of an ankle injury.
Jones said he’s waiting for medical test results on Humphrey.
But, Humphrey vowed to be ready for a Nov. 1 exhibition game.
“I’ve just got to keep fighting it,” he said.
All things considered, it was a good night for the Herd, especially eight newcomers on the roster.
Humphrey said the athletic ability and talent level on this team are definitely better.
“We just have to put to all together and we’ll be like the old Marshall,” the senior said.
Speaking of old times, the crowd included Gary Orsini from the 1971-72 team that was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation in an NCAA tournament season. Orsini’s daughter, Angela, is the basketball program administrative assistant.
Jones ran the squad through some full-court passing drills that he said emphasize running, passing, catching and thinking quick.
It was mostly entertainment for the crowd, but some coaching occurred. During one drill Jones made a comment to guard Darryl Merthie about fading away from the basket on his shots.
Orsini served as a judge for a slam dunk contest won by junior forward Tay Spann, who defeated sophomore forward Tirrell Baines in the finals by a close margin.
Spann put on the No. 24 football jersey of his brother, Marshall receiver Emmanuel Spann, for the first round of dunking.
Baines made a windmill dunk after taking a feed from Wilkerson up in the balcony behind the basket.
All eyes were on Purdue transfer Chris Lutz in a 3-point shootout. Lutz, the Big Ten Conference 3-point percentage leader in 2007, made 18 of 25 attempts while teaming up with Merthie to defeat the team of Pitts and freshman Dago Pena.
GREEN 32
Damier Pitts 6-7, 0-0 12, Chris Lutz 0-1 0-0 0, Tay Spann 1-4 1-2 3, Adam Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Tyler Wilkerson 4-6 0-0 9, Darryl Merthie 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Cam Miller 2-3 0-0 4, Dago Pena 2-5 0-0 4, Marcus Goode 0-0 0-0 0.
WHITE 32
Darryl Merthie 1-1 0-0 2, Brandon Powell 0-2 0-0 0, Shaquille Johnson 2-6 0-0 4, Tirrell Baines 3-6 0-0 6, Marcus Goode 5-8 0-0 12, Dago Pena 0-0 0-0 0, Chris Lutz 0-1 0-0 0, Tay Spann 0-0 0-0 0, Kore White 4-4 0-0 8.
3-point field goals: Pitts 0-1, Lutz 0-2, Spann 0-2, Williams 0-1, WIlkerson 1-2, Powell 0-1, Johnson 0-3, Goode 2-4. Rebounds: Spann 5, Williams 2, Wilkerson 1, Powell 3, Merthie 1, Miller 1, Pena 2, Goode 2, White 3, Lutz 1. Assists: Pitts 3, Lutz 1, Spann 2, Wilkerson 1, Methie 3, Powell 1. Steals: Johnson 2, Spann 1, Wilkerson 1, Pena 2, Johnson 2.
Attendance: 2,009.
