Bender Arena served as host for the second-annual open practice and chalk talk session with AU men’s basketball Head Coach Jeff Jones Nov. 8.
The event was a time for AU fans and alumni to watch practice and ask Jones questions about the state of the basketball team.
“It’s always nice for me to talk about AU basketball,” Jones said. “When folks are interested enough to come out and learn a little bit more, it’s very much a positive thing.”
Jones began the event by showing game film of the team’s recent scrimmage against Longwood University. He said that game tape always shows three things: turnovers, bad offense and bad defense and good offense and good defense.
The audience asked questions that ranged from how the offense and defense will look to how Jones goes about recruiting players to any special traditions the coach had before the game.
Offensively, Jones said the team will rely on setting screens to get the ball to the team’s scorers. He added that the defense will feature more zone looks, in addition to the regular man-to-man defense.
“The biggest change is that we are trying to feature Troy Brewer,” Jones said. “He is the guy who is our best chance in terms of scoring points.”
Jones revealed during the talk that the starting lineup to begin the season would be Troy Brewer, Tony Wroblicky, Charles Hinkle, John Schoof and Daniel Munoz.
Jones said that, unlike last year’s team, which relied heavily on the play of big men, this year’s team is going to be more guard oriented.
“In the last two years with Vlad [Moldoveanu] and [Stephen] Lumpkins, we’ve been more inside oriented,” Jones said. “This year, we’ve adjusted to more small ball.”
Jones recently signed a contract extension that will run through the 2016 season.
“I’m happy they want me to stick around,” Jones said. “AU has been really good to me. I’ve enjoyed working here; my wife and I really enjoy Washington, D.C. I’m looking forward to this year and beyond that as well.”
When asked about predictions for the team, Jones commented that the last time the Eagles were predicted to finish fifth in the Patriot League, the team ended up winning the conference tournament and earning a bid into the NCAA tournament.
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