November 4, 1997
For Immediate Release
Contact: Judy Willson, SID
505.562.4309 or 356-4755
(Portales, N.M.) --- The Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team is hard at work preparing for the 1997-98 season. Eastern New Mexico hosts Kirtland Air Force Base in an exhibition game at Greyhound Arena on Sunday, November 9. Game time is 7:00 pm (MT). Admission is free.
The Greyhounds, under head coach Earl Diddle, have nine new faces to process into the Greyhound system of play. ENMU also has five returning players, including 1997 All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention Angel Gutierrez (Sr., 6-7, P, Fabens, Texas) and LSC Freshman of the Year Matt Vail (So., 6-3, G, Grants). Gutierrez is the only returning starter from last year's squad. Gone are all-conference performers Troy Anderson, Mike Coleman and Stacey Bryant and two-year starter Brian Hamer. With them went a majority of the team's 83.6 points and 39.4 rebounds per game as well as the top assist player in the conference. The Greyhounds have been picked 6th in the 1997 Lone Star Conference-South Division Preseason Poll.
Diddle, in his tenth season at Eastern New Mexico, went recruiting perimeter players to go with the solid group of post players he had returning for this season. "We had to fill a void in the perimeter positions. So we had to go out and recruit a core of perimeter players. With the newness of our perimeter players (nine) they may develop a little slower than having a veteran core back. The perimeter players set the tempo of the game and are the primary decision makers," said Diddle.
"I am also excited about our core of big men. On paper, this is the best overall group of big men that we have been able to get at Eastern New Mexico. The experience of our post players will really help with balancing the newness of our perimeter players."
Barring injuries, the Greyhound basketball team should have more depth this season than in the recent past with each position at least two players deep. The only question mark will be in the youth of the perimeter, sustaining their efforts and playing efficiently. "The way we play with our pressure defense and pressure offense, we have to have depth," stated Diddle. "With our style of play it ensures that we have to play more people. Every player on the team has a role, every player has to find his way to lead. All people can lead if they find their own way to lead. We look at the players that bring character and integrity to the game, then show their leadership under adverse conditions."
The Greyhounds return three players to the post positions - seniors Angel Gutierrez and Bart McIntire, and sophomore Coby Greenwalt. Gutierrez is considered to be one of the top offensive centers in recent ENMU history and in the Lone Star Conference. Last season, Gutierrez was fourth in the LSC in field goal percentage, 11th in rebounding, 13th in blocked shots, and 15th in free throw percentage. He is expected to be a consistent scorer and great defender for the Hounds this season, serving as an anchor on defense with the other post players. McIntire (6-8, Liberal, Kansas) used a red-shirt season last year to learn the ENMU system of play. He transferred to Eastern New Mexico from NCAA Division I Weber State University in Utah. With his strong work ethic, McIntire is to bring tremendous strength and good offensive skills, especially scoring, to the floor. Greenwalt (6-7, Clovis) used the off-season to get stronger and is expected to be counted on as an important role player offensively and defensively. He will bring an understanding of the Greyhound system of play and youth to the post position.
New at the post position for the Greyhounds are junior transfers Valentino Petteway (6-4, Galveston, Texas) and Craig Ferris (6-6, Ethete, Wyo.). Petteway is a transfer from Lee College that brings tremendous quickness and strength to the small post position. He is considered by the coaching staff to be a great, coachable athlete that can run the floor well and has a good medium range jump shot. Ferris is a transfer from Casper College that has developed a good understanding of what the coaching staff is trying to do in the Hounds offensive and defensive schemes. He brings a good offensive touch around the basket as well as having good range away from the basket.
ENMU returns two shooting guards to their perimeter game this season. Matt Vail is expected to be an explosive offensive player for the Greyhounds with his tremendous scoring ability, quickness and ability to run the floor well. Vail, coached by former ENMU player David Medina at Grants High School, is working hard in the preseason to develop stronger defensive skills. He was the top player in the Lone Star Conference in three point field goal percentage in his freshman season. Jason Chatfield (Jr., 6-1, San Marcos, Texas) was a 1997 Lone Star Conference All-Academic selection. Along with his classroom work, Chatfield brings a good jump shot to the court and is working at being a better passer. The only three-year player, he brings a good knowledge of the Greyhound system and plays his role extremely well.
Four new faces come into the number two and number three guard positions this season to fill the void left by Anderson and Coleman. Aaron Buckmister, a 6-8 junior transfer from Mesa, Arizona, will probably be one of the tallest guards listed on an LSC roster this season. Buckmister spent two years on his Mormon mission to Japan, sandwiched by two seasons at junior colleges in the Phoenix area. The coaching staff has never had his type of size to work with at the number three position. He has a good sense for the pass and solid ball handling skills, as well as the ability to score around the basket and from mid-range. James Fry, a 6-3 junior transfer from Arlington, Texas (Howard College), brings an ability to score, strength, quickness and size as a team player. The coaching staff hopes he will develop into a better defensive stopper. Mike Martinez, a 6-3 junior transfer from Albuquerque, has the capability to be a good defensive player for the Hounds. The Cochise College transfer is a good passer with a good mid-range jump shot. John Munoz from San Antonio (Texas) Holmes High School has the ability to be a solid scorer in the Greyhound system. The 6-2 true freshman is making the adjustment from high school to the college level of play.
The point guard position will have three new players battling for time, two from head coach Ron Geyer's Alamogordo High School program. Junior Daryl Bickham and freshman Karisman Taylor competed for Geyer at Alamogordo. Bickham, a 5-11 transfer from Lamar Community College, has proven in the preseason to be a very good defensive player, a smart, unselfish player and coachable. He has gained a good understanding of the ENMU system both offensively and defensively. Taylor, a 6-0 all-state pick at Alamogordo last year, has the ability to push the ball at the defense. He has a good sense for the pass and is a smart player. The third player is 5-10 true freshman Gerald McCaslin out of San Antonio (Texas) John Jay High School. McCaslin has shown the ENMU staff that he has good offensive skills, especially in ball handling. He is a good athlete with the ability to push the ball up the floor and pass down to the post positions.
The Greyhounds begin regular season action on Saturday, November 15 against Wayland Baptist University at 7:00 pm (MT) in Greyhound Arena. ENMU will have 13 home games this season, including 10 doubleheaders with the Zia basketball program.
Tickets still available...for ENMU basketball games. Season tickets are available for reserved seating in Sections A, B, and C in Greyhound Arena for $35.00. Season tickets include Greyhound and Zia basketball games. Sections A-C are located behind the benches and scorer's table.
Individual ticket prices for reserved seating in Sec. A-C is $4.00. General admission seating, all remaining sections, is available for $2.00.