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COACH AND PROGRAM
CHRIS PORTER (6-7, 218 lbs., SR, PF, #4, 16.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2.3 tpg, 1.9 spg, 28.7 minutes, .470 FG, .364 3PT, .631 FT, Chipola JC, Fla. & Abbeville HS/Abbeville, Ala.) Porter, like Maryland's Steve Francis, could easily have been a one-year wonder at the Division I level after transferring from junior college last season. He received tons of accolades when Auburn's great season had ended: First-team All-America by Basketball Times and Alliance Sports. Second-team All-America by the Associated Press. SEC Player of the Year. SEC Newcomer of the Year. Had Porter been inclined to declare for the NBA draft, most scouts thought he would have been taken between the 10th and 20th picks. But Porter wasn't inclined to enter the draft. He had some more business to attend to at Auburn. "I really didn't think about [the draft] that much," Porter said. "I knew I wanted to come back. Losing (to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16) left a bad feeling. We have a great team coming back, and I had a lot of fun last year. Why not come back and do it again, try to have an even better season?" If Porter and the Tigers are better than a year ago, that would mean Auburn could wind up in the Final Four and Porter would win national player of the year honors. Both accomplishments are possible. It's hard to imagine Porter having a better season than he did last year. Porter, who signed with Auburn in 1996 but did not qualify academically, made his long-delayed Division I debut a memorable one. He led Auburn in scoring, rebounding and rim-rattling dunks (45), and was sixth in the SEC in scoring, fourth in rebounding, second in offensive rebounds, third in steals and second in field-goal percentage. Statistics alone don't do justice to Porter. He is one of those rare players who makes anyone around him better. An intense competitor who knows only one speed all out Porter was an inspiration to his teammates. Try as Ellis might to downplay Porter's contributions in favor of stressing the team, anyone who watched the Tigers play knew why they had progressed so rapidly from an NIT team to the NCAA Sweet 16. Porter just wouldn't let Auburn lose. Fans got a taste of that less than a month into the season, when he scored 24 points 15 in the first half as Auburn was struggling and grabbed 14 rebounds in a come-from-behind victory over UAB. "Last year," Ellis told the Birmingham News, "we would have lost by 20." In a game at LSU, Porter was even more remarkable. Auburn trailed by 19 points with 10:47 to play, but rallied to win. Porter scored several clutch baskets en route to 26 points. "We never gave up during that whole time," Porter told the Montgomery Advertiser. "We never quit. We decided to just keep fighting until we had come out on top." That was the rallying cry for Porter and Auburn all season: Just keep fighting. Other than incurring a three-game suspension for a violation of team rules in mid-season, Porter was the consummate leader and did all Ellis could have asked of him. "Some people look at his points and rebounds," Ellis said. "I look at the little things: going and getting a clutch rebound; making steals in our press. He's a tremendous athlete who does a lot of things. But his intangibles without the basketball are just as important." Opposing coaches couldn't help but agree with Ellis. "He can shoot, dribble, rebound and play defense," said Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. "He has so many things he can do. You wish he was just good at one thing, like shooting, then you could work on shutting that down." "Porter is all he's cracked up to be," said UAB coach Murry Bartow. "He's a great player, a fierce competitor and he plays with a great deal of emotion. Auburn is a very good team, but Porter takes them to another level." Porter's only glaring weakness, say NBA scouts, is his jump shot. But after deciding to emphasize a perimeter game last year, he shot a more-than-respectable .360 from three-point range. Porter put in considerable work on his game during the summer, but wasn't overly concerned about his shot. "You still have to work on your all-around game," Porter told the Birmingham News. "You can't focus on one thing and forget about the rest, because there's more than just shooting in the game of basketball. You have to work on all your skills. "It's about going out, working hard over the summer and making yourself better for the upcoming season." DOC ROBINSON (6-2, 185 lbs., SR, PG, #50, 11.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 tpg, 1.4 spg, 28.1 minutes, .452 FG, .339 3PT, .779 FT, Selma HS/Selma, Ala.) The great thing about Robinson as it relates to the all-important job of point guard is his demeanor. Whether the Tigers are ahead by 30 points or down by five with 30 seconds to play, the look on his face never changes. This guy must be a killer at poker. Robinson's stone face has not been lost on Auburn's opponents. It's a big part of his game, and the reason he is so successful as a leader. Robinson's teammates have extreme confidence in him. Over the summer, two SEC coaches LSU's John Brady and Mississippi's Rod Barnes got to experience first-hand the benefit of having Robinson on their side. Robinson was one of the few seniors picked to a team of SEC all-stars that toured Japan in August, playing five games against the Japanese national team. The SEC stars were 4-1, winning the first four games. Robinson was the SEC's second-leading scorer (11.4 ppg) and passed for a team-high 19 assists. Typically, he committed just five turnovers. "He's so poised," Barnes said. "Doc is one of those guys that never changes his reactions and emotions on the floor. You feel comfortable with him being out there. He's truly a floor general. He knows where to get the ball, and when to get it there." "Doc Robinson, he's the same way all the time," Brady said. "He has a great temperament for the game. He doesn't get overly excited or extremely down. He just maintains a nice level. For your point guard, that's a good way to be, but he's got other skills, as well. He's first-team All-SEC voted on by the coaches. That shows you what other people think of his talent." The fact that Robinson doesn't get overly excited has had a positive impact on his game. Last season, he was second in the SEC with a plus-2.44 assists-to-turnover ratio. In one four-game stretch of league contests, he passed for 23 assists and made just three turnovers. Robinson isn't exactly a game-breaking scorer, but then again, perhaps he chooses not to be. He is a respectable enough three-point shooter (34 percent the last two seasons) that defenders have to respect him. Robinson had his best year, percentage-wise, from the field last season (.452). He is also a career .770 free-throw shooter, handy for a point guard. Robinson put together some productive offensive games last season. He scored a career-high 25 points and passed for seven assists against Alabama. He had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists against Arkansas. Robinson even had 14 points and six assists against Ohio State's great backcourt when the teams met in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. "Doc Robinson is probably as good a college point guard as there is," Ellis said. "He epitomizes what a college point guard is all about. He's a great floor leader who distributes the ball and can make plays. He's a classic point guard, a guy who gets everybody involved. "If you look at most championship teams, they usually have a very good lead guard. That's certainly true for Auburn." SCOTT POHLMAN (6-2, 160 lbs., JR, SG, #10, 11.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.9 tpg, 25.7 minutes, .407 FG, .387 3PT, .863 FT, Roswell HS/Roswell, Ga.) At first glance, Pohlman looks strangely out of place among his teammates, almost as though a high school freshman wandered into the wrong gym by mistake. "You look at the kid and you say, 'What's he doing out there?'" Ellis said. "Then you find out." Pohlman might not have had his first shave yet, but the scrawny junior uses his baby-faced looks to full advantage. He is deadly from the perimeter, as unsuspecting Auburn opponents have found out the last two years. And even SEC teams, knowing full well that Pohlman's looks belie his oncourt maturity and talent, have a hard time handling him. "He comes to play every night," Ellis said. "He just beats you on fundamentals and work ethic. He's a joy to watch. He has become a real fan favorite." Pohlman, who made the SEC's Academic Honor Roll (with a 3.04 GPA) is clever, to be sure. Few guards in college basketball make better use of screens or work harder to get a shot. Pohlman's shooting percentages from three-point range and the free-throw line tell all: If you leave him alone, or forget about him even for a second, he can burn you. Last year, Pohlman led the Tigers with 62 three-pointers and was the team's second-leading scorer. He came through with some big games during his sophomore season, but none bigger than against Oklahoma State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Pohlman made 11 of 17 shots and scored 28 points as the Tigers pulled out an 81-74 win. It was Pohlman's two free throws with 13 seconds left that sealed that victory. Pohlman, who has started every game but one in his Auburn career, is more than just a shooter. He is remarkably poised and sure-handed with the ball. Pohlman had just 31 turnovers in 847 minutes. Pohlman and Doc Robinson (who had 68 turnovers in 927 minutes) have to be the stingiest backcourt in the nation. "Scott knows what he's doing out there," Ellis said. "To me, he just epitomizes what a college player stands for. He knows the game, knows all the fundamentals offensively and defensively, he does the work in the classroom and represents Auburn University well. He's a joy to have around." MAMADOU N'DIAYE (7-0, 235 lbs., SR, C #34 7.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.9 tpg, 2.3 bpg, 1.0 spg, 23.8 minutes, .489 FG, .649 FT, Maine Central Institute/Dakar, Senegal) Someone deserves a lot of credit for the amazing development of N'diaye. To be sure, the Auburn coaching staff played a big part, but so too did N'diaye, who has dedicated himself to hard work in the weight room and on the court. When N'Diaye showed up at Auburn three years ago, he was slender, weak and unsure of himself, having played basketball for only a year or so. Notice we didn't say unathletic. N'diaye was a soccer player in his native Senegal. Ellis reasoned that if N'diaye could become proficient in one sport that demanded stamina, hand-eye coordination and the ability to make snap decisions, he could do it in another. The coach was right. Last year, a bigger, stronger N'diaye was a vital part of Auburn's great run. His scoring average was down a bit, but Ellis wasn't really looking for N'diaye to score. His greatest benefit is in the paint, where he can be a disruptive force defensively. As a junior, N'diaye blocked 77 shots, tops on the team and in the SEC. With three blocks against Alabama last January, N'diaye became the school's all-time leading shot-blocker. The man whose record N'diaye broke? It's none other than Charles Barkley, who turned back 145 shots in his career. N'diaye enters the season with 175 rejections in three seasons. "Mamadou has helped us get to where we are today, with his shot-blocking and rebounding," Ellis said. "He came in unheralded, and now he has an excellent opportunity to play at the next level. "He came into this country four years ago, and soccer was his primary sport. He's worked so hard and gotten better and better each year. He's the type of guy who's not going to reach his potential when he finishes here. He's got such a tremendous upside." That opinion is shared by others. Constantly seeking to improve, N'diaye shelled out his own money in August to pay for a trip to Pete Newell's big man camp in Hawaii. The master of all low-post coaches came away impressed. "He's got tremendously quick feet and he reminds me a lot of Hakeem Olajuwon," Newell told ESPN.com. "He can hit the quick jumper, shoot (from) 15-to-16 feet and his post-up game isn't bad. His background in soccer really helps." N'diaye may be a defensive specialist, but he's no stiff on offense. He shot .489 from the field last season, and has made nearly half (.494) his shots in his career. N'diaye has also steadily improved his free-throw shooting. Last season, it was up to .650 percent. As Newell said, N'diaye has become increasingly confident in his shooting ability. He can face the basket and shoot with decent range, or he can power for baskets in the paint. Improved as he is offensively, it's on the defensive end where N'diaye has made his mark. Ellis won't soon forget the second half N'diaye played against UAB last December, when the big man grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots as the Tigers rallied from a halftime deficit and won. "He played the game of his life in the second half," Ellis told the Birmingham News. After his productive summer, look for N'diaye to become an even bigger part of Auburn's offense and defense as he brings a more refined game into his senior season. Other SEC coaches have just come to expect seeing a bit more out of N'diaye every year. "Each year, Mamadou clearly emerges as the league's most improved player," Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury told the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger. "He has come so far since he first arrived at Auburn. It's amazing." MACK MCGADNEY (6-7, 215 lbs., SO, SF, #31, 5.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 11.6 minutes, .377 FG, .235 3PT, .612 FT, LeFlore HS/Mobile, Ala.) McGadney's contributions in his freshman season cannot be overlooked. It was McGadney who helped keep Auburn's momentum going after Chris Porter was suspended by Ellis for a violation of team rules in the middle of the SEC season. That decision was handed down after a Jan. 20 loss at Kentucky, and McGadney was the man Ellis picked to fill the void in the Tigers' starting lineup. All the rookie did was average 14.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg in Porter's absence as Auburn won all three games. The Tigers went on to win eight straight before losing at Arkansas on Feb. 24. It isn't a stretch to suggest McGadney's play was an important part of that winning streak. McGadney gave his best Porter impersonation in two games, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds in 32 minutes against Georgia and collecting 11 points and seven boards against Alabama in his first collegiate start. That performance tells all about McGadney's character. The morning of the Alabama game, McGadney's grandmother, who had raised him, passed away. McGadney had other big games: 15 points, six rebounds and three steals against Mississippi State; 14 points and seven rebounds against South Carolina; 13 points and four boards in just 14 minutes against Bethune-Cookman. "Mack McGadney really stepped up at critical times last year," Ellis said. "He had a very good freshman year, and I look for him to build on that freshman year and give us strong play at the forward position." McGadney's shooting can use some work, but, like so many of his teammates, he loves to chase loose balls and battle for rebounds. He had nearly as many offensive boards (47) as defensive (48), a stat that surely warms Ellis' heart. On the strength of his strong showing in a starting role last year, McGadney will have to get a serious look at replacing Bryant Smith. But even if Ellis decides to go with a smaller lineup, McGadney will still get plenty of minutes coming off the bench.KEY RESERVES DAVID HAMILTON (6-9, 225 lbs., SO, F, #44, 5.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 16.0 minutes, .569 FG, .294 FT, Compton HS/Compton, Calif.) Ellis couldn't be blamed if he was a little worried about Hamilton over the summer. The last time Hamilton went home, a disaster happened. It was over Christmas break. On Christmas eve, Hamilton was playing in a pickup game with friends when he broke his right leg. Hamilton, who had been pushing N'diaye for the starting job at center before his injury, was essentially lost for the season. He played a total of four more minutes in two SEC Tournament games the rest of the way. As if the injury weren't enough heartbreak to endure for a while, Hamilton received more on March 2, when his mother died. It is to Hamilton's extreme credit that he didn't follow the lead of another Californian playing in the SEC Chris Jefferies of Arkansas and, claiming homesickness, transfer to a school close to his hometown. Ellis welcomed back a healthy Hamilton. "David Hamilton, without a doubt, has the ability to start," Ellis said. "We wouldn't have started 11-0 without him. He really helped us in non-conference play." Hamilton had several promising games in Auburn's quick start. He had 15 points and seven rebounds against Central Florida; 11 points and 10 boards in 20 minutes against Southeastern Louisiana; nine points, a career-high 12 rebounds and two blocked shots against Florida State; and nine points and 11 rebounds against North Carolina-Asheville. "We really saw David's potential during the first 11 games of the season," Ellis said. JAY HEARD (6-3, 190 lbs., SO, G, #12, 6.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.9 tpg, 1.2 spg, 12.9 minutes, .435 FG, .419 3PT, .606 FT, Oxford HS/Oxford, Ala.) Heard's nickname, "Microwave," was well-earned in his freshman season. He always seemed to heat up quickly when he was inserted into the game, tossing in deep three-pointers against opponents who knew they were coming, but didn't seem capable of doing anything about it. Heard served early notice of his ability to score a lot of points in a hurry. In his debut game, Auburn's season opener, he torched Southeastern Louisiana for 20 points in 18 minutes. Heard made all seven of his shots from the field (including 5-for-5 behind the three-point line). Heard did miss from time to time, but he became a game-breaking shooter. All Ellis had to do to ignite a run or increase a lead was insert Heard into the game and let him fire away. Heard was an equal-opportunity assassin, doing as much damage against the best teams on Auburn's schedule (18 points in 21 minutes against Florida, 14 in 20 minutes against Kentucky) as the poorer ones (11 points in 12 minutes against UNC-Asheville. Florida coach Billy Donovan was impressed after Heard dropped four three-point bombs (in four attempts) on the Gators. "Having a kid like Heard come off the bench and do what he did is why they're ranked eighth in the country," Donovan told the Huntsville Times. Heard, who played only 13 minutes per game as a freshman, will probably see more action this season with the departure of Bryant Smith. If Ellis wants to go with a smaller, quicker lineup, he can use three guards. If he does, count on "Microwave" being one of them. DAYMEON FISHBACK (6-5, 205 lbs., SR, G, # 23, 4.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 12.1 minutes, .353 FG, .370 3PT, .588 FT, Greenwood HS/Bowling Green, Ky.) Depending on Ellis' needs, Fishback could end up in the starting lineup. He can play shooting guard and small forward, which means he could end up replacing the departed Bryant Smith. Last year, Fishback's minutes were reduced drastically. He averaged 22 as a freshman and 21 as a sophomore, but in his junior season, that number fell to 12. It wasn't so much a reflection on Fishback's talent as it was evidence that Ellis' rebuilding job had come full circle. Auburn had more good players than in Fishback's first two seasons; minutes were much harder to come by. Fishback took his PT where he could get it. He played in all 33 games and made one start. He came up with a handful of big games, two of them in postseason play. Fishback scored a season-high 15 points (on four of six three-point shooting) in 18 minutes against Alabama in the SEC Tournament. He also had 12 points and a career-high nine rebounds in the Tigers' season-ending loss to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament. Those performances would suggest Fishback is a good guy to have around. If Ellis is looking for decent size and better-than-average shooting from the small-forward position, Fishback is his man. REGGIE SHARP (6-1, 170 lbs., JR, G, #11, 3.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.9 tpg, 11.2 minutes, .361 FG, .314 3PT, .536 FT, West Georgia & Nettleton HS/Nettleton, Miss.) No one can say Sharp isn't a team player. A year ago, he wore the No. 3 on his jersey. This year, he switched to No. 11 to allow freshman forward Marquis Daniel to wear No. 3. Sharp had a decent year as a sophomore, especially considering he is a former walk-on. When Shannon Weaver left West Georgia to become an assistant to Ellis, Sharp followed. He redshirted in 1997-98 and was awarded a scholarship before the start of last season. There isn't a lot of work backing up All-SEC point guard Doc Robinson, but Sharp made the most of his 11.2 minutes per game after regaining eligibility a year ago. He passed for 57 assists in limited duty, and committed just 36 turnovers. His assist-to-turnover ratio of plus-1.84 was fourth in the SEC. Sharp, who scored a career-high 11 points in just 12 minutes against Ole Miss and had 10 points (all in the second half) in a rout of Tennessee, will have to battle for more minutes this season with the addition of freshman Jamison Brewer, who also plays the point. MARQUIS DANIELS (6-6, 200 lbs., FR, F, #3, 23.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, Mt. Zion Christian Academy, N.C./Orlando, Fla.) Daniels was a key recruit for Auburn, which was looking for a replacement for departed small forward Bryant Smith. Daniels might not be ready to step into the lineup right away, but he is a quality player who will make his mark before he leaves. Daniels was a decorated high school player. He was a Parade All-America and generally considered one of the top 30 seniors in the country. "Marquis Daniels is an exceptional athlete who has great size, and I like his ability to get to the hole," Ellis said. "He likes to defend, which fits into our system well. He has a great attitude toward the game."OTHER RETURNEES ADRIAN PERSON (6-8, 235 lbs., SR, F, #45 2.3 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 4.8 minutes, Southern Union JC, Ala. & Brantley HS/Brantley, Ala.) If that last name sounds familiar, it should. Person's uncles are former Auburn stars Chuck and Wesley Person, both of whom went on to the NBA. Adrian Person isn't that good. He had to walk on at Auburn after struggling with academics, and did not join the team until last Dec. 14. Person played in 19 games after that, but was only a factor in a couple of them. He gave Auburn a lift against Mississippi State when he scored nine points on 4-for-7 shooting. Person had eight points against Mississippi (on 2-for-3 shooting from three-point range) and seven two times, against Alabama and Bethune-Cookman. Person needed just four minutes to log those seven points against the Crimson Tide and needed only nine minutes to get the job done against Bethune-Cookman. Person came to Auburn with the reputation of a scorer, but his shooting percentages were low (.354 from the field, .280 from three-point range). That wasn't the case at Southern Union, where he was a first-team junior college All-America. In 1996-97, he shot 65 percent, averaged 31 points and led the nation in scoring. If Ellis can coax a more consistent effort from Person, the Tigers would have a key reserve who could provide some long-range shooting. Though his numbers were down considerably once he left the junior college ranks in favor of Division I, he is potentially a game-breaking scorer. ABE SMITH (6-7, 210 lbs., SO, F, #40, 0.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 2.5 minutes, Roswell HS/Roswell, Ga.) Smith played in 20 games last season, but was only on the floor for a total of 51 minutes. Smith found time to hit for a career-high six points (on 2-for-3 three-pointers) against Florida A&M. He had his season-high of three rebounds in a rout of Tennessee. Smith's best sport could be baseball, which he also plays at Auburn. A pitcher, Smith has an arsenal of pitches that starts with a 94 mph fastball. He also throws a curve, a changeup and a knuckleball. COREY WATKINS (6-2, 175 lbs., SO, G, #20, 1.2 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 10 appearances, The Winchendon School, Mass./Birmingham, Ala.) Watkins played in just 10 games last season as he struggled to break into Auburn's guard rotation. Playing time won't be any easier to come by this year, with the addition of freshman point guard Jamison Brewer. Watkins will have to help in spots. Watkins is a good athlete. As a senior at Mountain Brook (Ala.) High, he was second-team All-State in basketball and first-team All-State in football (he played wide receiver). CHARLTON BAKER (5-11, 160 lbs., SO, G, #14 0.7 ppg, 0.2 rpg, nine appearances, Benjamin E. Mays HS/Lithonia, Ga.) Baker walked on last season and managed to play in nine games. His biggest claim to fame was a two-point, two-rebound effort against Winthrop in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Baker doesn't figure to play anymore than he did last season.OTHER NEWCOMERS JAMISON BREWER (6-4, 180 lbs., FR, G, #5, 15.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.0 apg, Tri Cities HS/East Point, Ga. & The Newport School/Kensington, Md.) Brewer is the heir apparent to Doc Robinson. What better mentor for a young point guard to have? Brewer, ranked by most recruiting analysts among the Top 50 seniors in the country last year, is a proven winner. After transferring from East Point to The Newport School after his junior year, he led his new team to a 29-4 record and the Maryland private school state championship. "Jamison Brewer has tremendous skills," Ellis said. "He will be really strong in our backcourt, and he has the size, quickness, overall skills and ability to distribute the basketball well. He is an excellent ballhandler, passer and defender. He has a great attitude toward the game."NOTABLE REDSHIRT ADAM HARRINGTON (6-5, 185 lbs., SO, G, 11.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 24.6 minutes, .370 FG, .360 3PT, .790 FT, North Carolina State & Pioneer Valley Regional HS/Bernardston, Mass.) Auburn picked up an unexpected bonus when Harrington decided to transfer from North Carolina State. If Herb Sendek's pace didn't suit him, he should fit in just fine with the Tigers, who are up-tempo offensively and defensively. Harrington had a solid first season at N.C. State. He became the first freshman in the school's history to lead the Wolfpack in scoring. He was also chosen to the ACC All-Freshman team. Harrington started 21 times and had 18 double-figure scoring games. He had 22 points in 22 minutes against Florida State, 20 points (18 in the first half) against Wofford, 19 against North Carolina and Providence, and 18 versus Ohio State. Clearly, Harrington can score against big-time opposition. He'll give Auburn even more firepower for the 2000-01 season, joining Scott Pohlman and Jay Heard in the backcourt. The Tigers, already deadly from deep, might be the most prolific three-point shooting team in the country when Harrington who can practice with the team this season becomes eligible. STARTERS NOT RETURNING BRYANT SMITH (6-5, SF, 11.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 28.7 minutes, .454 FG, .271 3PT, .779 FT) Smith was one of Auburn's unsung heroes last season, as he was throughout his career. Smith wasn't flashy, but he excelled at his job because of his willingness to do the little things needed to win games. For instance, one statistic that would overlook the attention of the average fan tells all anyone needs to know about Smith. On a team that rebounded as well as any in the country, Smith was the leading offensive rebounder. He had more offensive boards (112) than defensive (91), a number that speaks volumes about a player's tenacity and work ethic. But Smith had much more going for him than rebounding. First and foremost, he was a leader. "He has done the best leadership job that I have seen in my 27 years of coaching," Ellis told the Mobile Register just before the NCAA Tournament. Smith was also a reliable double-figure scorer and the team's best defender. He always drew the toughest defensive assignments. "He was one of the better defenders I've had," Ellis told the Opelika-Auburn News. "He has that presence about him in that he loves that aspect of the game. He's got the quickness and the size. He has got the technique for it, but he also has instincts." Smith will be missed, but at least Ellis has no shortage of candidates to fill the position.OTHERS NOT RETURNING ADRIAN CHILLIEST (6-5, F, 1.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 9.2 minutes, .465 FG, .280 3PT, .464 FT) Chilliest was a wide-bodied forward Ellis could put in the game for a few minutes at a time to give Porter a breather. That explains why Chilliest played just 9.2 minutes per game; Porter didn't need many breathers. Chilliest was around during the early days of Ellis' rebuilding project, so for that reason alone, he will be remembered. But his contributions can be replaced and surpassed by the excellent group of young forwards Ellis now has at his disposal.QUESTIONS Can they do it again? The Tigers won't surprise anybody this season. Will they be up for the task of being the hunted team and the challenges that brings night after night? Small forward? The loss of Bryant Smith will be felt. Who will take his place in the starting lineup?ANSWERS Depth! Auburn has tremendous individual talent, but its real strength lies in numbers. The Tigers have at least two quality players at every position. Coaching! Cliff Ellis, as he clearly showed last year, is one of the country's best coaches. Chris Porter! Porter gives Auburn a legitimate candidate for national Player of the Year honors. It's a cinch he's the SEC's best player. Doc Robinson! What coach wouldn't want a senior point guard with a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and the ability to have a calming influence on his teammates?
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Conferences ACC Atlantic 10 Big East Big Sky Big South Big Ten Big 12 Big West Colonial Conference USA Independents Ivy League MAAC Mid-American Mid-Continent Mid-Eastern Athletic MCC Missouri Valley Mountain West Northeast Ohio Valley Pac-10 Patriot SEC Southern Southland Sun Belt SWAC TAAC WAC West Coast | |||||||||||||||
