JC Smith basketball ‘falling apart’ at wrong time

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Johnson C. Smith is trying to find a winning combination as the Golden Bulls improve their position ahead of the CIAA tournament. They've lost six of their last eight games.

Johnson C. Smith basketball needs an attitude adjustment.

The Golden Bulls, who are mired at the bottom of the CIAA South Division, rallied Saturday for a 71-66 win against St. Augustine’s that broke a two-game losing streak. It was a respite for a team that a month ago was poised to make a run at the top of the division only to lose six of their next eight games.

“We have to maintain team concepts, team attitude,” coach Steve Joyner said. “We have to be honest with ourselves – we’re falling apart. We got away from ourselves, we got away from coaching, but more importantly we got away from each other.

“There were times when people may have been open offensively but nobody could see it. Somebody would need help on defense, nobody could see it. We spent about three weeks just being away from each other and not buying into our team concept to keep our winning record going.”

JCSU (12-10, 3-6 CIAA South) was in danger of falling further behind against surprising St. Aug’s, which is in the South’s upper half. Trailing 60-57 with 3 minutes, 40 seconds left, the Golden Bulls turned up the defense to outscore the Falcons 14-6 to complete the comeback and split the season series.

“[Saturday] was a good day,” said Joyner, who has 598 career wins. “I thought we showed a bit more team concept, a little bit more togetherness. That was the only way we could get out of here. [St. Augustine’s] is playing extremely well and have been the last two or three weeks and of course they beat us down in Raleigh.

“We’re a little concerned about what we’re doing to beat ourselves, but tonight we did enough good things to beat a good defensive team and win the ball game.”

Smith’s best players – forward Avery Huggins and guard Ezekiel Cannedy were limited to a combined 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 10 assists. Cannedy, who scored 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting and handed out five assists, kept the Golden Bulls in contention early with eight points in the first half. It was a different outcome after intermission, though.

“Glad to see Zeke have a decent night but again we lost concept of how to get him the basketball within our system,” Joyner said. “Unfortunately, we’re finding ourselves all over again. [Teammates] not screening for him, him not moving correctly to get himself open – just not in the right catch-and-shoot situation – but he was early in the ball game, and he shot us out to a little bit of a lead. Then they began to miss him. That’s frustrating to him, but he has to learn to keep playing.”

Inconsistency is frustrating, too. With two weeks left in the regular season, teams will look to set themselves up for a run at the postseason, which means there’s no room for error – or selfishness starting Saturday at Shaw.

“Too much of now generation, too much hero ball, not enough togetherness,” Joyner said. “Basketball, as I continue to tell them, is a team sport and if you don’t have five people on the court pulling that wagon up the hill together, you’re in trouble.”

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