Morehead State – Continuing to Grow

How to Build on Last Season’s Success

(St. Louis, MO) – Morehead State basketball is hoping to build on last season’s successes. The Eagles put together a transcendent season and the challenge is in continuing to grow. Head coach Preston Spradlin knows success can breed entitlement and he’s determined to keep that from happening.

MSU went 23-8, won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and visited the NCAA Tournament for the first time in ten years. OVC rookie of the year Johni Broome returns, but three starters have graduated and Spradlin has the challenge of continuing to grow, but with a different recipe than last season.

Spradlin believes having a ‘fun culture’ is critical to help the players during the grind of a long basketball season. He and his coaches look for ways keep drills fun and hope to encourage his players that it is fun to get better. He credits the ‘fun culture’ as one of the reasons MSU has experienced some success.

 

 

Morehead State, like college basketball programs all over the country are having more ‘normal’ offseasons and summer workouts. While Spradlin is glad to be able to recruit, have workouts and the players to enjoy typical college activities, he actually misses the huddled together feel of last season.

 

 

Johni Broome – Continuing to Grow

MSU has a very talented roster, but the team’s fortunes are significantly linked to the play of their rising star, Johni Broome. The 6’10 lefty will be playing his second freshman season in an Eagle uniform and his game is continuing to grow.

Broome averaged 13.8 points and nine rebounds per game while leading the OVC with 56 blocked shots. He was at his best during MSU’s run to the OVC Tournament title. After finishing the regular season as the Freshman of the Year and landing on the all-conference team, he dominated the tournament in Evansville.

During the Eagles’ three-day tournament run, Broome recorded three double-doubles and tallied 58 points and grabbed 36 rebounds and obviously landed on the all-tournament team.

Spradlin says his star player has had a great summer and is continuing to grow. He is stronger, more mobile and is becoming a better passer. The sixth-year coach believes Broome can get even better defensively and develop into the league’s best defender.

 

 

Other Major Contributors

DeVon Cooper, James Baker and K.J. Hunt graduated and chose to use their extra year of basketball eligibility elsewhere. Two of Spradlin’s top guards return. Skyelar Potter and Ta’Lon Cooper both played around 30 minutes per game and were significant contributors to last year’s MSU success.

Potter was named to the OVC’s all-newcomer team and to the all-tournament team. The Wright State transfer averaged 12 points and 5.8 rebounds while making 61 three-pointers. A dangerous long distance shooter, he converted 39% of his shots from deep.

Cooper moved from a starting role to coming off the bench and didn’t miss a beat. He averaged 8.2 points per game and 3.5 assists. He buried 39% of his long distance attempts and played nasty defense. The 6’4 guard collected 28 steals and 16 blocked shots in 31 games.

Spradlin says he expects Potter to be a greater focus of the offense this season and for both players to give strong leadership to the rest of the team.

 

 

Tyzhaun Claude returns after missing last season with a torn ACL. Claude is a 6’8 post player that averaged nine points and over six rebounds two seasons ago. Spradlin credits Claude with providing emotional and mental support to Broome last season and helping the rookie leanr the ropes of college basketball.

The Transfers

Losing those three veterans meant Spradlin and his staff had to adjust their recruiting process. The staff landed some talented freshmen and three veteran transfers. Spradlin believes you build your team’s culture, but you also recruit to that culture by looking for the right kinds of players.

Three transfers, Tray Hollowell, Jake Wolfe and Jaylon Hall should contribute right away. Spradlin says he’s proud of the work his staff put in landing those three players who have come from winning programs. Hollowell (Wofford) is a 6’3 guard who scored 799 points during his career and averaged 11.1 points for the Terriers last season.

 

 

Wolfe averaged 6.7 points per game at Lipscomb and Jaylon Hall scored 9.4 per game for Wright State. Hall was a 44% shooter from deep and scored 752 career points for the Raiders. Spradlin says the recruits are very talented but a little smaller than their predecessors, so the Eagles will be challenged to adjust their playing this season.

The Schedule – Continuing to Grow

Spradlin isn’t taking it easy on the scheduling side. He has scheduled two Southeastern Conference teams, Xavier, East Tennessee State and UAB. Auburn, Mississippi State and those other three games are all on the road.

MSU’s head man believes playing demanding schedules will help his team be battle tested by the time they reach conference play. Morehead will participate in The Arkansas State Event where they will play Arkansas State and Kansas City during Thanksgiving.

Don’t expect a drop off from the Eagles. Broome will is a horse they could ride to a championship and the veteran returners are all proven commodities. Spradlin’s three transfers could play important roles to keep this team continuing to grow.

To hear our entire interview with coach Spradlin, head to Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts.

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