BUIES
CREEK, N.C. –
Campbell University begins a new era in men's basketball Saturday
when the Fighting Camels play their first game at the 3,095-seat
John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center/Gilbert Craig Gore Arena.
The
Camels host Division II Chowan in an 8:15 p.m. tip-off. The game will air on WCLN 107.3 FM and
on-line at www.GoCamels.com. The Lady Camels square off against
Coker at 6:00 p.m. in their inaugural Pope Center
contest.
Sixth-year
coach Robbie Laing's teams have registered
double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons. Four regulars return from the 2007-08
squad that finished 10-20, 5-11 in the Atlantic Sun
Conference.
Leading
the way is junior forward Jonathan Rodriguez, a
two-time A-Sun first-team all-conference performer and ‘08
Mid-Major All-American. He
led the A-Sun in scoring (20.9) and ranked second in rebounding
(10.1) last season.
Also
back is junior center Kyle Vejraska, who chipped
in 10 points per outing and shot 51 percent from the floor last
year. Sophomore guard
Junard Hartley led all A-Sun freshmen in assists
(4.4) and minutes played last year, while sophomore forward
Preston Dodson saw action in all 30
games.
Eight newcomers
join the Camel unit -- Jabril Bailey, Amir Celestin, Matt
Gwynne, William Kossangue, Lorne Merthie Chris Reynolds, Miles
Taylor and Chad Thompson.
Gwynne received
a transfer waiver from the NCAA on Friday and will be eligible
immediately after playing his first two years at
Tennessee-Chattanooga. The
6-foot-10 center-forward from nearby Angier, N.C., averaged 5.9
points and 4.3 boards for the Mocs last season.
Campbell stands 15-16 in
season-opening games since joining NCAA Division I in 1977-78. The Camels are 2-3 in openers
under Laing following last year's 76-47 win over Coker and a 106-66
triumph in ‘06-07 over UNC Pembroke.
Saturday's contest is the
first between the Camels and Chowan since Feb. 1961, when both
schools were junior colleges.
Campbell and Chowan are
linked in many ways. Both
private universities have long-standing Baptist ties. However, the athletic departments,
especially the basketball programs, have shared many of the same
standout names.
New Campbell University Radio
Network color analyst Jerry Smith (Campbell,
‘64) served as head coach of the Fighting Camels from 1983-85
and three years in the same position at Chowan. Smith will join Robert Harper, who is
in his fourth year at Campbell, for all home Fighting Camel
broadcasts and selected road games.
Four members of Chowan's
Athletics Hall of Fame are Campbell graduates. Bob Burke (‘69) played basketball
at CU under coach Fred McCall and later went on to become head
coach at Chowan, where he amassed a 419-217 record in 22
years.
Larry Canady (Campbell,
‘84) averaged 13.1 points in two seasons (‘82-84) at
Campbell after earning JUCO All-America honors at Chowan
(‘80-82). Honorable
mention JUCO All-America guard Andrea McGee (‘85) followed
Canady to Buies Creek one year later and contributed 14.3 points
per outing in two seasons for the Camels (‘83-85).
Lady Camel Associate Head
Coach Mary Weiss (‘85) also is a member of the Chowan Hall of
Fame and still ranks among Campbell's single season and all-time
assists leaders.
Last year the Hawks
produced a 13-17 record as a Division II independent and finished
third in the National Christian Colleges Athletic Association
national tournament and won the NCCAA South Region
title.
Six-foot-five guard Jaleel
Nelson was the NCCAA South Region Player of the Year and an NCCAA
All-American after chipping in 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per
game.
Chowan played at Division I Old Dominion in an exhibition game on
Nov. 4 and dropped a 69-51 decision to the Monarchs. Nelson and Charles Rhodes led the
Hawks with 12 points each, while Aaron Scott added 10.
Following Saturday's game,
the Camels travel Wednesday to Greenville for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off
against East Carolina.
Probable Starting
Lineups
Campbell
F Jonathan Rodriguez (6-5,
Jr.)
F Miles Taylor (6-4,
Jr.)
C Kyle Vejraska (6-8,
Jr.)
G Junard Hartley (6-3,
So.)
G Lorne Merthie (6-1,
Fr.)
Chowan
F Lando Morrison (6-6,
Jr.)
F Layth Mansour (6-8,
So.)
G Nate Walchuck (5-9,
Jr.)
G Charles Rhodes (6-4,
So.)
G Jaleel Nelson (6-5,
Jr.)
