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Men's Basketball

Tigers Ready To Defend; Underdogs Again

Savannah, Ga. [By Donald Heath] – The Savannah State University men's basketball players needed to talk after a February loss to Morehouse College.
 
The 2021-22 season was winding down. Morehouse had the best team in the Eastern Division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) but still the Tigers were humbled by the lopsided start.
 
Morehouse went on a 22-0 run and held SSU without a field goal for more than 12 minutes of the first half. The Tigers' roar became a grumble.
 
"We sat down and had an hour discussion," Head Coach Horace Broadnax said. "There was a lot of in-fighting, but it seemed to conclude on a positive note."
 
A few weeks later, the Tigers were hoisting a trophy as SIAC Tournament champions. The first SIAC title in program history since 1981.
 
"People say, 'You should have had that talk earlier,' " Broadnax said, laughing.
 
SSU walked into the conference tournament two games under .500 and walked out two games over. The Tigers almost inexplicably turned things around by beating Morehouse and Benedict in the conference semifinals and finals – avenging two losses to each during the regular season.
 
"It was fun. It was definitely rewarding," Broadnax said. "Everybody goes to the tournament with the rah-rah attitude of let's get to the national tournament. It doesn't always happen. The group had somehow found the energy, somehow found the ability to work on the same page. That team seemed like it had something to play for."
 
Will motivating factors a year ago carry over to this season?
 
In a preseason poll from the conference, the Tigers were voted to finish third in the SIAC East Division behind Morehouse and Benedict. No returning Tigers were voted to the All-SIAC Preseason Team.
 
And so they began another campaign as underdogs.
 
SSU finished with a 15-14 record last year, winning six of its last seven games before falling to then-undefeated and top-ranked Nova Southeastern (finishing 31-1) in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Regional.
 
The Tigers' three leading scorers are gone. Broadnax said he'll need some players to step up if his 18th year at SSU is as good as Year 17.
 
He'll be counting on seniors again. Twins Eleik and Elavian Bowles and Larson Ashford were all named captains. Eleik Bowles, a forward, is the team's leading returning scorer with an 8.2-point average. Elavain played in only 14 games last season because of a torn labrum.
 
Ashford, a graduate student, and senior Andrew Okorodudu are battlers in the paint who started about half the team's games last year.
 
"Those are great character guys you love to have on your team," Broadnax said.
 
He projected sophomore Ayjay Plain to start at point guard and returning senior guard Za'Khari Cobb to see more time after averaging 3.9 points a game. Sophomores Aly Keys and Austin Lewis will move up in the rotation after seeing limited time.
 
Broadnax said 6-foot-6 freshman Chancellor Wilson should see playing time as a shooter who can play multiple positions defensively.
 
Freshmen Davis Warner, Zion Davis and Cameron Edmonds have been impressive during the preseason and will be expected to contribute as well.
 
SSU found a winning edge last season by improving defensively – something Broadnax learned as a starter at Georgetown from late coach John Thompson, Jr. The Hoyas won a national championship in 1984.
 
"Coach Thompson talked about a lot of stuff – toughness, competing, repetition of the small things that matter," Broadnax said. "We were always moving. We didn't walk to a water break. He emphasized that and didn't compromise. He'd rather you go full speed in the wrong direction than walk in the right direction."
 
The Tigers open the season Nov. 15 in Tiger Arena against Voorhees University.
 
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Players Mentioned

Larson Ashford

#12 Larson Ashford

F
6' 4"
Senior
Andrew Okorodudu

#24 Andrew Okorodudu

F
6' 6"
Junior
Elavian Bowles

#30 Elavian Bowles

F
6' 4"
Junior
Eleik Bowles

#32 Eleik Bowles

F
6' 4"
Junior
Aly Keys

#34 Aly Keys

F
6' 8"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Larson Ashford

#12 Larson Ashford

6' 4"
Senior
F
Andrew Okorodudu

#24 Andrew Okorodudu

6' 6"
Junior
F
Elavian Bowles

#30 Elavian Bowles

6' 4"
Junior
F
Eleik Bowles

#32 Eleik Bowles

6' 4"
Junior
F
Aly Keys

#34 Aly Keys

6' 8"
Sophomore
F