Men's Basketball Media Guide 06-07.qxp - LaGrange College

Panthers look to set tone in 2006-07 with
Senior Leadership
2006-07 squad features seven seniors that has high expecations
and look to lead the team to its best record since entering
the NCAA Divsion III ranks.
Senior G/F Antione Maddox’s offseason work ethic
this past summer should pay huge dividends for
the panthers this year.
LaGrange College's road to basketball success
is not far away. After graduating only one senior,
Corie Jackson and underclassmen gaining
the experience it needed, the Panthers are now
ready to hit the ground running in 2006-07.
Last year’s record of 8-18 was looked in a different
light for coach Warren Haynes. The team
had eight games that could’ve gone either way as
they lost those games by nine points or less.
"This is a team that we expect to be the best
team since making the move the Division III,”
Haynes said. "The bright side to last season is
the amount of experience the underclassmen
gained and the leadership that the juniors
brought to the team that will carry over to this
season."
The Panthers have eight seniors on this season's
roster, that provides experience and underclassmen
that will create depth. The rest of the
roster is made up of one freshmen. A total of
12 players appeared in 21 or more games, gaining
valuable experience and six have started at
least half of those games played.
Senior Robby Lawrence (6-0, 170, Atlanta,
Ga./Woodward Academy) will anchor the backcourt
this season. He was third on the team in
scoring, averaging 12.6 points per game. He led
the team with 38 steals for the second striaght
year. Had a career-high 37 points against Fisk
2/12. The coaching staff looks for him to
boost the Panthers' offensive efficiency and provide
leadership.
Senior Antoine Maddox, pictured above, (6-
3, 190, LaGrange, Ga./West Georgia Christian
Academy) will be looked upon to help lead this
team with Lawrence as he will join him in the
backcourt. He made five starts in
26 games, averaging seven points
and three rebounds per game. He
also shot 81% from the free throw
line. Maddox hopes to pick up
where he left off as he had a
career-high 20 points agasint
Peidmont 2/23 on the last game of
the regular season. Senior Justin
Hodges (5-11, 150, Lawrenceville,
Ga./Providence) appeared in just
11 games, making eight starts.
This season he will be asked to be
the team's number one distributor.
Junior Roger McDowell (5-10,
190, Newnan, Ga., East Coweta)
appeared in all 26 games with one
start. He hit 33 percent of his
three-pointers, making 28-of-85.
Put McDowell on your 'players to
watch' list because he has an amazing
blend of skill, athleticism and
heart.
Junior Landon Baize (5-9, 155,
Citrus Springs, Fla./Lecanto) made
key improvements over the course of last season
and will be the key to the Panthers' up tempo
offense. He led the team with 71 assists and was
second in steals with 22. Junior Leon Williams
(6-2, 210, Lithonia, Ga./Lithonia) had a big year,
averaging 11 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest,
but only played in 11 games.
He hopes to come in and pick up
where he left off as a match-up
killer in the post. Senior Kevin
Kelly (6-1, 175, Newnan,
Ga./Heritage) apeared in 21
games, averaging 2.1 points in
about five minutes a game.
Sophomore guard Travis
Moore (5-9, 150, Acworth,
Ga./Etowah) will be expected to
help at the point guard spot and
should be competing for more
playing time this year after making
three starts in 21 games played.
He got good minutes (14.0) last
year as a freshman. Fellow sophomore
guards Tamel McGibiany
(6-3, 190, Douglasville,
Ga./Hiram) will be back for his
sophomore year and vying for playing time.
The frontcourt is led by junior Demetris
Render (6-3, 190, Newnan, Ga./Northgate).
Render shot a 50.4 percent from the floor and
led the team with 108 free throws made and
Guard Robby Lawrence is one of eight seniors on
the 2006-07 Panther squad. He was third on the
team in scoring last season, averaging 12.6 points
per game.
scoring (13.7). Render also averaged 4.8
rebounds and notched 20 steals per game.
Senior Michael Patterson (6-3, 195,
Columbus, Ga./Hardaway) Appeared in all 26
games, making 14 starts. He led the team in field
goal percentage (52.4). Patterson was third in
rebounding (4.7) and is looking to have a big
senior campaign in the post. Fellow senior forward
Evert Herriott (6-4, 200, Fort Walton,
Fla./Choctaw) is coming off a red-shirt season
and will look to provide depth in the frontcourt.
Senior center Brian Darracott (6-6, 215,
Buford, Ga./Buford) played in all 26 games with
15 starts in the post. He averaged 2.4 points per
game and two rebounds per game. Another senior
center Ben Podbielski (6-7, 235, Marietta,
Ga./Pope) appeared in 12 games because of an
injury. The Panthers hope Podbielski can return
from pre-season surgery to his form as a freshman,
when he led the team in blocked shots.
The Panthers welcome one freshmen to the
team for 2006-07, who all come in with a third
string spot in the varsity lineup. A few of these
freshmen will probably break the rotation after
making the adjustment to how the Panthers play
the college game.
Shon Redding (6-4, 200, Acworth,
Ga./Etowah) has a great feel around the basket
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