BASKETBALL - Washington & Lee - Washington and Lee University

Washington and lee
2008-2009 SEASON OUTLOOK
Responsibility, the Oxford American Dictionary
defines it as; “a thing that one is required to
do as part of a job, role, or legal obligation.” To
Washington and Lee Head Men’s Basketball
Coach Adam Hutchinson, responsibility is what
he preaches and expects from his players on
a daily basis. Following double-digit wins in
consecutive seasons for the first time in over a
decade, including W&L’s first winning season
since ’89-’90, Hutchinson is putting the onus on
his seniors to continue the upward trend and they
seem ready to accept that responsibility.
“This year’s senior class has really been the
backbone of the team since they got here,” he
commented. “They may not have been getting
the accolades the past several years, but they
were the ones leading this team, and getting us
to where we are.”
Hutchinson, entering his sixth season, is comfortable with giving the credit to his seniors,
even if he was named the ODAC Coach of the Year following last season.
“I didn’t change as a coach last year,” he quipped. “I was the same coach last season that I
was when we won three games. The guys that deserve the credit are the seniors, it’s their effort
that should be recognized.”
This year’s senior class has been putting in the work, but largely in a behind-the-scenes
manner; and if they have been the backbone of the team, then it was 2008 graduate Greg
Bienemann that was the face.
A three-time all-conference honoree, Bienemann was an NABC All-District and a D3Hoops.
com All-South Region selection, and was named a finalist for the Jostens Award given annually to
the top player in Division III following last season. Additionally, he left as the sixth-leading scorer
in W&L history with 1,573 points.
Also gone is Femi Kusimo, who played Robin to Greg’s Batman. An outstanding athlete at
6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Kusimo averaged over 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last
season while shooting .601 from the field.
With the absence of Kusimo and Bienemann this winter, Hutchinson will turn to the leadership
and responsibility of his senior class.
“With Greg and Femi gone, we don’t have that big brother -- that security blanket anymore.
Now we have to get 20 shots a game from somebody else. I am sure that we can do it, but we need
to have guys taking the right shots. We need guys to be able to be responsible enough to know
their roles and execute, and most importantly be responsible for their actions,” said Hutchinson.
“If each guy cuts down one turnover per game, takes one fewer bad shot and improves his game
a little bit, collectively we will be fine. And I’ll tell you, it’s going to be this years’ seniors that make
sure that we do.”
Captains Isaiah Goodman (5-foot-10), Chris McHugh (6-foot-1) and Kirk Jones (6-foot-4),
as well as classmates Ben Heller (6-foot-6), Ryan Owens (6-foot-5) and Craig Sauers (6-foot-3)
have helped to engineer the recent turnaround at W&L and aren’t about to let things go back to
the way they were when they arrived on campus three years ago.
Goodman, McHugh and Jones started all 26 games a year ago and are among eight returning
players who saw action in at least 23 games last season.
Goodman, a two-year starter at point guard, as well as a two-year captain, is back to man
the point again this year after averaging 7.6 points, 1.5 assists and totaling a team-best 36 steals
a year ago.
“Isaiah is the steadying influence on the court,” notes Hutchinson. “He has been tremendous
for us in bringing guys along and he really epitomizes the attitude of this senior class.”
Chris McHugh is the leading returning scorer at 8.8 points per game and one of the teams top
three-point shooters, hitting 40 percent of his three-point attempts (26-65). A smooth shooter that
can play either guard spot, he will be looked to fill some of the scoring void left by the departures
of Bienemann and Kusimo.
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