The Florida A&M Men’s Basketball team looks for its second win of the season as they prepare for Southeastern University. The Rattlers, who won their last game 94-65 against the Yellow Jackets of Allen University, look to build off that momentum.
The Rattlers are 1-7 on the season, losing their first seven games until winning their last game. The win makes Florida A&M Rattler head basketball coach Clemon Johnson feel better but they still have to take the win one game at a time.
“I can’t speak for the team but it makes me feel better,” Johnson said. “We have to take each game and each win for what it is.”
Some of the reasons the team didn’t get off to a fast start was the mental mistakes and turnovers. The team will have to work on that in order to win next game Senior Forward Yannick Crowder said.
“We can stop making mental mistakes and limiting the turnovers in games by focusing in practice and focusing through the whole game,” Crowder said. “It’s start with me because I’m the captain.”
The Tallahassee native Sophomore Guard Avery Moore said if the team get points in transition and push the ball that will give the Rattlers a better chance to win and set up their offense.
“We need to run out in transition and push the ball before they can set up their defense,” Moore said. “It gets is better looks at the basket and we like to play a fast pace type of game.”
The Rattlers are missing some key players and it has affected their chemistry as a team thus far but Johnson hopes to have everyone out their soon.
“We’re still trying to develop chemistry because all our players aren’t back,” Johnson said. “What I’m seeing is practice is different on the court. We’re relying on Crowder a lot and it might be asking a lot for him. Once we get the whole team back come midway through Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play you will see the potential.”
The first eight games of the season hasn’t been the best of starts for the Rattlers but Johnson said these eight games have educated him as a coach and he knows he has to be a little more patient.
“The first eight games have shown me I have to improve as a coach,” Johnson said. “I have to be a little more patient because all of our team isn’t out there. I’m also asking some players to do things that may be beyond their capabilities but once we get our full team back they are going to have to learn on the fly.”
The Rattlers next game is Thursday December 8, 2011 as they play host to the Fire of South Eastern University here at the Al Lawson Center with a 7 p.m. start time.