Eccles stays home, signs with NCCC The Chanute Tribune Jason Peake - Tribune Sports Editor A Chanute High School senior, Eccles signed with Neosho County Community College on Tuesday, where he’ll play basketball for the hometown Panthers. Eccles said two main factors led him to choose NCCC. “I really liked the coaches and I wanted to stay home,” Eccles said. A 6-foot-3 guard/forward, Eccles ended his prep career with some impressive accomplishments. Eccles was an honorable mention all-state selection and finished his prep hoops career as a two-time all-league performer. Eccles was a unanimous first team all-SEK League pick as a senior and was Chanute’s leading scorer for Coach Max Ruark. Eccles scored 16.5 points a game as a senior, showing the ability to score from in close or out on the perimeter. That’s what caught the eye of the NCCC coaching staff. “He brings a lot of versatility to the table,” Neosho County Head Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “He’s a kid that can play multiple positions. He works hard and we feel he has a tremendous upside. I think his best basketball is ahead of him.” Eccles said he hopes he can contribute for the Panthers. “I just want to get better as a student and as a basketball player here,” Eccles said. “I hope I can contribute. That’s one of my goals, so I’m excited.” With Eccles leading the way, Chanute went 13-8 for Coach Ruark in 2010-11 and finished second in the SEK. Ruark said Eccles will be tough to replace. “Dustin was a very good player for us and is one that will be missed,” Ruark said. “I’m very happy and excited for him to be given an opportunity to move forward with school and basketball. As good as Dustin was as a player, he is an even better young man and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow as he moves forward. He is a young man of character and integrity who works hard on a daily basis, and we are extremely happy to have had Dustin as a representative of our program.” Eccles looked right at home on Sunday during NCCC’s Harold Turner All-Star Game. In fact, Eccles earned MVP honors. The Panthers went 16-15 overall this past season and finished fifth in the Jayhawk East. And as one Chanute grad, Devon Crabtree, moves on, another Blue Comet will be on the NCCC roster. In fact, Coombs said Eccles could fill the void left by Crabtree’s departure. “If Eccles comes in and works, he’ll have an opportunity to get out there,” Coombs said. “I think the expectations are high for him. We’ll look for him to do some things that Crabtree did for us. We’ll look for him to fill those shoes.”   NCCC's Anderson named to all-region team The Chanute Tribune Neosho County Community College sophomore Trey Anderson has been named a first team selection on the Region VI Men's Basketball Team. Region VI Team Men First Team Tyrus McGee, Cowley Jeremy Jones, Seward Joe Mitchell, Hutchinson Dennis Tinnon, KCK Kevin Broussard, Coffeyville Titus Rubles, Independence Anthony Downing, Indy Bruce Massey, Dodge City Trey Anderson, Neosho Co. Jason Smith, Allen County   NCCC hoops lands two on all-conference team Tribune staff Neosho County Community College had two athletes selected to the 2010-11 Jayhawk East Basketball Team. Sophomore guard Trey Anderson was a second team all-conference selection. A 6-4 point guard, Anderson averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists a game. He scored 621 total points and made 48 percent of his field goals. Sophomore guard Antonio Banks was an honorable mention pick. Banks averaged 12.5 points a game and hit 60 three-pointers in 20 games. The Panthers went 10-8 in the conference for Coach Jeremy Coombs. Panthers Run Past Johnson Neosho County men’s basketball finished its regular season play Saturday night by beating Johnson County 80-69. Good defense and team play helped the Panthers to a very good road victory. Neosho had four guys in double digit scoring. Terrence Jackson and Slim Magee chipped in 10pts each, Trey Anderson had 14pts and Brison White led the way with 16pts. The Panthers will now return home to prepare for the region VI tournament. First round begins Tuesday March 1st. Panthers fizzle down the stretch vs. Cowley Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — For the Neosho County Panthers, Wednesday night’s game against Cowley was a microcosm of its entire season.  The Panthers got going early, had a solid team on the ropes, but then fell short at the end. Cowley rallied late for a 74-63 win over Neosho County, spoiling the Panthers final home game of the season. The Tigers outscored the Panthers 43-26 in the second half, as the hosts failed to get enough defensive stops down the stretch. At the same time, the Panthers simply went cold from the field offensively late in the game. “That was the story of our season right there,” NCCC Assistant Coach Dominique Taylor said, speaking for Head Coach Jeremy Coombs. “It was a tale of two halves. We came out ready to play, but we didn’t come out with the same intensity in the second half.”  The Panthers end the regular season on Saturday night at Johnson County . The Cavs are currently one spot behind the Panthers in the league standings.    Panthers blow away Pirates Jason Peake  Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — All season long, Jeremy Coombs has been waiting for this type of performance. It finally came on Wednesday night. The Neosho County Community College men’s basketball team put everything together and showed what they’re capable of in a dominating 112-89 win over a solid Independence team on Homecoming.  “We’ve always been able to score, but tonight, the bottom line is that we played defense,” Coombs said. “The guys sat down and guarded tonight. And we did shoot the ball better, but I really think it was all about defense.” The Panthers blew away the Pirates with a big first half run. During the spurt, everyone got into the act, and the Panthers were bombing away from outside and scoring in the paint, too. Trey Anderson and Antonio Banks did most of the damage, scoring at will. Brison White threw down a dunk and the Panthers were pulling away at 37-25. But just a couple of minutes later, the Panthers strung together several defensive stops and Banks drilled back-to-back three-pointers. White then hit a three-pointer and the Panthers were up big at 52-32. Indy struggled to get anything going offensively against the Panthers pressure and Neosho County led 61-40 at the half. It was more of the same in the second half. The Panthers got out and ran, scoring at the rim or knocking down three-pointers again and again. Banks, Jordan Hickert and Devon Crabtree all hit three-pointers early in the second half and Gregroyshon Magee dunked inside. Terrance Jackson then dunked in transition and White threw down one of this own. Before Indy knew what hit them, they were down 37 points at 109-72. The game was all but over at that point. A 6-4 point guard, Anderson scored 32 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the field. He also handed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds. Banks, another sophomore guard, scored 27 points, hitting seven of nine three-pointers. White had 19 points, Magee had 16 and Jackson added 12 off the bench. Jackson also had six steals.  The Panthers hit 12 three-pointers in the game and shot 55 percent from the field overall (42-77). Neosho County also had 11 steals and forced the Pirates into 17 turnovers.  “We saw what our team is capable of tonight,” Coombs said.  Neosho County improves to 15-12 on the season and 9-6 in the conference. The Panthers are at league-leading Coffeyville on Saturday at 7 p.m. and then host third place Cowley next Wednesday night.   Coombs acknowledged his team needs both wins if they want a shot at the Jayhawk East title. “Every game is a must-win at this point,” Coombs said. “Hopefully this win gives us some momentum.” NCCC men 112, Indy 89   Panthers Run Past Fort Scott Neosho County ran past Forts Scott at Ft Scott in a Wednesday night Jayhawk Conference game. The Panthers lead 33-22 at the half. The 2nd half was a back and forth battle but sown the stretch Neosho County converted 11 of 12 free throws into points during that time, however, which was enough to hold Fort Scott off. Banks led Neosho County with 17 points while Trey Anderson added 16 and Terrance Jackson chipped in with 12. Neosho County shot only 35 percent from the field, making 17 of 48 field-goal attempts. But the Panthers made 27 of 32 free-throw tries. NOTES -- Gregoryshon Magee, a very slender 6' 10 blocked 4 shots for Neosho County. Panthers defend home court Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — Protecting the home court is always key for a team that hopes to compete for a conference title. And the Neosho County Panthers took care of business at home on Wednesday night. The Panthers came up with several key defensive stops late in the game, made their free throws down the stretch and knocked off Johnson County 97-88 in a Jayhawk East showdown. “We made free throws and we got some really nice defensive stops late,” NCCC Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “And I thought our guys played really smart. We played under control, we didn’t rush shots. Overall, I thought it was a pretty nice win. They’re a solid team. I love being back at home.” The Panthers made 23 of 27 free throws (85 percent). The Panthers shot 53 percent from the field for the game, 32-of-60. The Panthers improved to 11-10 on the season and 5-4 in the conference. Johnson County entered the contest ranked ninth in the national Division II poll. The Cavs are now 14-6 overall and 4-5 in the conference. The Panthers are at rival Allen County on Saturday night at 8 p.m. Neosho County 97, Johnson Co. 88 Neosho County men’s basketball helps with Erie recreation youth camp.   Panthers drop one on the road Cowley County shoots lights Sunday night vs. the Panthers shooting for 55.6 percent from three. Brison White, a 6-foot freshman from Wichita, led the Panthers with 19 points. The loss drops Neosho County’s record to 10-10 overall and 4-4 in the conference. The Panther return home Wednesday vs. Johnson County at 8pm. Red Ravens shoot down Panthers Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — For a stretch in the second half, the Neosho County Panthers had the nation’s 10th-ranked team on the ropes. But the Coffeyville Red Ravens are nationally-ranked for a reason. The Red Ravens used a barrage of three-pointers to knock off the host Panthers 101-91 on Wednesday night. “We scored enough points to win the game, but we’re just not guarding,” NCCC Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “I can’t stress that enough. We let this one slip away.” The Panthers used a 10-0 run to start the second half, turned up the intensity on both ends and eventually went up eight on the Ravens. At that point, it appeared as if the Panthers were in control. “I thought we did a good job at the start of the second half,” Coombs said. “We got after it and bought into playing defense. At some point, we just stopped guarding. They started hitting threes and we couldn’t stop the bleeding.” Neosho County’s Jordan Hickert hit a three and Trey Anderson hit two free throws, but Coffeyville responded with a dunk inside by Chanute grad Cory Henshall and a free throw by Harris. Anderson once again led the way for the Panthers. The 6-4 point guard scored 31 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and also handed out eight assists. Gregroyshon Magee scored 16, while Terrance Jackson and Hickert added 13 points apiece for the Panthers. Jackson scored seven quick points coming out of halftime, including a dunk in transition.  The Ravens hit 15 three-pointers in the game and shot 52 percent from the floor. The Panthers shot 42 percent overall, but hit just 32 percent from three-point land. “They shot it well and they knocked down their free throws down the stretch,” Coombs said. “They’re a good team. But I thought we rebounded the ball well against them and they’re the top rebounding team in the league. And they’re ranked 10th in the nation.” After the loss, Coombs was left wondering what might have been. His team was right there with the league’s best. “I still think we can beat anybody if we work,” he said. “We have to put 40 minutes of basketball together, though.” The game featured nine lead changes and six ties.  The Panthers are at Cowley on Sunday at 4 p.m.   2010-2011 KJCCC Verizon Wireless Week 7 Men's Basketball Player Of The Week   Trey Anderson Neosho County Community College 6'4" 180 Sophomore Carrolton, TX Trey Anderson helped lead Neosho to 4-0 in conference play by defeating Highland Wed night and Fort Scott Sat. Anderson put up an impressive 30 point vs. Highland and 25 points vs. Fort Scott.  For the week Anderson averaged 27.5ppg – 5.5rpg. 7 asst, 2.5 st. He shot 46% from the field, 55% from behind the arch and 71% from the free-throw line.   NCCC beat Fort Scott Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — The look on Jeremy Coombs’ face told the story. Coombs’ Neosho County Community College men’s basketball team had just knocked off Fort Scott CC 81-72 on Saturday night. Despite the win, Coombs was not pleased with his team’s performance. “I’m disappointed,” Coombs said. “We came out and played extremely well in the first half. Then we subbed in five and we weren’t attacking and seemed flat. I was disappointed in our bench play. Then in the second half, we gave up 44 points to a team that only averages 55 a game. They scored 72 on us. I think we looked like a team that thought we’d just walk through it tonight. That’s my fault. I need to make sure we’re more prepared for games like this. But we did get the win.” Trey Anderson once again led the Panthers from the point guard position. Anderson scored 25 points and handed out eight assists. Brison White scored 14 and Devon Crabtree added 11, hitting three of seven from behind the three-point line. Neosho County improves to 4-0 in the Jayhawk East and 10-6 overall. The Panthers have won six of their last seven games. The Panthers went up 14 points early at 24-10. But the Greyhounds kept coming, went on a 9-0 run and eventually pulled to within two, as NCCC led 30-28 at the half. The Panthers allowed the Hounds to hang around early in the second half, but Antonio Banks knocked down a three, Anderson scored on a drive through the lane and Gregroyshon Magee scored inside. White then dunked in transition and the Panthers were up 52-40. Fort Scott later went on a 10-2 run to pull close. But the Panthers responded with a hoop from White and a three from Crabtree. Late points from Anderson and Crabtree sealed the win. Menas Stephens scored 25 for Fort Scott and Robert Mason added 22. The Hounds are now 2-13 on the season and 1-3 in the conference. Notes: In an odd scene, Fort Scott’s Stephens was hit with a technical for cursing at a teammate. Explaining himself to Fort Scott Coach Mike Cook, the referee said unsportsmanlike conduct is a technical foul.   Panthers earn key conference win Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — With his team deadlocked in a tie game, Devon Crabtree came up big. Crabtree’s back-to-back three-pointers propelled the Neosho County Community College men’s basketball team to a 93-82 win over Highland on Wednesday night. The game was tied at 76 when Crabtree drilled three-pointers on consecutive possessions. The Panthers would not relinquish the lead from that point on. “Those were huge,” Neosho County Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s early or late, that kid can shoot the basketball. He did a great job. Those were huge shots and they allowed us to pull away a little bit.” Another key to the win was the fact that Neosho County point guard Trey Anderson provided key hoops again and again.  On several occasions it looked like Highland was ready to pull away. But the 6-4 Anderson responded again and again, penetrating into the lane and scoring with runners and layups. Anderson finished the night with 30 points and eight assists. The Panthers improved to 3-0 in the Jayhawk East with the win and 9-6 overall. “This is a big win for us because that’s a good team,” Coombs said. “They have two guys that are potential all-americans and they have a strong candidate for Freshman of the Year. They’re talented. The first half was a back and forth battle. In the second half, we decided to guard a little better. And our offense just kept going. But we finally sat down and guarded, we rebounded the basketball and that was the difference in the game.” After Anderson’s 30 points, Crabtree had 17 and Long scored 11. A freshman guard, Upchurch scored 31 for Highland, but the Panthers limited Jarmar Gulley to 13 points. Gulley scored 39 in a game this season. Highland is now 11-4 and 1-2 in the conference. Coombs credited Terrance Jackson for coming in late in the game and guarding Upchurch. “Jackson came in and shut him down,” Coombs said. “That was another key for us. T.J. is a big guard that can really defend.”  Notes: The game featured nine ties and seven lead changes. Neosho County outscored Highland 52-38 in the second half. The Panthers are home again on Saturday night. Neosho County 93, Highland 82 Panthers split at Sonic Shoot-Out Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — The Neosho County Panthers had Seward County on the ropes. But the Panthers failed to connect on a knockout punch. Seward County rallied from a 16-point second half deficit and pulled off a 103-91 win over the Neosho County Community College men’s basketball team on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the inaugural Sonic Shoot-Out. The Panthers defeated Pratt 94-86 on Saturday night and went 1-1 in the tourney. “We had a good win on Saturday night and we played competitively against a very good team today in Seward,” NCCC Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “I still believe we should have won this game. I think I saw a lot of positives this weekend.” “We were shooting the heck out of the ball, but I think we got a little tired,” Coombs said.  Seward rallied by forcing NCCC turnovers and getting layups the other way. The Panthers had led 62-46, but the Saints suddenly were down only single digits. Seward then scored seven-straight to go ahead 89-83. NCCC’s Anderson completed a three-point play, but Seward’s Jones then scored six more points. Jones’ runner in the lane put Seward up 96-88 with 2:15 to play. Coach Coombs was clearly unhappy after the loss about the disparity in fouls. Neosho County was called for 23 fouls, while Seward was called for just 11. “They had their hands on us all night and the refs would just not call it,” Coombs said. “Anytime a team gets an advantage like that they’re going to win the game — it was 23 to 11. That’s absurd. And they were the more-physical team.” A 6-4 point guard, Anderson ended the night with 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Crabtree scored 20 for the Panthers, hitting five of nine three-pointers. Hickert and White added 19 points apiece. Hickert hit five three’s and White made three. Vs. Pratt On Saturday night, the Panthers looked nothing like a team that hadn’t played in almost a month. With crisp ball movement and hot-shooting, Neosho County built a 10-point lead right away against the Beavers. For a stretch in the first half, the Panthers couldn’t miss from the field. The hot-shooting helped push the lead — it also seemed to ignite the team’s defense. “We shot the ball really well,” Coombs said. “Anytime we’re shooting like that, the team seems to get excited and seems to want to play defense.” The Panthers led 52-39 at halftime and then extended the lead right away to 16 points at 60-44 early in the second half. A few late turnovers by the Panthers again allowed Pratt to make a late run. Pratt went on a 13-4 run, but had to begin fouling. Long and Anderson hit free throws and then DeAnte DeBose’s breakaway dunk sealed the win. One key to the win was the production of the NCCC bench. Long scored 20 points off the bench on 7-of-11 shooting. Also, Brandon Tommer came off the bench and scored 14 with four three-pointers in his first action of the season. Tommer is a 6-5 freshman from Baldwin. Anderson scored 20 points and Crabtree added 14 points. White added 12 points and 10 assists. Hickert pulled down 13 rebounds. For the game, Neosho County shot 47 percent from the field.  “I’m a little disappointed in the second half,” Coombs said. “But we hadn’t played in 29 days. I expect more from the guys. If we want to win a conference championship we’re going to have to have a better overall effort. But it was a good win.” Sonic Shootout Saturday’s result Neosho County 94, Pratt 86 Sunday’s result Seward 103, NCCC 91 THE BEST OF 2010: TOP LOCAL STORIES Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor Before we close the door on 2010, let’s take a look back at the top local sports stories of the past year. There were lots of memorable moments over the course of the year, as local teams and athletes made Chanute and the surrounding area proud. As far as Chanute High School, nearly every sport had a stellar team or an individual standout — there were conference champs, regional champs and state medalists. Area schools like St. Paul and Erie also had notable events take place in 2010. And let’s not forget — Neosho County Community College also had a memorable year.  Below are the top local stories of 2010. #1 CHS FOOTBALL: WHAT A RUN! #2 CHS GIRLS GOLF: THIRD IN 4A #3 ST. PAUL GIRLS CRUISE TO STATE #4 TURF FOR NCCC BASEBALL #5 ERIE GETS NEW FIELD, NEW GYM #6 LUNDY LEAGUE MVP NCCC’s Antione Lundy was named the Jayhawk East’s Most Valuable Player in 2010. A 6-8 sophomore forward from Michigan, Lundy led the NCCC men’s basketball team with 18 points and 14 rebounds a game. Lundy was also a first team all-conference player. He signed with South Alabama.  #7 SON, WRESTLERS SHINE #10 SHARP SECOND AT STATE #11 BOLLIG, AYLWARD STAND OUT FRESHMAN LEADS XC TO STATE NCCC set to host Sonic-ShootoutThe Chanute Tribune Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — Neosho County Community College will kick-off the new year by hosting the Sonic Shoot-Out. The men’s basketball tournament will take place on Jan. 1 and 2. There will be two games each day of the tournament. The Panthers will host Pratt, Seward County and Missouri State-West Plains at the Shoot-Out. On Jan. 1, Seward County and West Plains will play at 6 p.m. Host Neosho County takes on Pratt at 8 p.m. On Jan. 2, Pratt and West Plains play at 2 p.m., with NCCC taking on Seward at 4 p.m. Panthers Coach Jeremy Coombs said the field is definitely a tough one. “We’re bringing in three really good teams,” Coombs said. “And these are programs that traditionally travel well. We wanted teams that will bring fans here to Chanute. They’ll spend money here and they’ll enjoy Chanute a little bit.” Coombs said the idea behind the tournament was to get a little more community involvement with his program. “We’ve had a lot of businesses in the community step up and help us out with our classic,” Coombs said. “It costs a lot of money to run a classic. Sonic was the front-runner and they wanted their name on it. And Chanute Manufacturing really stepped up, too.” Coombs added several college coaches will be in attendance to watch the teams. “I think we’ll have a nice turnout and it should be a nice tournament,” Coombs said. “The games will be really good. A lot of schools have a tourney and they’ll bring in some JV teams. This won’t be like that.” Added Coombs: “Pratt travels really well and we think Seward will bring a lot of fans here, too. In fact, they’re already booking up a lot of hotel rooms.” Coach Coombs said he’d love to see a packed gym on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 for the Shoot-Out. “I’m ready for the tournament and I hope we have a really nice turnout,” Coombs said. “If people come out, they’ll get to see some really good basketball. There will be good games each night.” NCCC notes The Panthers have not played since a 97-66 win over Labette on Dec. 4.  “Hopefully, the guys will get through finals okay,” Coombs said. A sophomore guard, Banks will be back in action at the Sonic Shoot-Out after recovering from a foot injury he suffered at the Juco Elite 8 tourney in Coffeyville. The Panthers will also add three players to the roster at the start of the second semester — Brandon Tommer and Terrance Jackson.  “These guys will give us more depth,” Coombs noted. The first week of January will be a busy one for NCCC.   Panthers race past Ottawa JV team Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor CHANUTE — Taking advantage of its overall team speed and depth, the Neosho County Community College men’s basketball team raced past the Ottawa University JV team 103-62 on Monday night in the season-opener. The Panthers scored 62 points in the second half, matching Ottawa’s total for the game. “This was a good first game for us,” NCCC Coach Jeremy Coombs said. “We still need to pick up our defensive intensity. We started to get better in the second half. I’d still like to see us sit down and guard people better. But I thought we shot the ball better in the second half. “Our depth and our running and shooting is going to be our big key this year,” Coombs continued. “And I thought we did a much better job of showing that in the second half.” From the start, the Panthers simply had too much depth and talent for the Braves, who brought just six players to the game. Devon Crabtree knows just how the Braves were feeling. Two years ago this week, Crabtree came to town with the Kansas Wesleyan JV team. The Panthers blew them out by 50. A Chanute High School graduate, Crabtree is now suiting up for the Panthers. He made his first appearance in an NCCC uniform in front of the home crowd and started for the Panthers. “It’s kind of neat being back in my hometown and seeing people up in the stands I know,” Crabtree said. “It was like I was back in high school.” Crabtree said he would have never thought he’d be playing for NCCC when he came to town a couple of years ago. “No way, never.” Crabtree hit an early three-pointer and then Brison White grabbed a steal and threw down a one-handed breakaway dunk. That put the Panthers up 12-6. Ottawa hung around, but Will Benson and Trey Anderson scored for Neosho County and the Panthers pulled ahead 18-8. The Panthers went to a full-court press and the Braves struggled handling the ball. In fact, NCCC’s swarming defense forced two 10-second calls on Ottawa almost immediately. Next, Anderson scored on a runner in the lane and then DeAnte DuBose scored inside, giving NCCC a 28-12 lead with 5:06 left in the first half. Antonio Banks had the hot hand late in the first half for Neosho County. The sophomore guard hit three late three-pointers and the Panthers led 41-23 at the half. Early in the second half, Neosho County continued to pull away. NCCC’s 6-10 sophomore Jordan Hickert hit two three-pointers and it was 49-29. Anderson had two hoops on drives weaving through the lane, White dunked in transition and Neosho County led 66-42. Kalub Long then caught fire for the Panthers. The sophomore guard hit a three and then scored two more hoops for NCCC, pushing the lead to 73-47. The Panthers continued to get easy hoops in transition late in the game, as the Braves ran out of gas. Again, the depth proved key for Neosho County. Seven players were in double figures for the Panthers. Banks and White had 18 points apiece for the Panthers. Long added 15 off the bench. The team’s point guard, Anderson nearly had a triple double for the Panthers, with 10 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Six-foot-10 freshman Gregroyshon Magee scored 10 and blocked seven shots, while Hickert and Benson added 10 points apiece. The Panthers (1-0) travel to the Seward County Pepsi Classic this weekend in Liberal. Neosho County is back home on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. against the Oklahoma Wesleyan JV team.   NCCC MEN: PANTHERS HAVE A NEW LOOK Jason Peake Tribune Sports Editor Teams, not individuals, win basketball games. And if you ask Neosho County Community College Men’s Basketball Coach Jeremy Coombs, his Panthers will prove that notion this winter. As the 2010-11 season begins, the NCCC men won’t rely on just one star player. The Panthers enter this season with an overall team depth the program hasn’t had in years. “We’re a lot different from last year’s team,” Coach Coombs said. “This team is a lot deeper. We don’t have a (Antione) Lundy or a (Mark) Gomilla this year, but we have a solid one through 10. The thing that really sets this team apart from last year’s team is our depth.” The only returning player from last year’s roster is sophomore big man Jordan Hickert (6-10, 230). The Australia native has size and has shown the ability to knock down the outside shot. Coombs said Hickert’s experience in the post will be big for the team, as well. Next, the Panthers have four transfers that will play big roles this season. For starters, Coombs looks for big things from Trey Anderson. A 6-5 sophomore guard who played at St. Mary’s last year, Anderson may be starting at the point guard position. St. Mary’s made the NCAA Tournament last season. “He passes the ball extremely well and makes other guys better,” Coombs said. “We brought him here thinking he’d play the two or three, but he’s playing the point very well.” Coombs said Anderson has the ability to play four different positions on the floor, too. Anderson is a native of Carrolton, Texas. Next, Chanute grad Devon Crabtree transferred home from Kansas Wesleyan. The 6-3 Crabtree can stretch opposing defenses with his ability to knock down three-pointers. “He has more game than people realize,” Coombs said. “He can really shoot the ball and everybody knows that. But he can get to the rim when they over play him. He’s hitting the 15 footers, too. He’s doing a really good job.” Another transfer is Kalub Long, a 5-10 combo guard from Kansas City, Kansas who played for Cowley last year. “I call him a bulldog,” Coombs said. “He’s a tough kid and can get to the rim.” Another transfer is Will Benson, a 6-4 power forward who played for North Dakota School of Science last year. Benson is a native of Grand Rapids, Mich. Coombs said Benson is one of the more athletic kids on the team. “He can play inside or out,” Coombs said. Brett Jones is a 6-2 guard/forward who transferred to NCCC from KCK. Jones is from Kansas City who Coombs said is “an all-around player.” Next, Antonio Banks is back on the roster. Banks earned minutes two years ago, but sat out last year as a red-shirt. The point guard from Grand Rapids, Mich. can handle the ball and knock down the three. “His leadership will help the youth of our team,” Coombs said. In addition to the transfers, the Panthers have some promising freshmen this season. For starters, fresman Brison White is a player that Coombs feels will contribute right away. A true freshman from Wichita, White was the MVP of the Harold Turner All-Star Game last spring. “He brings athleticism and the ability to play in the open floor,” Coombs said. Other true freshmen are Exavier Bass-Brooks (5-9, G) from Kansas City, Brandon Tommer (6-5, F) from Baldwin City, Antonio Buchanan (6-7, F) from Wichita, Bryan Newton (6-0, G) from Colony-Crest and Arjun Shibonis (6-10, C) from Heber City, Utah. Bass-Brooks is a distributing point guard, Tommer is an inside-outside player, Buchanan is an athletic big man, Newton is a pass-first guard who can get to the rim and Shibonis provides an inside presence. Two other players on the roster red-shirted last year. Gregroyshon Magee is a slender 6-11 athlete who can run the floor well. Magee is from New Orleans. DeAnte DuBose is a 6-6 forward who Coombs says does all the little things for the team. Outlook The Panthers went 20-11 overall last year and finished 12-6 in the Jayhawk East, good for fourth place. The team bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. Last year’s team relied heavily on the 6-8 Lundy, the Jayhawk East Player of the Year. Lundy is gone to South Alabama. “We can’t throw the ball into Lundy and expects buckets this year,” Coombs said. “It’s been nerve-racking for me because I have 10 solid guys to pick from.” Coombs noted this year’s team is not as big as last year’s group, but will play fast and press more. This year’s team is a little more guard-oriented, too. The lineup will be fast and be full of shooters. That should be a big strength of the Panthers. “This team can shoot the ball better than the teams we’ve had here in the past few years,” Coombs said. “We can really put up points quick. We’re athletic and fast, but we really do a nice job of sharing the basketball.” Next, Coombs said his team needs to improve its defense. “We need to get a little more intense on the defensive end,” Coombs said. “We’ve addressed it every day in practice so far.” Rebounding will be a key to the season, as well. An area of concern thus far has been injuries. The team did not have all of its players for any of the jamborees during the preseason. “We need to get everybody back healthy and we’ll be ready to go,” Coombs said. Conference The Jayhawk East will be tough again. NCCC finished fourth last year and would like to improve upon that finish. Cowley, Coffeyville and Indy were picked first through third in the preseason poll, with NCCC picked fourth. “Just like every other year, the conference will come down to who protects home court and wins the most on the road,” Coombs said. Coombs added the goals are set high. “This is a team that can do a lot in this conference,” he said. “I know we can.” Added Coombs: “The goals never change. We want to win the conference and win the region and get to the national tournament. Those are always the goals. We set the bar high.” The Panthers hosted the Ottawa JV team on Monday night in the season-opener. Look for results tomorrow.   Panthers picked fourth in preseason poll Tribune staff The Neosho County Community College men's basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the Jayhawk East. The preseason poll has Cowley first, Coffeyville second, Independence third and Neosho County fourth. KCK was picked fifth, with Highland and Johnson County sixth and seventh. Allen County, Fort Scott and Labette were the bottom three teams in the men's poll. Neosho County went 20-11 overall and 12-6 in the conference last year. The conference record was good for fourth place.