Athletes In Action Downs Central State

            Today is Tuesday, November 3, 2015. Right now, I find myself sitting inside of Central State University’s (CSU) Beacom-Lewis Gymnasium. Did I know that my presence would be needed here today? The answer to that question is: NO. Until Thursday, December 3, 2015 (against Benedict College), I did not anticipate seeing CSU’s Men’s Basketball Team play. I WAS VERY WRONG! In all actuality, I did not find out about this ensuing game until yesterday afternoon. This is not going to be a 2015-2016 Regular Season Game. Instead, this will be a Preseason Game (Exhibition). Certainly, I am glad that the opportunity arose. Instead of having to wait exactly one month, I get to see the Marauders play now. Coming into the 2015-2016 Season, the Marauders have lost some pieces (due to graduation). Masceo Harmon and Raheem Lemons are key players who are no longer with the Marauders. Both players meant a lot to the team, and they will be greatly missed. However, the CSU Marauders must move on. Life without Harmon, Lemons, and the rest of the departed players begins now. It is up to the Marauders’ current core of players to determine its own fate. The past is the past. Departed players are unable to assist the current team. Hopefully, CSU’s 2015-2016 Men’s Basketball Team is up for the challenge (of a long and grueling season). Will the Marauders be able to conquer the challenge? That process is about to begin. In the spring, it will conclude.

            Tonight’s opponent is Athletes in Action (AIA). Although this is only a Preseason Game, one question keeps coming to my mindset. In this Preseason Game, what will the competitiveness-level be? In the Lady Marauders’ Preseason Games, the “Competitiveness” was at the level of a Regular Season Game. For the entirety of both contests (especially the second game), the pace was very fast. The spectators were really into the games. For the men, will the intense hype make itself known? That question is about to be defined.

            Athletes in Action won the game’s tip-off. Ten seconds into the game (19:50), Devon Atkinson missed a deep shot. The ball hit the backboard. Central State obtained possession. However, the Marauders ended up missing a basket. AIA missed another basket. CSU did the same thing. Both teams are taking a lot of deep shots. At 19:08, the Marauders missed a 2-Point Basket (in the paint). With 18:43 on the clock, AIA turned the ball over. The ball rolled out of bounds. CSU had enough of the disarray. At the 18:23 mark, the Marauders’ Jeremy Brown attacked the basket. During the process, he picked up 2-Points.  With a 3-Point Basket, AIA countered Brown’s conversion.

            From 17:50 to 15:56, CSU went on an 8-1 Scoring Run. During the run, Hosie Smith, Jr. and Brown each made a 3-Point Basket. At 15:35, AIA’s Keith DeWitt made a 2-Point Basket. How did the Marauders respond? In a very fiery way, CSU responded to DeWitt’s basket. From 15:23 to 13:30, CSU outscored AIA 9-2. At 14:11, the Marauders’ Defense made a great play. One of AIA’s players was driving to the basket. However, the ball never made it to the hoop. CSU’s Defense stripped him of the ball. At the 13:30 mark, a Media Timeout was called. CSU led AIA 19-8. CSU’s Defense is doing a good job of keeping AIA’s Offense shooting around the perimeter. AIA was being limited to taking mostly deep shots. When it has been able to, AIA’s Offense has attacked the basket.

            During the Timeout, I do not know what AIA did. However, it worked. The players came out as a much different team. Their offensive and defensive intensity significantly increased. AIA proceeded to go on a 9-3 run. During the run, the Marauders committed 2-Turnovers. For AIA, Taylor Cameron scored 5-Points. Smith scored CSU’s 3-Points. With 11:50 on the scoreboard, another Media Timeout was called. As the game got underway, AIA was looking lost. Now, the team is working its way back into the game. CSU has made mistakes that have led to turnovers. As a direct result, AIA is capitalizing off of the Marauders’ mistakes. After the latest Media Timeout, AIA went on a 10-4 run. CSU turned the ball over once. With 7:49 remaining in the First Half, a Media Timeout was called. By the score of 27-26, AIA was leading the game.

            After the Timeout, the game went on to experience three ties. With 3:42 remaining before Halftime, Atkinson broke a 31-31 tie. At 4:19, he made 2-Foul Shots. Those shots tied the game (31-31). This time during the process of shooting a 3-Point Basket, Atkinson was fouled. His 3-Point Basket was no good. However, he was given 3-Free Throw Attempts. Atkinson managed to successfully convert only 1 of 3 attempts. AIA possessed a 1-Point Lead (32-31). A Media Timeout was called. During the final 3:03, AIA outscored CSU 10-2. At the 1:46 mark, a Traveling Violation (against CSU) assisted the run. With 44.0 Seconds on the clock, the Marauders called a Timeout. AIA has great ball-handling skills. The players are very precise with the ball. They know exactly what they are doing.

            At the end of the First Half, AIA led CSU 42-33. At one point, Central State looked like it would run away with this game. However, Athletes In Action was not going to allow that to happen. AIA increased its intensity. That intensity allowed the team to obtain the lead, and keep it. CSU was leaving AIA open for a lot of deep 2-Point Shots and 3-Point Shots. That was a mistake. AIA’s players were converting the opportunities which CSU gave them. AIA’s size and speed started taking over the game. As a direct result of utilizing its size (near and away from the basket) to place itself into positions for rebounds, AIA was getting multiple rebounds. CSU’s Jeremy Brown is a tough young man. As far as shooting and rebounding both go, he is all over the place. Also, Brown has been consistently attacking the basket too. After the Halftime Break, CSU started with possession of the ball. To the Marauders’ dismay, their possession lasted for only 26-Seconds. At 19:34, CSU turned the ball over. A player stepped out of bounds.

            Fifteen seconds later (19:19), AIA made the Marauders pay. Corieon Pearson nailed a 3-Point Basket. Pearson’s basket must have lit a fire up under CSU. From 18:50 to 18:11, CSU went on a 6-0 run. After a 2-Point Basket; a CSU Turnover; and a Monster Dunk, AIA opened up a 10-Point Lead (49-39). Before a Media Timeout was called (15:48), the Marauders’ Sterling Gilmore nailed two 3-Point Baskets. The Marauders were now within 4- Points (49-45) of AIA’s lead. At 15:20, Atkinson made a 2-Point Basket. During the play, he was fouled. He was hurt too. Atkinson was able to get up and walk off of the court. After he left the game, DeWitt replaced him. DeWitt took Atkinson’s Free Throw Attempt. He successfully converted the Foul Shot. The 3-Point Play gave AIA a 7-Point Lead (52-45).

            From 14:54 to 14:14, CSU went on a 4-0 run. After some back and forth scoring (between the two teams), AIA possessed a 4-Point Lead (58-54). At 11:10, a Media Timeout was called. From 8:48 to 8:15, a “Three-Point Party” broke out. The Marauders’ Akil Cornish and Brown each hit a 3-Point Basket. For AIA, Pearson nailed a 3-Point Basket too. By only 1-Point (65-64), AIA led CSU.  The 1-Point Lead did not last too long. From 7:59 to 3:26, CSU turned the ball over four times. AIA outscored CSU 17-2. After AIA’s “Scoring Spree,” the team led CSU 82-66. From 3:10 to 41.6 Seconds, CSU went on a 14-4 run. To the Marauders’ dismay, it was a case of being “too little, too late.” By the Final Score of 90-83, Athletes In Action went on to win the game. After the game concluded, I had to remind myself of some very important facts. AIA’s team consists of players who have previously graduated from college. Some of the members play professional basketball overseas too. Their overall experience (along with a superior “Skill Set”) led AIA to victory. While Central State definitely has some issues to work on, the Marauders have nothing to be ashamed about. Also, please remember the following. AIA is not at the same “Competition Level” of the teams which CSU will play (during the regular season). Those teams will be more on the Marauders’ similar level.