There is new life in the Longwood University Men’s basketball program; seven new players and two coaches. Longwood acquired head coach Jayson Gee for the 2013-2014 men’s basketball season. Gee has to work with a team in a transitional period, and it showed in their Big South Conference record (3-13).
One of the new assistant coaches for men’s basketball is Samba Johnson. According to www.longwoodlancers.com, Johnson’s has been coaching for 18 years, and is now reunited with Gee. Johnson coached alongside Gee at the University of Charleston 2001- 2002.
“The ability to build relationships with our guys and to develop them from young men to men,” said Johnson on what he brings to the job.
Johnson was very adamant in the capabilities of Gee, “These guys get an opportunity to play for one of the best head coaches, up and coming, coaches in the country Jayson Gee; who loves his players and is all about the development of the total person.”
The other new assistant coach for men’s basketball is Craig Carter. Carter has been coaching at the college level, since 2001. When talking about what attracted Carter to Longwood he said, “I didn’t really care about level or where it is. It is more about the people you are working with, and these are a great group of people. I’m looking forward to being here and helping to get Longwood on the map.”
Recently at the Big South Conference media day, Longwood was ranked to finish in tenth place.
“Make no mistake, none of our guys want to finish tenth and we have way loftier goals for this season,” said Carter.
With a lot of new players to the men’s basketball team Carter believes nobody really wants to be that guy, they’re embracing being a team.
Longwood also has a new impact player, transfer power forward Jason Pimentel. Pimental’s height (6’8) makes him a pivotal big player for Gee’s developing team.
“The environment and coach Gee really made it sound good, and he sold me on family, and the school is almost like a family as well as our team,” said Pimental. “We are a family we do everything together and whatever we go through we go through it together. Like, if you’re going through something personal everybody on the team pretty much knows what you are going through and we are always going to support you through it whether it’s good or bad.”
I wanted to find out what the coaching dynamic from Pimentel’s point of view was. Even though he is a transfer this year to Longwood he has a good working knowledge of the coaches’ backgrounds. Pimentel said in regard to the coaches, “They understand us, we understand them, they set expectations for us and we set expectations for them as well.”
According to Pimentel, the coaches understand the players and set the expectations for them.
With the many additions to the team, as far as players and coaches go, Longwood men’s basketball team will be one to watch in this year’s Big South Conference.
