ECU Basketball Held First Practice

By: East Carolina Media Relations | WNCT
Published: October 18, 2009

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina men’s basketball team held its first practice of the 2009-10 season by working out for three hours inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Saturday afternoon. The Pirates return eight letterwinners while welcoming five newcomers to the team.

"There is something about putting the whole group together and being out here for the first time," said third-year head coach Mack McCarthy. "It’s a little different than it used to be because of the off-season rule changes that allow us to practice on a limited basis. The rule has taken the edge off a little bit, but I was still very eager to have the entire team assembled today.”

As part of its first practice ECU conducted a 30-minute scrimmage in which junior Jamar Abrams scored 26 points, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor and 4-of-6 from behind the three-point arc.

Junior point guard Brock Young, who set the ECU single season record for assists last season with 227, dished out 16 assists while committing just two turnovers while he also scored eight points. Senior Greyson Sargent dropped in 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, draining four three-point baskets.
DaQuan Joyner, who missed all but five games last season with a foot injury, participated in his first practice with the team since December 2008. Joyner had six points, five rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore Darrius Morrow had a near perfect shooting performance, making 9-of-11 field goal attempts for 18 points.

Last season the Pirates continued their improvement under McCarthy, winning its most games since 2003-04 and recording their best Conference USA finish in the program’s eight-year membership.

"We’d love to continue to take steps forward without taking any backwards,” McCarthy said. “That’ll be a challenge for this group, but we are deeper, bigger and more skilled this season.”

The Pirates are set to open their season against UVa-Wise at 6 p.m., Nov. 13 inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. It will be the first of 14 home games during the 2009-10 season.