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Jim Zeleznak
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St. Mary's men's basketball coach Jim Zeleznak coaches his team during a timeout. (File Photo)

Men's Basketball RattlerAthletics.com

Men's Basketball to open season Friday at Skyhawk Classic

By Kaeleen Zeleznak | St. Mary's Athletics Communications

SAN ANTONIO — Depth, intensity, passion and championship were all words used to describe what the St. Mary's men's basketball team foresees for its 2014-15 season.
 
With eight returning faces, the Rattlers look to return to the NCAA Regional tournament for the fourth season in a row, a race to return to the national stage that begins this weekend as they travel to Ignacio, Colo., to play Fort Lewis College and Western New Mexico University in the Skyhawk Classic. St. Mary's opens up with Fort Lewis at 8 p.m. Friday at the Sun Ute Community Center.
 
The Rattlers will see back their leading scorer, Marvin Whitt (Sr., Birmingham, Ala.); leading rebounder, J.J. Bolton (Sr., Beaumont, Miss.); assist leader, Marvin Binney (Sr., Toronto, Ontario); and sharp shooter Kameron Pearce (Sr., Boise, Idaho).
 
Returning to the paint for the squad are both fifth-year senior post players, Joe Monroe (R-Sr., San Antonio) and Isaiah Matthews (R-Sr., Texas City, Texas); blocks leader Justin Alexander (Sr., San Antonio); as well as Ryan Thomas (Sr., Riverton, Utah). The Rattlers will also see transfer Cody Ostertag (R-So., Scottsdale, Ariz.) and redshirt-freshman Hudson McAshan (R-Fr., New Orleans) in the post area.
 
To round out the veteran squad, the Rattlers have added two new transfer guards, Kriston Minor (Jr., Hunstville, Texas) and Gemeny Givens (So., Oakland, Calif.), to play alongside returning guard Bryce Smith (R-Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas).
 
The Rattlers, being an older group, have high expectations for those returning and those that are new to the program.
 
"We're challenging everybody, especially our freshmen and anyone that is new to the team to give it all they've got," Monroe said when asked about the team's mentality going into this season. "None of our seniors want to go out on a low note. Any differences that we've had in the past have dwindled away over the summer and we've started to come together. We have an opportunity to do something great."
 
Minor, a transfer guard, has fallen right in line with the way the Rattler squad operates in his short time as a Rattler.
 
"If I'm not going hard, the (seniors) are going to tell me about it, and there's nothing I can do about it," Minor said. "I can't pout about it. I have to listen to what they say because they know what it takes to win."
 
With only a few new faces on the court this year, the chemistry within the team has come seemingly very easy.
 
"People know each other's tendencies," Binney said. "We know each other's characteristics and personalities. I think the egos that we had last year are to the side now. Everybody is getting on board on the same wagon; everyone wants to win. With everyone having that mindset, I think we're moving forward towards our goal."
 
After a heart-breaking loss in the first round of the NCAA regional tournament last season to Colorado School of Mines, the Rattlers look to come into the season strong and continue through the same way.
 
When asked to reflect back on the loss in the first round, Binney said he plans to do everything he can to avoid that knowing that feeling of defeat.
 
"I never want to feel that feeling again," Binney said. "As a leader, I'm trying to prepare everyone on this team to remember that feeling and eliminate ever having to feel that feeling again. We're doing what we have to do right now to ensure that we don't have to ever get into that situation again."  
 
Binney knows that the team dynamic is crucial to the program's success and believes that the Rattlers' team chemistry will give the squad an advantage over opponents that they will face this year.
 
"I think if we're gelling now, we'll be rock solid by the time that January and February come," Binney said. "We won't have to work on developing our chemistry in January and February because we'll already have it, as opposed to other teams that are still working on gelling together."
 
In the Heartland Conference preseason polls, the Rattlers were voted second behind University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, followed by Texas A&M International in the third-place slot, and University of Texas-Permian Basin voted fourth.
 
Head coach Jim Zeleznak, now in his 10th season, does not look too much into the preseason rankings. However, he hopes that his squad uses the fact that only one Heartland Conference coach pegged them to take the conference championship this season to spark a passion that they will carry with them throughout the duration of the season.
 
"I don't put a lot of stock in what's going on with our league," Zeleznak said. "If our guys put any heat into that, I hope that it would continue to stoke the fire and motivate them from a day-in, day-out standpoint; that how people view them would stoke that practice and performance level, and that they would strive to make sure that they are continuing to get better. It's obvious that a lot of people out there don't have a lot of respect for the guys that we have returning back."
 
"I hope that (being voted second) will fuel a passion that they will play with possession-in and possession-out, game-in and game-out, day-in and day-out."
 
Zeleznak hopes for more consistency from his team this year, despite their making an NCAA regional tournament appearance.
 
"Despite the fact that we are an NCAA tournament team, I thought our consistency with the level of our performances was like a roller coaster at times," Zeleznak said. "As long as we prepare ourselves to play, I think that will be something that is significantly better with this group."
 
Monroe is one of two players on the squad that has been with Zeleznak to the NCAA regional tournament for the past three years, and he plans to return to the tournament for the fourth season in a row.
 
"I feel like it's expected of me to get back (to the regional tournament)," Monroe said. "I feel like I need to make a name not only for myself, but for this year's team. I've been up there, but never as the actual leader of the team. Now it's my turn to lead the team wherever we're going to go."
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Players Mentioned

Justin Alexander

#54 Justin Alexander

P
6' 10"
Senior
Marvin Binney

#15 Marvin Binney

G
6' 3"
Senior
Isaiah Matthews

#40 Isaiah Matthews

W
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Hudson McAshan

#55 Hudson McAshan

P
6' 8"
Redshirt Freshman
Joe Monroe

#45 Joe Monroe

W
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Kameron Pearce

#22 Kameron Pearce

G
6' 3"
Senior
Bryce Smith

#12 Bryce Smith

PG
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Ryan Thomas

#43 Ryan Thomas

C/F
6' 8"
Senior
Marvin Whitt

#20 Marvin Whitt

G
5' 9"
Senior
Gemeny Givens

#10 Gemeny Givens

G
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Justin Alexander

#54 Justin Alexander

6' 10"
Senior
P
Marvin Binney

#15 Marvin Binney

6' 3"
Senior
G
Isaiah Matthews

#40 Isaiah Matthews

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
W
Hudson McAshan

#55 Hudson McAshan

6' 8"
Redshirt Freshman
P
Joe Monroe

#45 Joe Monroe

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
W
Kameron Pearce

#22 Kameron Pearce

6' 3"
Senior
G
Bryce Smith

#12 Bryce Smith

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
PG
Ryan Thomas

#43 Ryan Thomas

6' 8"
Senior
C/F
Marvin Whitt

#20 Marvin Whitt

5' 9"
Senior
G
Gemeny Givens

#10 Gemeny Givens

5' 11"
Sophomore
G

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