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LOCATION: Jacksonville, FL
CONFERENCE: Trans America Athletic (TAAC)
LAST SEASON: 12-16 (.428)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-9 (6th)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 1/4
NICKNAME: Dolphins
COLORS: Green & Gold
HOMECOURT: Jacksonville Coliseum (10,000)
COACH: Hugh Durham (Florida State '59)
record at school 20-35 (2 years)
career record 548-346 (31 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Doug Durham (Georgia Southern '92)
Clayton Bates (Florida '95)
Calvin Sinkfield (Georgia Southern '93)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 18-15-5-8-12
RPI (last 5 years) 103-155-274-248-244
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference first round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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When head coaches in the TAAC were asked to discuss the contenders for this season's conference championship, the usual suspects were brought forward: Samford, Georgia State and Central Florida. But more than one coach wouldn't leave the discussion without mentioning Jacksonville. There is something about the Dolphins that intrigued some of their rivals. Maybe it's Calvin Slaughter, the 6-5 junior scorer who looks like one of the best players in the conference. Maybe it's the experience of Hugh Durham, the former University of Georgia and Florida State coach who took both schools to the Final Four. Maybe it's the fact four starters are back from a team that scared some opponents the second half of the 1998-99 season. The Dolphins started 0-5 in the TAAC last season, then gathered themselves to win seven of their next 11 conference games, including five of their last six. Whatever the reason opposing coaches find them scary, here's your TAAC darkhorse: The Jacksonville Dolphins. This darkhorse has a horse to carry it in crunch time in Slaughter (15.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg). He shot .560 from the field last season. "He plays inside, but he can shoot the ball from 17 feet," Durham said. "He's a strong, physical defensive player when he plays inside, but he's also our best perimeter defensive player. Every team needs a guy who steps up, and he's our guy that steps up."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B- BENCH/DEPTH B-
FRONTCOURT B+ INTANGIBLES B
Jacksonville could be one of the three strongest teams in the TAAC by the end of the season. It has skill, experience and size. The Dolphins just hope they don't have any more misfortune. "I hope we paid our dues last season with the injuries," coach Hugh Durham said. "Like most people in the league, we have to stay healthy." Jacksonville should at least be improved on the boards. The Dolphins were seventh among 11 teams last season in rebounding margin, but with Jamar Bailey back and Jeremy Davis coming on, Jacksonville should be tougher inside. A bigger issue than rebounding will be chemistry. The club has experience, but it also has to blend in some new players like Eddie Simmons and get Bailey and Jamal Childs worked into the mix. Durham wants his squad to play pressure defense, but that doesn't happen if there isn't some trust and teamwork to cover up for each other. "The TAAC will be stronger this year," Durham said, "so it's critical for us to continue to improve if we want to challenge the very good teams in our league." |
Slaughter was one of five new starting players for Durham last season, but injuries and unfamiliarity made a wreck of the opening of the TAAC schedule. Jamar Bailey, a 6-7 senior post player, played five games last season before being sidelined by a groin injury. He didn't play again and was given a medical redshirt. While he was on the floor, Bailey was a big help with 8.0 points and 6.0 rebounds a game, so he'll be a starter inside this season. The other starter inside has even more potential. Marvin Augustin (9.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) is a 6-6 junior from Miami, who led Jacksonville in rebounding last season. He also shot .560 from the field. "He's good enough to where he might be able to average 13- or 14 points a game," Durham said. "He could be a very good player for us." The fourth player in the inside rotation is 6-10 Jeremy Davis, a redshirt freshman from Walton (Ga.) Academy. He played so well with the Dolphins at a summer tournament in Australia that Durham thinks Davis has a chance to wrestle a starting job away from one of the upperclassmen. Davis' development probably would move Slaughter from power forward to small forward and leave the rebounding work at the post positions to Bailey, Augustin and Davis. If the freshman plays well, no other team in the TAAC, with the exception of Stetson, has a better inside game than Jacksonville. Kris Hunter, a 6-11 transfer from Virginia, becomes eligible next season, giving the Dolphins even more size inside. There was a setback in the guard corps, however, as the injury bug that grabbed three players last season struck again this offseason. Ivin Gunder, a 6-2 junior, tore ligaments in his left ankle in early September and was on the shelf for eight weeks. "I hated it for us, but I hated it more for this kid because of how hard he worked in the summer," Durham said. "He put so much into becoming a better player; he's just a super kid." Gunder, a shooting guard, averaged 8.0 points and 2.5 rebounds and also shot .826 from the free-throw line. The other returning starter in the backcourt is Shawn Platts (7.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg), a 6-3 junior who was second on the team in assists with 73. He made .385 percent of his three-point shots. "He doesn't shoot enough," Durham said. "He needs to shoot more for us." Another contender for a starting spot on the wing is Brandon Williams, a 6-3 junior, a transfer from Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) Junior College. "He's a legitimate player, a strong shooter who can also shoot it off the dribble," Durham said. The starting point guard will be Kevin Sheppard, a 5-11 redshirt freshman from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. He sat out last year with a broken foot. "He can take it to the hole and he can guard you pretty well," Durham said. "His outside shot needs some work he's more of a streak shooter." Durham thinks Eddie Simmons, a 5-8 junior, will push Sheppard for time at point guard. Just out of the Navy, Simmons brings some maturity and toughness to the team. "He's about 5-8, but he's been in the weight room getting stronger and he has a great attitude about work," Durham said. The Jacksonville bench should be above average with Jamal Childs, a 6-4 junior backing up the small forward. He sat out last season with an Achilles injury. Durham also thinks 6-7 freshman Antwan Robertson and 6-3 freshman James Daniels will help in their first season. The last player on the bench is Johnny Jones, a 6-4 freshman from West Palm Beach. Fla., who is a walk-on.
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