Robert Morris University
By Ryan Buncher

Plan A is gone, but Robert Morris may have the talent to challenge the top teams in the Northeast Conference anyway.

The original idea included Daren Tielsch and Jakeel Gary providing the bulk inside, but Tielsch transferred and Gary had to go back to finish his junior college studies at Coffeyville Community College.

Robert Morris may be overmatched at times inside this season, but the Colonials still have a veteran quartet of all-conference senior small forward Chaz McCrommon (17 ppg, 5.3 rpg last season), third-year starting shooting guard Maurice Carter (14.9 ppg), senior forward Mark Anderson and sophomore point guard Derek Coleman.

'In essence, we have four starters back,' Robert Morris coach Mark Schmidt said. 'They have to step it up and meet another challenge.'

'We've got more veterans,' McCrommon said. 'We've got more leadership. That's what it takes. The veterans' job is to lead. The new guys have to fall in and try to catch on.'

The new guys will be the key, with one starting spot to fill and a desperate need to find help for Anderson inside. Junior college transfers Steve Winding and Joseph Ison and freshman Beau Gibb are three new options for the two post positions. Sophomore Jeff Trotter has also been moved to power forward.

Winding (6-foot-6, 240 pounds) is the most physical of the group and he could allow Anderson to play more at his natural power forward spot. Ison, Trotter and Gibb will play more power forward.

The only experience on the bench is former starting point guard Chris Gooden, who is coming off hernia surgery in June. Freshmen Cori Boston (small forward) and Tony Lee (shooting guard) will also be in the mix as Schmidt plans to use his bench more in a pressure, up-tempo game.

'I think we'd be much better with another physical presence inside, but we are getting more athletic,' Schmidt said. 'We can play more of an up-tempo style. Hopefully we can get to the 94-feet game we want to play. We want to be fast breaking with a lot of pressure.'