SRU revamping lineup after Grill injury

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

November 16, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM College

SLIPPERY ROCK - Bill Johnson has played every position but point guard for the Slippery Rock University men's basketball team.

The 6-foot-2 senior might complete the cycle this season.

"It's not that he can't play the point, we've just never needed him there," SRU coach John Marhefka said.

The Rock might need him there now.

Returning junior point guard Shaun Grill is sidelined indefinitely with injuries sustained in a recent automobile accident.

Johnson is among the top returning scorers in the PSAC, averaging 13.0 points per game, and he shoots 88 percent from the foul line.

Besides Johnson, other potential point guards include Jason Bratten, Mason Glick, Sean White and John Kearney, all newcomers to the program.

"Shaun's injury has forced us to revamp our guard rotation," Marhefka said. "We had everything in place for our first scrimmage the day the accident happened.

"I'm sure we'll be trying a few different things, but, yeah, there's a good chance Bill will be there."

Grill and Johnson are two of only four players returning from last year's Rock squad (8-19, 5-7) that missed qualifying for the PSAC West playoffs by one game.

Junior forward Glenn Reepmeyer (7.7 ppg., 6.9 rpg.) returns along with senior guard Ryan Yarosik, who averaged just 9½ minutes per game last season.

SRU has managed just one winning season and one PSAC playoff berth - both in 1999-2000 - in the past 12 years. Marhefka is 16-36 in two seasons at the helm.

"Year to year, day to day, it's a process," Marhefka said of building the program. "You always want to win. But you always want to keep making strides and getting better, too.

The Rock does have size in its recruiting class: 7-foot freshman center Jason Bees from Eisenhower and 6-11 junior center Dejan Jancic from Serbia.

"Bees has to sit a year and is recovering from a knee injury," Marhefka said. "Jancic is an international player who is highly skilled but will have to adjust to the physicality of the PSAC.

"He's got pretty good footwork and has some moves inside. But like any other big man inside, he'll get banged around."

Glick is a 6-foot-2 senior who will get on the floor for SRU at some position. He played for Tusculum College last year and was part of its South Atlantic Conference championship team.

Jamar Scales, a 6-2 freshman guard from Olmsted Falls, Ohio, is "a definite quality PSAC player of the future," Marhefka said.

Former Butler County Community College standout Nathaniel McCoy, who averaged 30 points per game for the Pioneers two years ago, is in SRU's program, but won't be eligible until next season.

"This is a close-knit group and we're developing what we have here," Marhefka said. "We're picked to finish seventh in the West. We can look at that as a challenge or we can prove everybody correct in that assessment.

"We're not as athletic overall as we were last year. We do have some basketball savvy and we're pretty quick. There's a certain way we're gonna play at SRU and that way's not for everybody.

"It's a team game that starts with defense. The guys who work within the system and work hard defensively will be the guys who will see the court," the coach added.

The Rock plays just one home game - Dec. 22 vs. Mercyhurst - before Jan. 8.

SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY Men's Basketball Schedule

Nov. 18-

at Ashland, 7:30 p.m.;

Nov. 23-

at Youngstown State, 7:35 p.m.

Dec. 4-

at East Stroudsburg, 3 p.m.;

Dec. 5-

at Mansfield, 3 p.m.;

Dec. 10-11-

at Glenville State Tournament;