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Bench helps fortify UALR's 'backbone'PETE PERKINSARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Before UALR's game with Middle Tennessee State on Monday night, UALR Coach Porter Moser said his bench had "to step up." It did. UALR's substitutes scored 18 points to help the Trojans to a 66-53 victory over the Middle Tennesee Blue Raiders before an Alltel Arena crowd of 2,789. Two nights earlier, the same bench scored six points in UALR's 64-47 loss at Louisiana Tech. "Coach said he wanted us to keep the same energy level as the starters when we went on the court, or to pick it up," sophomore guard Nick Zachery said. "He told us we needed to look in the mirror. We didn't show any effort in our last game. Tonight we came out and went hard." Zachery led the bench crew with 8 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes. UALR's bench showed in support of what Moser said was the team's "backbone" -- senior guards Alan Barksdale and Laverne Smith, and senior forward Stan Blackmon. Blackmon led UALR (12-7, 5-4) with 19 points. Barksdale scored 14. Smith scored 10. They were UALR's top three scorers for the seventh time this season. "Those guys are [our strength]," Moser said. "And they have been. But we've needed the other guys to step up, and tonight we got that." UALR took Its first lead with freshman center Darius Eason's three-point play at 3:49 of the first half. Eason scored from the lane on a 5-footer, was fouled and made the free throw to put the Trojans up 22-20 with 3:49 left in the half. Middle Tennessee (5-14, 1-8) would not lead again. When Eason scored the go-ahead points, he was on the floor with fellow reserves Zachery and freshman forward Co Willis. "Our bench just did a terrific job," Barksdale said. Zachery had not scored since Jan. 11, seven games ago at Denver. His final points against Middle Tennessee came on a wide-open three-pointer that gave UALR a 41-29 lead with 14:02 to play. "Zachery is starting to learn," Moser said. "I tell the guys all the time, 'If you take a shot out of the flow of things, if you have to dribble seven or eight times, that's not a good shot. That means the other four guys are standing around watching you.' "That shot was a good shot. He took a good pass. He was wide open. He knocked it down. Nick can make that shot." Zachery's time away from organized basketball has handicapped his adjustment to Moser, and the team concept. He had not played since high school, during the 1997-98 season, when he became eligible for the Trojans on Dec. 30. "I've always believed in what Coach Moser has said," Zachery said. "It was just hard because I hadn't played organized ball in so long. "It takes awhile to figure out what's a good shot and what's a bad shot. It's just hard to go from street ball to team ball. In street ball it's mostly 1-on-1, and if you make a mistake, it's no big deal. Even if you lose, it's no big deal, because you can play again. You just say, 'I got next.' Out here, there is no 'next.' And a mistake can be the difference in the game." "Nick is trying to make a big transition," Moser said. "In street ball, you feel like the only way you can help the team is to score. So it's just 1-on-1, me against you. That's a mentality that Nick, tonight, got away from. He was thinking, 'What plays can I make to get us better?' That's different, and it's huge adjustment he's struggled with. Tonight was a breakthrough for him." Blackmon complimented junior forward Damion Ninkovic, Willis, Eason, and "especially Nick." "They all made big contributions," Blackmon said. "That's what we need every night from them, for them to come in and give us a spark. They just have to come out and play hard."
Halftime -- UALR 66, Middle Tennessee 53. Technical fouls -- None. Officials -- Kaster, Davis, Allen. Attendance -- 2,789.
This article was published on Tuesday, January 30, 2001RETURN to main page
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