GWU To Host Brevard In Men's Hoops Exhibition Tuesday Night At 7:00
November 10, 2008 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb will play its lone men's
basketball exhibition of the 2008 preseason Tuesday night as
Division II Brevard (N.C.) College comes to Paul Porter Arena.
The game is set for a 7:00 pm ET tip.
Gardner-Webb (16-16 last season) welcomes four starters back from a
year ago, paced by preseason All-Big South Conference selection
Grayson Flittner (15.3 ppg) and versatile guard Aaron Linn (12.5
ppg). The duo combined to knock down 153 three-point shots and dish
off 227 assists last season, helping Gardner-Webb average a solid
77.0 points per game.
One bright spot for the Runnin' Bulldogs this preseason has been
the steady development of center Auryn MacMillan (6-8, 235, Jr.).
The Melbourne, Australia, native will enter his third season as a
starter in the paint, and has shown improved touch around the
basket and a more advanced offensive arsenal on the block. His
rebounding, athleticism and overall strength are all improved from
a year ago, when he started 27 games and posted averages of 4.8
points and 3.8 rebounds per outing.
Senior Takayo Siddle (5-11, 180) will likely man the point guard
spot for the ‘Dogs Tuesday night, and has 31 career starts
under his belt at the position. Siddle, an excellent long range
marksman, averaged just 5.5 points last season in a reserve role.
The former Hargrave Military Academy standout had two strong
offensive games off the bench, scoring 18 points in Gardner-Webb's
close loss at Tulane, and 16 points in a home win over High
Point.
Newcomers who have been bright spots in preseason practice so far
include swingman Anton Silver (6-2, 175, Jr.), guard Jonathan Moore
(6-4, 190, So.), forward Joshua Henley (6-4, 220, Fr.) and point
guard Josh Maggard (6-0, 160, Fr.). Junior college transfers C.J.
Hailey (6-1, 180, Jr.) and Roy Hinson (6-6, 205, Jr.) will also
factor into what should be a much deeper, and more athletic,
rotation for Gardner-Webb in 2008-2009.
Henley, a versatile, powerful forward, was one of the top-75 small
forwards in the nation in the Class of 2008 at Nashville Hunters
Lane (Tenn.) High. His skill set should help offset some of the
lost rebounding and scoring after the graduation of 2008 honorable
mention All-America Thomas Sanders. Henley averaged 18 points and
11 rebounds per game as a senior, and pulled down 17 rebounds to go
with 18 points in the 2008 TACA East/West All-Star Game.
The Runnin' Bulldogs open the 2008-09 regular season on Friday
night at 8:00 pm ET at ACC contender Virginia Tech. The Hokies
return four starters from last season's 21-14 squad, and are picked
to finish sixth in the preseason ACC poll.
