Anthony Evans wants FIU men’s basketball team to increase tempo, pressure
You can tell Anthony Evans feels a homey comfort in his third year as FIU men’s basketball coach.
Off the court, though man of muted tones in loudly colorful Miami, Evans projects a tad more jocularity.
On the court, he thinks the team should come closer to matching his vision of a ball pressure, high tempo team that creates turnovers and constantly disrupts opponents’ offensive rhythm. In his first and second year — the latter which ended at 16-17 and in the second round of the Conference USA tournament — he compromised.
“I think we’ll be able to play it a little more,” Evans said. “Last year, toward the end, we did it to a degree. This year, with the added depth, we’ll be able to pressure at different levels, trap in the half court, things like that, because we’ll have Adrian [Diaz] and a couple of other guys who can block shots and defend the rim.”
But that added depth comes from three freshmen and four transfers, over half of the 13-man roster. This resets Evans to the new coach problem of figuring out how to integrate a large chunk of the roster into his style.
“Pray,” Evans replied, the hint of a smile creasing his deadpan. “We’re just trying to do it in practice.”
FIU’s biggest returner in role and size (6-10), Diaz averaged 13 points per game as the Panthers’ second leading scorer.
Defense, however, made his name or, more accurately, his nickname from the FIU athletic department. As Diaz recorded 99 blocks, sixth in the nation, and tied a Conference USA single-game record of 13 (set by current Heat center Hassan Whiteside), his game introductions included the nickname “The Hialeah Hammer.”
Diaz averaged 31.3 minutes and didn’t miss any of FIU’s 33 games. He said he spent this summer working on conditioning: “I want to be able to play the minutes coach asks me to play.”
Last season, his rest times often got aborted because FIU’s side of the scoreboard didn’t move. If Diaz and Dennis Mavin (17.2 points per game) got going, FIU had a chance of winning. If only one of the two were going, chances got slim. If neither were going, go catch up on Scandal, check the score later.
This year, there’s hope junior college transfers Donte McGill, a 6-3 guard, and Elmo Stephen, a 6-7 forward can keep the floor spread to give Diaz options. Freshman center Nate Brown Bull can give him some longer breaks. Freshmen Michael Douglas was a scorer at Sachse (Texas) High.
Also, 6-7 forward Daviyon Draper showed flashes of finishing regularly from inside 10 feet.
“Our first couple of years, it was more trying to acclimate ourselves to Conference USA, figuring out the type of players we needed to bring in,” Evans said.
“I think we’ve done that this year. We’re deeper than we were last year. We have more talent than we did last year in guys who can put the ball in the basket. I think that’s something that hurt us.”
FIU roster
G Jason Boswell, Jr., 6-6, 205; C Nate Brown Bull, Fr., 7-1, 215; C Adrian Diaz, Sr., 6-10, 230; G Tashawn Desir, Sr., 5-10, 178; F Michael Douglas, Fr., 6-5, 190; F Daviyon Draper, Sr., 6-7, 217; F Hassan Hussein, So., 6-9, 205; G Donte McGill, Jr., 6-3, 178; G Eric Nottage, So., 6-2, 180; G Ray Rodriguez, R-So, 6-1, 180; F Cameron Smith, Jr., 6-7, 200; F Elmo Stephen, Jr., 6-7, 200; G Kimar Williams, Fr., 6-1, 170.
Schedule
NOVEMBER: 13 – Trinity Baptist, 7 p.m.; 16 – Florida Memorial, 7 p.m. 20 – at James Madison, 3:30 p.m.; 21 – Tenn-Martin (at James Madison), 5 p.m.; 22 – Oral Roberts (at James Madison), 1 p.m. 25 – LIU-Brooklyn, 7 p.m. 30 – Stetson, 7 p.m. DECEMBER: 4 – Elon, 7 p.m.; 6 – Florida Gulf Coast, 3:30 p.m.; 14 – at North Florida, 7 p.m.; 19 – at Northern Illinois, 7 p.m. 22 – at Binghampton, 7 p.m.; 29 – Florida A&M, 7 p.m. JANUARY: 3 – Florida Atlantic, 3 p.m.; 7 – at Western Kentucky, 8 p.m.; 9 – at Marshall, 7 p.m.; 14 – Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.; 16 – Southern Mississippi, 7 p.m.; 21 – at UTSA, 8 p.m.; 23 – at UTEP, 9:05 p.m. 28 – Charlotte, 7 p.m.; 30 – Old Dominion, 7 p.m. FEBRUARY: 4 – at UAB, 7 p.m.; 6 – at Middle Tennessee State, 7 p.m.; 11 – UTEP, 7 p.m. 13 – UTSA, 7 p.m.; 18 – at North Texas, 8 p.m.; 20 – at Rice, 2 p.m.; 27 – at Florida Atlantic, 2 p.m. MARCH: 3 – UAB, 7 p.m.; 5 – Middle Tennessee State, 7 p.m. 8-12 – Conference USA Tournament at UAB.
FIU roster
G Jason Boswell, Jr., 6-6, 205; C Nate Brown Bull, Fr., 7-1, 215; C Adrian Diaz, Sr., 6-10, 230; G Tashawn Desir, Sr., 5-10, 178; F Michael Douglas, Fr., 6-5, 190; F Daviyon Draper, Sr., 6-7, 217; F Hassan Hussein, So., 6-9, 205; G Donte McGill, Jr., 6-3, 178; G Eric Nottage, So., 6-2, 180; G Ray Rodriguez, R-So, 6-1, 180; F Cameron Smith, Jr., 6-7, 200; F Elmo Stephen, Jr., 6-7, 200; G Kimar Williams, Fr., 6-1, 170.
Schedule
NOVEMBER: 13 – Trinity Baptist, 7 p.m.; 16 – Florida Memorial, 7 p.m. 20 – at James Madison, 3:30 p.m.; 21 – Tenn-Martin (at James Madison), 5 p.m.; 22 – Oral Roberts (at James Madison), 1 p.m. 25 – LIU-Brooklyn, 7 p.m. 30 – Stetson, 7 p.m. DECEMBER: 4 – Elon, 7 p.m.; 6 – Florida Gulf Coast, 3:30 p.m.; 14 – at North Florida, 7 p.m.; 19 – at Northern Illinois, 7 p.m. 22 – at Binghampton, 7 p.m.; 29 – Florida A&M, 7 p.m. JANUARY: 3 – Florida Atlantic, 3 p.m.; 7 – at Western Kentucky, 8 p.m.; 9 – at Marshall, 7 p.m.; 14 – Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.; 16 – Southern Mississippi, 7 p.m.; 21 – at UTSA, 8 p.m.; 23 – at UTEP, 9:05 p.m. 28 – Charlotte, 7 p.m.; 30 – Old Dominion, 7 p.m. FEBRUARY: 4 – at UAB, 7 p.m.; 6 – at Middle Tennessee State, 7 p.m.; 11 – UTEP, 7 p.m. 13 – UTSA, 7 p.m.; 18 – at North Texas, 8 p.m.; 20 – at Rice, 2 p.m.; 27 – at Florida Atlantic, 2 p.m. MARCH: 3 – UAB, 7 p.m.; 5 – Middle Tennessee State, 7 p.m. 8-12 – Conference USA Tournament at Birmingham, Alabama.
This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Anthony Evans wants FIU men’s basketball team to increase tempo, pressure."