The Panthers men’s team is seeking to put a complete game together as it searches for its first win of the season.
“We’re playing better basketball for longer periods of time,” first-year Panthers head coach Darrell Glenn said Thursday. “Instead of (being bad for) six minutes it’s three minutes, but it’s still the difference between winning and losing games.”
UPEI (0-8) plays the Huskies (4-4) tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. The Huskies have half of their wins against the Panthers from the opening weekend of the season.
Glenn is looking for his team to remain focused and limit the Huskies from scoring easy baskets.
Part of the issue is the Panthers are a young team where guys are learning new roles and how to be leaders. They are doing that while learning a new system and did it without their centre, D’Adrian Allen, for all but two games of the season.
Glenn is looking for good weekends from Milorad Sedlarevic, Samy Mohamed, Allen and point guard Amin Suleman, who is the team’s floor general responsible for settling the team in its offence.
“He’s learning the offence for the first time as well,” he said. “We really don’t have that upper guy who’s been through this before that can help settle the waters.”
The hope is one good quarter turns into two good quarters and a good half rolls into a good game. Glenn said they are looking to create some energy with a good start tonight.
“The support here has always been great. We’d love to be able to give our community a good showing this weekend.”
Leaders
A look at the leaders for the UPEI and Saint Mary’s men's basketball teams.
Points per game
Saint Mary’s
Nikita Kasongo 21.9
Osman Barrie 17
Kemar Alleyne 14.6
UPEI
D’Adrian Allen 14.5
Milorad Sedlarevic 13.8
Samy Mohamed 12.5
Rebounds
Saint Mary’s
Osman Barrie 8.9
Nico Brauner 6.3
Brent Martindale 5.4
UPEI
D’Adrian Allen 9.5
Moshe Wadley 4.8
Milorad Sedlarevic 4.3
Assists
Saint Mary’s
Nico Brauner 3.4
Nikita Kasongo 2.1
UPEI
Amin Suleman 2.8
Samy Mohamed 2.3
