Golden Rams ready for breakout season
Matt Chandik
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Sports
The wind's starting to pick up, the leaves are falling, college football's almost over and snow should be on the horizon soon. Yes, it's time for another season of West Chester University men's basketball, and boy, does this team have a chance to make some noise.
One year after being picked to finish seventh in the PSAC East, WCU is now expected to contend for the league crown. The Golden Rams destroyed expectations last year, culminating in a No. 3 seed for the PSAC playoffs and some much-needed playoff experience. Now, Cinderella's not satisfied with just making it to the ball. It's time to take over.
WCU might have the most formidable trio of players in the conference, boasting three All-PSAC players. Center/power forward Ralph Hegamin, a first-team All-PSAC selection last season, returns to patrol the middle for the Golden Rams. Hegamin is coming off of a season which saw him average 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. With two full seasons under his belt at WCU and a second year in head coach Damien Blair's system, bigger and better things are expected from Hegamin, and he relishes the challenge. However, Hegamin emphasizes team success over any level of individual success.
"I want to aim for the highest level of personal achievement I can get, but that won't happen unless I do what the team needs me to do," Hegamin said. "If our team doesn't succeed, any personal goals I reach will be irrelevant to me."
The 6'8" Hegamin is the poster boy for versatility. He's got the muscle and post game to battle the PSAC's smaller big men, and is just as comfortable taking his game around the perimeter to use his speed and quickness against bigger, slower big men. The 15-foot jump shot, a lost art amongst many big men, is one of the things that makes Hegamin so deadly and so hard to defend.
WCU's other first-team All-PSAC selection from last year, guard Kenny St. George, is one of the PSAC's most exciting players. St. George averaged 16.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season and is capable of playing three different positions, which offers coach Blair a ton of flexibility in picking and choosing match-ups. He can run the point, play shooting guard, or even has the muscle to play a little bit of small forward.
One year after being picked to finish seventh in the PSAC East, WCU is now expected to contend for the league crown. The Golden Rams destroyed expectations last year, culminating in a No. 3 seed for the PSAC playoffs and some much-needed playoff experience. Now, Cinderella's not satisfied with just making it to the ball. It's time to take over.
WCU might have the most formidable trio of players in the conference, boasting three All-PSAC players. Center/power forward Ralph Hegamin, a first-team All-PSAC selection last season, returns to patrol the middle for the Golden Rams. Hegamin is coming off of a season which saw him average 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. With two full seasons under his belt at WCU and a second year in head coach Damien Blair's system, bigger and better things are expected from Hegamin, and he relishes the challenge. However, Hegamin emphasizes team success over any level of individual success.
"I want to aim for the highest level of personal achievement I can get, but that won't happen unless I do what the team needs me to do," Hegamin said. "If our team doesn't succeed, any personal goals I reach will be irrelevant to me."
The 6'8" Hegamin is the poster boy for versatility. He's got the muscle and post game to battle the PSAC's smaller big men, and is just as comfortable taking his game around the perimeter to use his speed and quickness against bigger, slower big men. The 15-foot jump shot, a lost art amongst many big men, is one of the things that makes Hegamin so deadly and so hard to defend.
WCU's other first-team All-PSAC selection from last year, guard Kenny St. George, is one of the PSAC's most exciting players. St. George averaged 16.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season and is capable of playing three different positions, which offers coach Blair a ton of flexibility in picking and choosing match-ups. He can run the point, play shooting guard, or even has the muscle to play a little bit of small forward.
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