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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Men's Basketball Tower Power
11/16/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2000
BOCA RATON, FL -
The Boca Raton News
Written by Marcus Nelson
Sports Editor
While the FAU men's basketball team was struggling through last year's 2-28 season, many looked to the end of the Owls' bench to the two players in street clothes and wondered if the nearly 7-footers would have made a difference.
Beginning Saturday, people will finally get their answer.
Raheim Brown, a 6-foot-10 forward, and Nick Neumann, a 7-foot center, each will play their first game in more than a year when FAU opens its season against Miami. Due to NCAA rules, Brown and Neumann had to sit out last season after transferring.
It was difficult for fans and the coaching staff to see the players sitting and not being able to contribute, but it was more difficult for the players themselves.
"I wasn't physically helping the team," said Neumann, a sophomore who played for Binghamton. "I could try and help them, but it would be up to them to listen. That was the hard part. As the season went on I saw the team wasn't getting any better, and I didn't see the result I was trying to better myself toward the end."
Brown, who played for South Florida, had to convince himself that what he was doing was helping him prepare for this season.
"I looked at practices as my games," said Brown, a junior. "I went to practice everyday and treated it as a game. Me and Nick would go at it and prepare ourselves for this day and now it's here."
Perhaps the person who might be happier that Brown and Neumann are finally wearing the Owl uniform is head coach Sidney Green.
"They have really dedicated themselves to this team since they got here," Green said. "They are familiar with competitive Division I basketball and are used to our system. They have been providing leadership for us since we started our conditioning class in September."
Brown and Neumann join Motiejus Reimeris as the only returning players for FAU. Reimeris, a 6- foot-8 forward, averaged just 4.2 points per game last year.
The Owls bring in seven freshmen to this year's team and two junior college transfers. More important to Green, he recruited all the players.
"We have guys that are willing to sacrifice themselves to build this program to what we envision it to be," Green said.
Brown said he sees that this year's team will be more successful than last year's squad because the members are a close group.
"When they all got here we had a meeting in my room," Brown said. "Everybody came and explained their background and where they came from, and I could see it that first day that we hit it off good."
Green said he won't decide on a starting five until Friday, but the Owls will utilize at least eight players in their rotation. Junior guard John Smart will likely run the FAU offense.
"He's our quarterback," Green said, "He not only will take our offense to the level we want but also our defense. So far, we like what he's shown us."
Green also likes what he sees out of freshman guard Earnest Crumbley.
"Earnest is going to be a crowd favorite once he learns our system and learns how to be a little more patient on offense," Green said.
Freshman guard Jeff Cowans scored 22 points in an exhibition victory over Nova Southeastern and has a nice shooting touch.
In the frontcourt, besides Brown and Neumann, junior Darryl Dingle will be counted on for offense and rebounding. Dingle had 20 points and nine rebounds vs Nova.
Unlike last season, there are no preseason predictions by Green on where the Owls will finish , but it's apparent another 2-28 season is not expected by Green or his players.
"We're already to kick-off," Brown said. "We have something cooking. Everybody is positive and is upbeat. I'm pumped and ready for it to begin. I have high expectations for this."
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