Marshall University Athletics
Shear Excitement Too Much for Latvian Team
11/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Shear Excitement Too Much for Latvian Team
11/7/2002
- Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall University?s Ronald Blackshear took a while to warm up, but once the six-foot-five guard did there was no stopping him as he scorched the nets for 30 points in only 20 minutes and led the Thundering Herd to a convincing 121-77 win over an out-manned Unibanka of Latvia team Thursday in exhibition action at the Cam Henderson Center.
?I just go out and play hard and get them as they come,? Blackshear said. ?I forced some shots early on, but my teammates kept getting me the ball and open looks and I settled down.?
Blackshear, a junior from Camilla, Ga., made his first shot ( a two-pointer at the 18:02 mark of the first half) and then missed his next six shots before connecting on two three pointers with less than three minutes to play in the half to go into the locker room with 13 points. The preseason All-Mid-American Conference selection then went on a second half tear - connecting on six of his next eight shots from the floor to tally 17 points in the first six minutes and thirty-five seconds of the half. He finished the contest with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor and 8-of-12 shooting from three-point range.
Blackshear was one of five Marshall players to score in double-figures. Senior Monty Wright, an Oak Hill, W.Va., native scored 23 points on eight of nine shooting, while Ardo Armpalu scored 19 on nine of 13 shooting. Junior Marvin Black added 16 points and Ronny Dawn hit for 17 points in the contest.
Marshall put the Latvian team away early with a game-opening 12-0 run that featured two Monty Wright three-pointers and the first of three tomahawk dunks from the Marshall senior.
?I thought we played well at times tonight,? Wright said. ?We are a young team, but we have a lot of great guys who listen and that goes a long way.?
Marshall led the nation in three-point shooting percentage last season at better than 42%, and if the first exhibition is any indication the Herd may be among the national leaders again. Marshall connected on 16 of 28 three-pointers in the game (57.1%).
?I saw a lot of good things and a lot of areas where we need to get better, especially defensively,? Marshall coach Greg White said. ?We have a lot of work to do.?
?Ronald (Blackshear) does not remember the shots he has missed in his lifetime, thats just the type of player he is. He only remembers the sweet shots. He can really shoot and score.?
The Thundering Herd will play its second and final exhibition game of the season against Branch West Basketball Saturday, November 16th in Huntington.