Atlantic 10 Conference report

SportsLine Report
April 15, 2000

A glance at 2001

Coach Bob Hill, with more of the players he wants in the fold next season, could produce a surprising team. The inside development of 6-10 sophomore Duke Freeman-McKamey, in addition to whether or not guard Bevon Robin returns for his senior year after being suspended for the last game of the year, will play vital roles.

Robin's choices, in particular, figure to play a large role.

He was suspended prior to the Atlantic 10 tournament after skipping -- of all things -- the last study hall of the regular season.

Hill firmly believes that Robin is strictly a shooting guard, and has to begin thinking that way. Robin, however, is convinced he has to become a point guard if he has any hope of playing in the NBA.

Thus, a conflict existed between player and coach all season. Hill won't tolerate another year like the last one out of his so-called star.

He'll simply find another answer.

The coach

Hill took this job with his eye on a return to the pro ranks. An above average result next season might make the job hunt interesting.

Hill charted what had to be the oddest winter of his NBA-oriented career. He started out marveling about matters as unusual as the awful eating habits of athletes -- a factor he initially tied to breathing problems experienced by Jason Harris late in the season.

The guard was found to be suffering from an irregular pulse, and returned to action in the conference tournament.

Hill spent as much of his time attempting to establish a cohesive system based on motion and transition as he did trying to find a way to win games. Ultimately, progress on the first front took care of the second to an increasingly consistent degree.

Who'll be back

Robin and Harris get one last crack. Freeman-McKamey, Teremun Johnson and Steve Canal form a young core to go along with the fruit of Hill's extensive recruiting.

Who's gone

John Pugh and Scott Harmatuk join the real world. Alejandro Olivares, who stopped going to class once his reduced role didn't change, has left to play professionally in his home country of Argentina -- a sad ending for the center who was named the A-10's most improved player for the 1998-99 season.

Key newcomers

Clear some room in the meat locker. A serious shipment of beef is on the way, in the form of a pair of 6-11 freshmen -- 300-pound Glenn Batemon and 225-pound Yankuba Camara. But Hill, with the noted help of assistant coach Mike Brown, may have done his best recruiting work at forward, where 6-8 Jeff McMillan -- a nationally-sought recruit -- 6-7 Curt Spencer and 6-7 Michael Haynes are all due in the Bronx this fall. Haynes, in particular, has been praised to the hilt by Hill as an NBA-caliber talent.