TAAC report

SportsLine.com Report
April 15, 2000

The Camels were surprisingly effective during 1999-2000, and were more competitive than what was expected of them. Sophomore shooter Adam Fellers became one of the TAAC's top scorers, leading the conference in 3-point field goals made and attempted.

Campbell's offense centered around ball movement and setting screens for its top scorer, and it proved to be extremely effective, especially when Fellers had big nights, which was often.

The Camels managed victories against Georgia State, Samford, and Jacksonville State in their surprising season, and also boasted a win over NCAA participant Winthrop.

Despite the perimeter based offense, Billy Lee's club was at their best when undersized post men Damien Hannibal and Jamie Simmons played their best.

Hannibal was able to defend any interior player and rebounded well, while Simmons finished his collegiate career by doing what he always did -- scoring inside in a manner that belied his 6-foot-5 size.

The Camels ended the season as the sixth seed in the TAAC, but the shots didn't fall in their tournament quarterfinal and they bowed out against eventual champion Samford.

A Glance at 2001

Lee will bring back many ingredients from last year's surprising team, starting with Fellers. There will be no need to search for a go-to guy because Fellers will be around to take the big shot for the next two seasons.

Hannibal will have to shoulder more of a load in the post with Simmons gone, but he'll have a solid year of play under his belt.

Despite the two solid returnees, the Camels will be in the same seat they've grown accustomed to, playing the role of undersized underdog. However, with a little luck and the continued development of Fellers, Campbell could pull of more surprises.

The Coach

Billy Lee will enter his 16th season as coach of the Camels and has won 196 games at the school. He gets the most out of his players, a necessity in Buies Creek, NC, which isn't the easiest place to recruit.

Lee has won Coach-of-the-Year honors in both the TAAC and the Big South at the Division I level, and has helped establish the school record for victories in a season (20). Since Lee's arrival, the Camels have recorded the six most successful seasons since the program joined the Division I level.

Expect him to continue building surprising squads for years to come.

Who'll Be Back

Fellers is set at shooting guard, while Wes Layton and speedy Eddie Walker will handle the point guard duties. At power forward, Hannibal has proved his merit, but all around him there are questions. Jonte Edwards saw action as a freshman and is athletic enough to handle post play in the conference and may be the center. Bobby Jones is another option, while senior Andy Miller, the team's tallest player at 6-foot-9, provides depth. Quincy Hinton will probably start at small forward, with former starters Joey Smith and Darrin Hucks both graduating.

Who's Gone

Simmons is the biggest loss, and his interior scoring and toughness will be missed. Hucks, Smith, and Matt Mardis were all streaky scorers whose production was erratic throughout their careers. Tyreck Knox saw spot frontcourt duty and was one of the conference's most prolific shotblockers.

Key Newcomers

Campbell will add another name to its frontcourt mix in F Brad McKeiver (6-6, 200, Fr.), who signed out of Chester, Virginia's Thomas Dale HS. Lee also added a name to his backcourt, signing G Derek Gray (6-0, 180, Fr.) out of Simpsonville, South Carolina's Hillcrest HS. Lee may add more bodies in the late signing period.