Wildcats to tip off season on Tuesday
Russell Boone, Jr.-SID
11/21/07

     The 2007-08 intercollegiate basketball season has arrived, and a host of teams have already tasted action on the hardwood.  Fort Valley State University will raise the curtain on its men’s basketball season on Tuesday (Nov. 27) when the Wildcats face the Cougars of Carver College.  Tip off time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Health and Physical Education Complex located on the FVSU campus.

     Fort Valley State will be sporting a new look both on the court and on the sidelines.  Pacing the baseline for the Wildcats this season will be interim head basketball coach Emory Lightfoot, Jr.  Lightfoot, who was an assistant for the men last year, is not unfamiliar with the history associated with Fort Valley State men’s basketball and the SIAC as he is a former player himself.  “I’m excited about the upcoming season,” stated Lightfoot.  “The guys have been working hard, and of course they are ready to get on the floor and play an official game.  We played an exhibition game against the Georgia Gwizzlies, and I think we played well in spots but we did not close out the contest.  The guys are really anticipating the home opener.”

     Lightfoot’s philosophy fully grasps the team concept.  “I look forward to playing with some chemistry of course and share the basketball a bit more unlike in the exhibition when things got carried away with a little Showtime action.”  Lightfoot is also pleased with the non conference schedule, and he expects the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) to once again be very competitive.  “I like the non-conference schedule, which of course was set up by (former) Coach Williams.  We start off with Carver Bible College, and we don’t know that much about them other than the fact that they lost to FAMU (Florida A&M) by three on the 12^th (of November).  We play Valdosta State on December 28th, which of course is our football rival and that has induced a rivalry in basketball and volleyball.  Before we play them though, we have a tough Division I opponent in Georgia Southern on December 10^th.  These are games that are really going to help us as far as conference play is concerned.”

     Fort Valley has a host of new players, but there are some familiar names on the roster.  Martrez Scott (6’3, SO G) and Desmond Williams (6’6, JR F) are just two of the returnees that Lightfoot will be counting on to help the younger players get acclimated to the FVSU system.