Saints tip-off season at home Tuesday

Marquintus Jones launches a shot during the pre-season against Athletes in Action. Ledger Sports Editor

On paper, the Limestone men’s basketball team seems to have few weaknesses.

That’s because the Saints have a roster filled with experienced players.

“We’ve got four starters who have played together,” said Limestone coach Larry Epperly, whose team hosts North Greenville on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. to open the season. “I think this will be a team with good chemistry. The guys seem to know their roles.”

In addition to the four returning starters, the Saints also welcome back former All-CVAC honorable mention Darrell Tate, who averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds as a sophomore two years ago.

Tate has been foul-prone in the preseason scrimmages, but he gives the Saints a much-needed inside presence. Because of foul trouble, Tate played just nine minutes in the Saints’ preseason game against Athletes in Action.

“He’s doing fine,” Epperly said. “He has to learn to play a little less physical. But he’s playing real hard.”

On the perimeter, sophomore point guard Shawn Poppie, one of the CVAC’s top freshmen a year ago, joins all-conference shooting guard Brandon Shipman to form one of the conference’s top backcourts. Poppie, who has been slowed by an ankle injury in the preseason, averaged a team high 5.2 assists a game last season while Shipman shot an amazing 42 percent from the 3-point line.

Shipman, who also shot 85 percent from the foul line, is on course to become the school’s all-time leading Division II scorer.

Marquintus Jones returns at the small forward with former Blacksburg standout Ben Touchberry manning the other forward position.

Jones might be the team’s quickest player while Touchberry gives the Saints a savvy frontcourt player.

The Saints also have plenty of depth this season, with former Class A Player of the Year Alex Bailey, center Colin Pond and freshmen Jamaal Dawkins of Chesnee and Antonio Golden. Both freshmen have played well in the preseason.

“We could go as many as nine or 10 deep,” Epperly said.

But that doesn’t mean the Saints could survive an injury to one of their stars.

“We like our team. We have an inside game and a good perimeter game but we’re not a team that can have injuries,” Epperly said.

As for the season opener on Tuesday, Epperly is concerned about the matchup with North Greenville.

“We really don’t know what to expect,” he said. “There are a lot of unknowns.”

North Greenville returns three starters and boasts a great outside shooter and a 6-6 center.

The Limestone women’s team opens its season against North Greenville at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.