Coleman shows offensive game in win at Northeastern State

Garland Coleman, last year’s Lone Star Conference South Division men’s defensive player of the year, has shown this season that he can also do it on the offensive end.

Coleman, a left-handed senior guard-forward from Chicago, was named the LSC South player of the Week Monday after averaging 18.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in three games, including one-point wins at Central Oklahoma and defending NCAA Division II champion Northeastern State as Eastern improved to to 4-3 for the season.

He is shooting an eye-popping 73 percent from the field and increased his scoring average to a team-leading 15 per outing.

“Garland has been there every game,” ENMU men’s coach Shawn Scanlan said. “You expect your seniors to step up, and Garland has been one that’s done that.

“His offense has picked up from a year ago, and his defense is still solid.”

OThe players will concentrate on semester finals much of this week before resuming the schedule in a 6 p.m. (MST) tipoff on Saturday against Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

The Hounds have been winning with a limited post presence, a situation they hope to perhaps rectify if 6-foot-5 junior Travazz Buckley gains his eligibility later this week. “He gives us something we don’t have right now, a physical, aggressive-type player,” Scanlan said.

Buckley is a transfer Faulkner State (Ala.) Junior College.

The Hounds won in Oklahoma with almost no help from 6-5 junior Edmound Elzy (sprained ankle), who with Jamaal Hunnicutt had given the team most of its inside presence. But another juco transfer, Kennis Green, started to find his game last week with eight 3-pointers and 53 points in three games.

“He’s playing hard and defending well,” Scanlan said of Green. “His biggest problem has been playing under control, but he’s doing a better job in that area.”

Clovis High grad Irshaun Pinckney hit the game-winning shot at UCO and is one of four Hounds averaging in double figures (10.4). With Elzy limited to four minutes in Oklahoma, all at NSU, the 6-2 Pinckney was used in a post position in both games and his physical style helped the Hounds offset a size disadvantage.

Turnovers plague Zias

ENMU’s women (3-4), who matched the men win-for-win and loss-for-loss until falling at Northeastern 53-49, are still trying to figure a way to cut their turnovers. They are averaging nearly 24 a game and 60 more overall than their opponents.

The Zias nearly won at Northeastern despite having nearly as many turnovers (28) as shots (33).

“If we don’t start taking care of the ball, we’re going to lose a lot of close games,” ENMU women’s coach Buzard said. “If we have, say, 16 turnovers, we win that game by 10 points.”

The Zias are being led by local products Laci Lee (Portales), who has already posted three double-doubles, and Elizabeth Richards (Texico). Both are averaging around nine rebounds a game to go with double-figure scoring.

“Elizabeth just has a knack for getting the ball,” Buzard said. “And Laci is rebounding better than I’ve ever seen.”