Green-White Classic: MOC teams have plenty of work to do

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 23, 2012 1:48 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College men's and women's basketball teams have plenty of work to do before their respective season-opening games in mid-November.

They proved it Monday evening during the Green-White exhibition games that were part of the second annual "Meet the Coaches Night BBQ" held on campus.

Sophomore Jordan McCain led five White team players in double figures with 18 points in a 70-51 romp over the Green team. Freshman Michael Moore, a James Kenan alum, contributed 14 points. Junior Ewon Wright chipped in 13.

Freshman Dontrell Brite emerged the lone Green team player in double figures with 13 points.

On the women's side, freshman Anamaria Zjacic pumped in 16 points as the Green team handed the White squad a 62-58 defeat. JUCO transfer Alexandra Silva paced the White team with a game-high 17 points.

"We've got talent, but we've got a lot of work to do," MOC men's head coach Joey Higginbotham said. "We've got to get everybody playing more together and with more intensity. I didn't like our intensity, the way we rebounded the basketball.

"We've got some things to work with, get back to the drawing board and get some guys on the right pages."

Each team had trouble finishing around the basket and committed sloppy turnovers. The two teams combined to shoot just 10 of 21 from the free throw line.

MOC head women's coach Wendy Lee liked her team's defensive effort at times and said the team still has some roles to figure out.

"We've had a week of practice, so it is fun to get out here and get up and down, see us going five-on-five for an extended period of time," Lee said. "But it also revealed a lot of points we have to get better on. We have a long way to go.

"I liked the play of Anamaria. She didn't look like a freshman, played with confidence and attacked the basket, which I like to see. As far as a team, I liked the fact we were aggressive on defense, but not consistent."

The Trojan women tip off their season Nov. 9 at in-state foe St. Augustine's, while the men open their 2012 campaign Nov. 17 against West Virginia State in the 47th annual Pickle Classic.