Ball State has gone to Chris Bond in late-game situations.
At the end of regulation and overtime against Northern Illinois, senior forward Chris Bond was the player for Ball State with a chance to score. Neither shot by Bond went in, and Ball State lost, 65-67 in overtime. This season, Bond averages 11.7 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. Both marks place him second on the team. He has started every game this season, the only player on the team to do so.
Coach James Whitford’s take:
“[In regulation, Northern Illinois’] defense was a little confused. But in a funny way, it worked for them. They put two guys on the ball. The second one, he got probably the best shot he took of the game. It just didn’t go in.”
Matt Kamieniecki is on pace with his recovery.
In November, Ball State announced senior forward Matt Kamieniecki would miss the entire 2013-14 season after undergoing a second surgery on his right wrist. He is using this season as a redshirt and is on pace to return to playing form this fall. Last season, he started 11 games and scored 4.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Whitford’s take:
“If the season started two months from now I would say, ‘Yeah, I have a lot of worries.’ But fortunately, by next fall, [he’ll be ready.] He’s already doing skill work. He’s already doing conditioning. He’s already lifting legs. … Because he’s doing that now, by the time he actually gets cleared, I think his cardio base will be pretty good and his leg strength will be back.”
Ball State will work on the little things, eventually.
After installing a new system, Ball State hasn’t had time to focus on the smaller things, such as defending and performing inbound plays from near or under the basket. Whitford said Ball State is about average in under-the-basket inbounds plays. He will work on the “little things” after the season.
Whitford’s take:
“As a conscious decision, I haven’t spent a lot of time on end-of-the-game scenario stuff. But this being the first year for the entire team — all 14 players — every play we run is new. Every defensive principle is new. … We’re not good at the big stuff yet. When we get good at the big stuff, then we can work on that.”
Read More
Yorktown baseballs’ offense stalls early, falls to Shelbyville
By David Moore / 3 hours agoWith few conference games left on the schedule, this was an important series for the Tigers. However, in the end, the Golden Bears swept the season series over the Tigers with an 11-6 victory.
Students gather to protest for Palestine at Frog Baby Fountain
By Staff Reports / 6 hours agoA student-led protest kicked off near Frog Baby at 4 p.m. May 1 in solidarity with Palestine amidst the country’s conflict with Israel.
‘Last piece of the puzzle:' Ball State softball is graduating 10 seniors after the 2023-24 season, all of whom impacted the program farther than the stat sheet.
By Zach Carter / YesterdayA packed senior class has helped lead Ball State to success on the field and in the locker room.
