Men’s basketball seniors prepare for final season, focus on supporting teammates
Coach Jeff Bzdelik isn’t the only leader of the CU men’s basketball team this season. Senior guards Richard Roby and Marcus Hall are taking on new leadership roles for the Buffs this year.
Roby and Hall are emerging as the two players Bzdelik said he can count on to be positive leaders on his team.
“Their leadership thus far has been exemplary,” Bzdelik said. “They have been two of my hardest workers. I’ve always said from day one that with any team, my best players have to be my hardest workers.”
Roby said he wants to grow with his teammates so the entire team can improve from the last year’s disappointing season.
“I want to lead by example,” Roby said. “I want to make sure I’m doing the right things at the right time and make sure everybody is doing the right things at the right time.”
Hall said he wants to lead vocally and by example. He said he wants the younger players to look up to him, especially on a team with five freshmen and six sophomores.
The Buffs finished last season with a record of 7-20, making it one of their worst seasons ever. Both Roby and Hall said having eight freshmen on the team, the most in CU men’s basketball history, contributed to the struggles on the court.
“I think when you have a large amount of freshmen like that, it affects a lot of people, especially when you have a coach that said he wasn’t coming back,” Roby said. “So it was a lot of factors that went into that.”
Coach Bzdelik said he knows his team is young in a lot of places, so it will be critical for the seniors to be leaders.
Colorado has only three seniors this year- Roby, Hall, and forward Marcus King-Stockton. But Bzdelik said the team dynamic is coming together well as the team prepares for its first game of the season against New Mexico Friday night.
Bzdelik also said his seniors are going above and beyond to prove they can unite their team and lead them into a successful season.
“One thing I really like about this team is that their chemistry is really good,” Bzdelik said. “Obviously when that happens, there is respect, for the seniors in particular. There are two ways you can be a leader – in a positive way or in a negative way. These young men have taken the correct path.”
Roby and Hall both said they think this season will be much better than the one they had last year, no matter what teams they have to face.
“We’re going to play our butts off,” Hall said. “We’ve been working so hard in the preseason. Like coach says, the hard work will beat out talent and make up for whatever you lack.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Amanda Walck at amanda.walck@thecampuspress.com
