Savannah, Ga—Despite Monday's 71-60 loss at Maryland Eastern Shore, there were some positives that came out of the game with Howard University men's basketball team.  With the team's top two scorers having off nights, head coach Kevin Nickelberry made a dramatic move, benching the starting five and going to his reserves early in the second half.  It was a bold move, considering that few of them had logged any meaningful minutes.  But the move proved to be a good strategy that could be a defining moment for the remainder of the season, beginning with Saturday's game at Savannah State at 6 pm.
                 
Senior Center Theodore Boyomo, sophomore Tyler Stone, red-shirt sophomore guard Keon Hill, sophomore guard Kofi Andoh and red-shirt junior guard Brandon Ford scrapped, clawed and hustled to help the Bison overcome a 13-point deficit and eventually take the lead before giving way to the starting five.  Howard ended up losing to the Hawks, but it may have set the tone for the future.
                 
"The one thing that it helped me realize is that the things I see in practice from them can be done in game situations," said Nickelberry.  "They were running the system and that is important.  Our team chemistry is unbelievable.  Usually it is the bench that is cheering on the starters, but here we were with the starters encouraging them."
                 
Nickelberry hopes that if James "JC" Carlton and James "J-Byrd" Daniel, III can rebound from their poorest efforts of the season and the reserves match their intensity from the UMES game, the Bison could be poised to make a run at the tournament title next month.
                 
Carlton, who had been on a tear, scoring in double figures for 15 straight games, scored only nine points, seven below his average.  Daniel went 1 for 12 from the field and scored a career-low two points, 14 under his average.  The slack was picked up by the reserves, who outscored their counterparts, 32-16, one of the rare times this season that that has happened.
                 
James "JT" Miller also contributed with 12 of his team-high 17 points in the first half.  It must also be noted that one of the team's quietest, but most effective players, sophomore guard Damon Miller, missed the game for the second time this season.
                 
"Damon should be ready to go, but if he is not, I have confident that Jared (Niorsworthy) and Kofi can get it done," noted Nickelberry.
                 
In the Tigers (6-18, 2-8 MEAC) have struggled to score points this season and have dropped four of their last five, the latest coming in a 56-54 home loss to South Carolina State last Saturday.  But Coach Nickelberry is not fooled by Savannah State, which leads the MEAC in steals and has beaten the Bison four of the five meetings between them.
                 
"The games against them have been close and we have not been able to make the plays we needed to," explains Nickelberry.  "This is a game on the road against one of the better defensive teams in the league.  It is another challenge for us.  It is important that we meet their aggression."
           
Daniel should have special incentive as he needs only eight points to reach the 1,000-point plateau and become the first male player in school history to accomplish the feat in his first two seasons.
                 
"Right now, he just wants to get it over with," said Nickelberry.  "He wants to do it because obviously it is something he will be remembered by for a long time.  But the main thing is that he wants to get it over with so that it does not become a distraction to his teammates.  That is the Kind of young man that he is."

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