The Washington College’s men’s basketball team opens its Centennial Conference schedule tonight at Franklin & Marshall and for the first time, the Shoremen are ranked heading into conference play.
Freshman guard Donovan Womack shoots over a Stevenson player as head coach Rob Nugent watches from the sidelines.
After a surprise third-place finish last season, the Shoremen were voted fifth in the preseason Centennial Conference poll by the coaches and sports information directors.
Those outside Washington College might have a new perspective of the team after last season’s success, but head coach Rob Nugent says the expectations on the team are the same.
“Internally, we always have high expectations, and we always think we could do better,” Nugent said.
The overarching goal, as always, is to win the Centennial Conference. To do that, Nugent said, the team will need to improve its execution on both offense and defense.
“Defense has driven us the last few years, but our shot selection has to be significantly better than a year ago,” he said.
The Shoremen also need players to step into the spots left vacant by last year’s graduating seniors, and Nugent expects junior guards Kevin Breslin, Sal Schittino, and Doug Holcombe and lone senior Dylan Bernstein to fill those roles.
“We have to make sure our guys are focused and working hard individually on the things they need to work on. The talent is there but we need to build our confidence level as a team by continuing to practice well and being smart and aggressive in games,” Nugent said.
A self-described “old school” coach, Nugent looks forward to practice everyday and says he views games as exams, or ways to measure progress, before getting back to work.
“A lot of people only look at wins and losses,” he said, “but if you can say you played pretty well and did what you needed to do, you can be proud of your season. The wins and losses will take care of themselves.”
Last year’s 11-7 finish in conference play earned Nugent the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year award, but he insists it’s an award for the entire team.
“I was honored, but it’s a reflection of our players, not me,” he said. “I’m not a big fan of individual awards, but I am very proud of our guys.”
That pride goes beyond the basketball court.
“Getting a good education and doing well in class is the number one priority. Our student athletes do very well academically, learning to balance classes and practices and making sacrifices for the betterment of the group,” Nugent said.
WC’s basketball program also promotes community service, sending players to visit local middle schools to talk to students and running a co-ed summer basketball camp.
“It’s important for them to learn to give back and to know the impact they can have on those children’s lives. We can give local kids a new perspective and show them that if they have dreams, they can go out and pursue them,” he said.
It’s a cause that’s especially dear to Nugent, who grew up in a town not unlike Chestertown and knows firsthand the positive effects sports can have on kids’ lives.
“For whatever reason, early on, I got hooked on watching sports,” said Nugent, who idolized Walter Payton and Magic Johnson and spent afternoons playing football, basketball, baseball, and wiffle ball in the neighborhood youth center.
“My youth coaches and my high school football coach had a tremendous impact on me, and playing sports helped keep me focused and out of trouble and really allowed me to be here today,” he said.
In his ten years as head coach at Washington, Nugent has had the same positive influence on his players.
“I love what I do. I look at basketball as a classroom, or a laboratory for life, and my job is to be somewhat of an educator. If I’m not having that impact, I’m not doing my job,” Nugent said.
The other part of his job, of course, is preparing his team to win games, and he’d like to see lots of Sho’men fans in the stands cheering them on this season.
“When the gym’s full, the crowd is so supportive and loud as heck – it’s one of the loudest venues in the conference,” he said, encouraging even non-basketball fans to come check out a game.
“In basketball, spectators get to be right on top of the action. We play uptempo and our kids play hard, win or lose. It’s a lot of fun, and I don’t think anyone who comes to support us will be disappointed,” Nugent said.
The Shoremen’s next home game is December 1, at 8 p.m. in Cain Gym, against Haverford.