Contrasting expectations
CAA notebook
Date published: 10/23/2008
BY RICH CAMPBELL
WASHINGTON --Chris Darnell and Chanel Murchison--the only Fredericksburg-area basketball players in the Colonial Athletic Association this season--both play for the same school, but they're in vastly different stages of their careers.
Darnell (North Stafford) is a senior forward on whom the William & Mary men's team will rely for a variety of contributions in his first season as a full-time starter.
Murchison, meanwhile, will probably not play much during her freshman year for the Tribe. She is making her way back from a knee injury that sidelined her for most of her senior season at Colonial Forge.
Darnell started 13 of 33 games last season for the Tribe, who lost in the CAA Tournament championship game. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.7 rebounds, often providing a spark off the bench.
After one week of practice, W&M coach Tony Shaver believes Darnell, who is a captain and one of two seniors on the team, is ready to handle larger responsibilities.
"He just seems like a young guy at a different level of maturity right now," Shaver said at yesterday's CAA basketball media day. "We need Chris to have a great year for us to be good. We're excited for him."
Darnell, like many of his teammates, spent most of the offseason in Williamsburg. Shaver said Darnell's offseason work has resulted in an improved shot and greater confidence.
"The thing about Chris is he's kind of multitalented," Shaver said. "He doesn't have to score 15 a game for us to stay on the floor. He needs to defend well. He needs to rebound on a consistent basis. I've always thought Chris was a good passer. He has improved his perimeter shot greatly from last year."
Making the jump from part-time to full-time starter shouldn't be a problem for Darnell, Shaver said. If anything, the switch is overdue.
"I think it's a position Chris deserves right now," Shaver said. "It's a good change for Chris, and I think that alone has helped his confidence level. He's just a guy I believe in right now. I'll be really surprised if he doesn't have a great year for us."
Murchison injured her knee in Colonial Forge's Commonwealth District opener last Dec. 14. She had surgery to repair torn cartilage and is now back to full health, according to William & Mary coach Debbie Taylor.
"She really hasn't physically missed a beat, other than that she's a little behind the conditioning curve," Taylor said. "But she's there now. She has worked her way up to it, so she's kind of on the same page as the other kids. She has worked hard to get herself back to being in shape to play Division I basketball.
"It's going to be a learning curve for her this year. She's working really hard. She processes and learns every day. Having lost that high school season, she's kind of catching up this year."
Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974
Email: rcampbell@freelancestar.com
Date published: 10/23/2008
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