 "Photo: Sholten Singer | The Parthenon")
“The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with each other and they sacrifice personal glory for the common goal.”—Dave DeBusschere, NBA Hall of Famer.
Team chemistry is a vital part of any basketball team. To be successful, players must have the appropriate skills, but on top of that they must also mesh together well.
Marshall men’s basketball head coach Donnie Jones said he believes he has the talent in place to implement his envisioned style of play for the first time since returning to Marshall in 2007.
Skill — check.
Returning from their freshmen seasons in which they received substantial playing time and experience are backcourt teammates Shaquille Johnson and Damier Pitts.
The two guards played a lot of their freshmen minutes side-by-side and have developed a feel for each other’s style of play, as well as a great friendship. They liked each other so much in fact, they requested each other as roommates.
Chemistry — check.
“Well those guys are best friends first of all, which is a plus,” Jones said. “They live together and they’ve hit it off since they both arrived. I know they spent every day together this summer, working together.”
Upon committing to Marshall prior to last season, the two exchanged text messages, assuring each other they would both be playing for the Thundering Herd.
“We do everything together,” Pitts said. “Ever since we got to Marshall we’ve just been together everywhere we’ve went.”
Don’t be surprised if you see the backcourt combo in the cafeteria, at the mall or walking around campus together. They’re like a two-for-one deal.
“It’s a brother bond with Damier and me,” Johnson said. “You don’t see one without the other. Coach is always messing with us about always being together. It’s on and off the court. It’s really like a brothership.”
Johnson said the brothership and chemistry he and Pitts have created between them is helping them play better together on the court.
Both players said they sat in their dorm room together last year and watched every game probably five times each, studying opponents and offering one another constructive criticism.
“We’re always pushing each other to the max,” Pitts said. “We get in arguments, fights or whatever, but after that, we know that we’re just trying to get better. It’s all love.”
“If I’m messing up, he’s the one that’s going to get on me because he knows I can do better,” Johnson said. “If I’m struggling or if I’m getting tired, he’ll push me through it like a brother or somebody close to you would.”
Last year, Pitts was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. He started 30 of 32 games, led the team in assists with 103 and in free throw percentage at .841. He ranked No. 12 in C-USA assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.45.
“The coaches put me in a situation last year where I got to play a lot of minutes,” he said. “It just goes around my teammates. They have to respect me so they feel confident with the ball in my hand. It’s a growing process right now. I’m just looking for good things this year.”
Johnson started 27 of the 32 contests as a freshman. He led the team in steals with 31, was third in assists, fourth in rebounding and averaged 9.6 points a game.
He said one area he’s working on this year is tightening up his defense, but while committing fewer fouls.
“Coach has been talking to me a lot about staying out of foul trouble,” he said. “A few games last year I probably hurt the team by dumb fouls and using my hands on defense. I’m trying to just play without fouling this year.”
Jones said he’s already seeing a lot of improvement from both players this year.
“I think both of those guys bring something different,” he said. “Shaq can really score, he’s strong, really defends.
“Damier is quick, a very good on-ball defender, a good shooter and has the ability to run our basketball team.”
Jones added that the best thing about them now, is that they’re sophomores and they have that year of experience under their belts. He said they still have a lot to learn, but they are humble people who have been influenced by players such as senior guards Chris Lutz and Darryl Merthie.
“Whoever is going to be guarding us, it’s going to be tough for them because we’re going to put pressure on them the whole game,” said Merthie. “Whatever the team is doing, we’re trying to lead them to the win. Those two have matured a lot since last year as far as leadership and being able to take control of the team.”
Don’t get the wrong idea, as a whole, the team shares a solid chemistry and friendship, it’s just nearly superhuman between the sophomore duo.
“I always know my other teammates will be there, but I always know Shaquille will be there for me no matter what,” said Pitts. “He’s like my sidekick.”
Jonas Swecker can be contacted at swecker@marshall.edu.
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