From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

MIAMI, Okla. — Height shouldn’t be a problem for the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College men’s basketball team this season.

“We’re bigger than we were the last two seasons even though we’re actually a young team,” NEO coach Dustin Grover said. “Our front line goes 6-foot-9, 6-8, 6-7 and 6-7, so we’ll have some size and strength down low.”

The Golden Norsemen, in their renovated NEO Fieldhouse, open their season at 8 tonight against the Oklahoma Baptist junior varsity. NEO faces Crowder in the women’s game at 6.

There is no admission charge for the doubleheader with the NEO Fieldhouse reopening held in conjunction with open houses at the health sciences building at 4:30 p.m. and the Commons Hall music building at 5:15.

“We hope that the general public will come out and see how beautiful these three facilities are,” interim president Tom Poole said. “Not only are we offering free admission to both basketball games, but all concessions will be sold at a reduced price.”

A dedication ceremony will be held between the basketball games.

The NEO men are coming off a banner campaign at 27-9 overall. They were third in the Eastern Division of the Bi-State Athletic Conference with a 5-3 record before winning the Region II Tournament. They lost 76-75 to Indian Hills (Iowa) for ninth place in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament at Hutchinson.

“Not only will our additional height improve our scoring capabilities, but we also should be better defensively,” Grover said. “We probably need to get a little more aggressive shooting the ball.

“As a team, we also have more basketball knowledge of the game itself,” Grover said. “Our youth might be a disadvantage at the start of the season, but it should turn into a strength as the year goes on because our most talented players probably are freshmen.”

Challenging for the starting nod at point guard are freshmen Jamell Cormier (6-0) and Raphael Brown (6-2).

Returning sophomores Chase Elliott (6-2) and Ross Moore (6-0) could see some playing time at point when they aren’t at shooting guard.

Elliott averaged 4.1 points and shot 77 percent from the foul line by sinking 66 of 86. He averaged 2.3 rebounds and also had totals of 43 assists and 23 steals.

Veteran Chaz King (6-2) and Jamere King (6-2), a transfer from Centenary who’s been slowed by a groin pull, are other candidates at shooting guard.