SFA Has Explosive Potential at Small Forward
11/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 8, 2006
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Nearly 70 percent of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack basketball team's offensive output came from the frontcourt last season, when SFA's front line players averaged nearly 50 points per game. The bulk of that production came from small forward Josh Alexander, who led the Lumberjacks in both scoring and rebounding as a freshman. Alexander returns this season to headline a group of four players at a position that may not be the most experienced spot on the floor for SFA, but has the potential to be the most explosive.
Joining Alexander at the three are newcomers Kyle Jacobs and Hall Henderson. Senior Chaz Dykes is listed as a shooting guard and will log most of his minutes there, but he will also see some time at small forward this season.
Alexander is the clear starter, heading into the 2006-07 campaign. The Shreveport, La., native led the Lumberjacks in scoring last year with 14.2 points per game. He was also SFA's top rebounder, hauling in 6.1 boards per contest. Alexander ranked in the Southland Conference's Top 10 in both categories and was rewarded by being named the league's Freshman of the Year. He led the league in 3-pointers made with 73 and in 3-point field goal percentage, hitting 47.7 percent of his shots from long range. Alexander's 80 percent accuracy from the free throw line was tops for SFA. He is a preseason All-SLC selection heading into this year's campaign.
"Josh has done a good job in practice and is hopefully going to be an all-conference type player for us this year," head coach Danny Kaspar said. "Josh is an excellent shooter and rebounder. I have asked him to improve his ability to take the ball to the basket and his mid-range game. He has improved defensively, and that will hopefully allow him to stay out of foul trouble and off the bench."
Jacobs and Henderson are both collegiate transfers -- the 6-6 Jacobs coming from Lincoln College in Illinois and Henderson joining the SFA program by way of Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas.
Jacobs is an aggressive, athletic player who can contribute at both ends of the floor. He averaged 11 points and five rebounds per game to lead Lincoln College to a 28-7 record and a No. 3 national ranking last season in NJCAA Div. II.
"Kyle is an athletic player who rebounds and defends very well," Kaspar said. "He's very competitive, and I expect him to help us a great deal, immediately."
Henderson is a 6-6 junior who hails from Lufkin, Texas. He made the Baylor squad as a freshman before transferring to Angelina College for his sophomore campaign. At Angelina, Henderson was a team captain. A heady player, he earned academic honors at both schools -- the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and President's Honor Roll at Baylor, as well as Academic All-Region XIV and Dean's List recognition at Angelina.
"Hall is very competitive in practice and definitely knows how to play the game," Kaspar said. "The best way to describe Hall is that he always finds a way to help his team win."
Dykes' ability to get the ball to the basket and his improved shooting touch should make him a dangerous weapon off the wing, when SFA needs fresh legs at the small forward spot.
• This article is the third in a series previewing the Lumberjacks, leading up to Saturday's season-opener against San Diego. Coming Thursday -- power forward.
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