ELON, NC -- Now under the direction of new head coach Ernie Nestor, the 2003-04 Phoenix enters the season facing many changes and new challenges. Also new to the staff are assistant coaches Mike Preston and Jim Fitzpatrick. Tim Fuller remains as the lone assistant from last year’s coaching staff. Elon also enters its inaugural campaign in the very competitive Southern Conference. The squad returns eight lettermen, including three starters, from last year’s Big South Conference runner-up team. The Phoenix looks to returning starters Steven Harvin and Big South All-Freshman selections Scottie Rice and Rasmi Gamble to lead Elon’s effort in the Southern Conference.

Backcourt

The perimeter will be led by sophomore shooting guard Scottie Rice (at right) (Hagerstown, MD/North Hagerstown), who started all 27 games for the Phoenix last season. He led the team in scoring (319 points/11.8 per game), field goals (107), three-point field goals (61) and steals (55). Rice was named Big South Freshman of the Week twice during the 2002-03 campaign and was selected to the conference’s All-Freshman team. His best game for the Phoenix came against UNC Asheville when he tallied 26 points, six three-point field goals made, six rebounds and five steals.

Joining Rice in the backcourt are three veterans and three newcomers, including another returning starter, junior point guard Steven Harvin (Centreville, VA/Centreville). Harvin led the squad in assists (90), free throws made (57) and free throw percentage (.851). He finished the season with 197 points (7.6 per game) and 22 steals. His top performance during the 2002-03 season was against Radford when he scored 21 points, including 12 free throws.

Senior Carlos Moriera (Pawtucket, RI/CC of Rhode Island) will compete for time in the backcourt. Newcomers Montell Watson (Clifton Forge, VA/Allegheny), Matt Nowlin (Roanoke, VA/Roanoke Catholic) and Ryan Jones (Washington, D.C./Hargrave Military) will all battle for time during the season. Watson was crowned the Virginia AA Player of the Year his senior year. As a junior, he was named First Team All-State by both coaches and writers as well as Player of the Year in the Blue Ridge District, Region III and in the area by the Virginian Review.

Nowlin helped guide his team to three Virginia Independent School state championships during his career. He scored over 1,500 career points including 234 three-point field goals. Jones averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game during the 2002-2003 season at Hargrave while leading his team to a 27-4 campaign and a fifth-place ranking in the Hoops USA Prep School Poll.

Frontcourt

Elon’s frontcourt will be led by returning starter and Big South All-Freshman selection sophomore Rasmi Gamble (Taylors, SC/Christ Church Episcopal). Gamble (at left) led the Phoenix in rebounding with 143 (5.3 per game) and finished the season second on the team in scoring with 213 points (7.9 per game). He also recorded a team-high 20 blocks during the season. Gamble was twice named as the Big South Freshman of the Week. His best effort came in a contest against Coastal Carolina when he recorded 15 points, finished six for seven from the floor, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots.

Juniors Jackson Atoyebi (Chicago, IL/Culver Military) and Gary Marsh (Lillington, NC/Harnett Central) will be critical at the forward position for the Phoenix. Atoyebi finished the 2002-03 campaign with 208 points (9.0 per game), 93 rebounds and 13 blocked shots. Marsh averaged 8.0 points per game and was second on the team in rebounding with 115. Seniors Matt Backs (Marion, IN/Marion) and Cameron Kirby (Dumfries, VA/Potomac) will also compete for time at the forward position. Redshirt-freshman Chris Chalko (South Bend, IN/Marion) looks to take a role in the Phoenix frontcourt. During his senior year at Marion High School, he averaged 20.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Schedule

The 2003-04 schedule is filled with fierce competition as the Phoenix will face many tough non-conference opponents. Elon opens the season at the Guardians of the Game Classic where it will face Idaho in the first round. The squad also goes on the road to face powerful non-conference foes such as Wake Forest, Georgetown, Xavier and Cincinnati. The Phoenix will then battle a tough conference schedule.

“It’s a very challenging, demanding schedule for our basketball team,” said Nestor. “We have a tremendous 16-game league schedule as well as some very powerful non-conference opponents. We’re very excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. We wanted to challenge our players with our schedule, and I’m certain that we’ve done that.”

The team’s first non-tournament game is at Wake Forest on Nov. 22. The Phoenix will then return home to host Bluefield on Nov. 28 . Conference play beings on Dec. 20 when Elon hosts Chattanooga in its first-ever Southern Conference game.

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