By David Jones
Balance is so important in many aspects of life. In team sports, it is all-encompassing.
The men’s basketball team at Penn State had a unique mix last year that dragged it from chronic obscurity into the first division of the league for the first time in 13 years. It wasn’t just a balanced roster on the court but off it as well.
The National Invitation Tournament champions had enough skill and tenacity and big-play making guts to make a mini-run in the NCAAs – had they been given a chance. A nursery-school non-conference schedule better suited to a rebuilding team scuttled any chance at that.
But the spirit of the team wouldn’t let it quit. The unique combination of three seniors – driveway shooter Danny Morrissey, quick and slick-shooting combo Stanley Pringle and courageous spiritual-core power forward Jamelle Cornley – combined with unsinkable All-Big Ten first team soph point Talor Battle to give the Lions balance across the floor and a will to win.
That balance extended to the locker room where the effervescent Cornley and the resolute little Battle ran the team and played off one another’s personalities.
Reasd it all: PSU hoops preview with season starting Friday | David Jones with The Patriot-News – PennLive.com.