COURT SESSION: INDIANS BELLY UP TO TABLE, TOURNAMENT IN KANSAS CITY

I hope everyone is enjoying a great Thanksgiving!

Although our players won't be home for Thanksgiving, they will enjoy a great Thanksgiving buffet at our hotel, the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City.

We left at 7 a.m. this morning so we would be at the hotel in time to enjoy what everyone says is one of the best Thanksgiving buffets in the Midwest. After a great meal, we will have a workout this evening at Municipal Auditorium where the Energia Systems Thanksgiving Tournament will be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I'm pleased with the progress our basketball team is making. We have played two exhibition games and two regular season games against Division II teams. During the exhibition games, we wanted to play and take a good look at all our players. In the Division II games, we tried to get a player rotation in place and throughout we wanted to win the games, and did.

I see progress from the first exhibition game to Tuesday night's win over Missouri-Rolla. Those of you who saw the games may not have seen all the progress, but I when I watch the tapes over and over again, I see a lot of positive signs. The players are executing better and I see improvement in the individual players.

We still have way too many breakdowns, both offensively and defensively, and we have to be more consistent.

The Kansas City tournament is coming at a good time. On the bus ride home Sunday night, I will have a lot better feel of where we are and where we need improvement to be a good basketball team.

We are going to Kansas City to win the tournament, but if we play well and lose a couple of games against quality opponents, it won't be the end of the world. The tournament is loaded with quality teams.

Our opening opponent is a Toledo team picked to win their division in the Mid-American Conference. Our second game, win or lose, could be against Auburn of the Southeast Conference. Other teams include, Creighton, the pre-season favorite in the Missouri Valley conference; Cleveland State, coached by Rollie Massimino, who won a national title at Villanova; Robert Morris, coached by former Nebraska coach Danny Nee; Providence from the Big East Conference; and UMKC.

It is a quality tournament and will be good for us to play quality teams. Playing well will be important, but only winning builds up a team's confidence.

Every year there is a player that really comes up and surprises us. This year's pleasant surprise has been the play of big Terry Rogers, who is really playing well. He can be an outstanding player.

Terry wants to learn more about the game of basketball. He wants to be a better player, is working hard and appreciates coaching.

As you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, we will be trying to win a quality basketball tournament in Kansas City. I hope some of you can come to Kansas City for the tournament, and I hope those who can't will follow us on K-103 radio.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Gary Garner is the head basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State University.