INDIANS LOSE TALENTED SENIORS, BUT POISED TO WREAK MORE HAVOC

Although they lose three important seniors -- including two of their top three scorers -- the cupboard should be far from bare for Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians next season.

The Indians will return their entire backcourt and several other key players from a 24-7, Ohio Valley Conference championship squad that very nearly upset LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

"I really feel good about the way our program is going and the kind of talent we have coming back," said Southeast coach Gary Garner. "We lose three very good seniors, but we've got some really good players coming back and I feel confident that we will have another good team next year that will have the opportunity to return to the NCAA Tournament."

Southeast will sorely miss its three seniors: power forward Roderick Johnson, small forward Mike Branson and center Brian Bunche, who each started all 31 games this season.

Johnson, the Indians' unofficial MVP, averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 60.4 percent from the field. He led the squad in those categories as well as steals (45) and blocked shots (41).

"Roderick just had a fantastic year," said Garner. "I don't think I've ever had a player who wanted to win as much as Roderick."

Branson was Southeast's third-leading scorer (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (3.9) while shooting nearly 40 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line. He also blocked 21 shots.

Bunche, while not a big scorer (4.0), was second on the team in both rebounding (5.9) and blocks (28) while being one of the squad's top defensive players and perhaps its most fearless performer.

"We're really going to miss our three seniors," Garner said. "All were such big parts of our team and they gave us tremendous leadership."

Now, for the good news. The Indians return the rest of their roster, including the starting backcourt of junior point guard Michael Stokes and junior shooting guard Antonio Short.

Stokes, a junior-college transfer who started all 31 games, had an impressive rookie season with the Indians. He was second on the team in scoring (12.9), first in assists (4.1), fourth in rebounding (3.8) and second in steals (37). Stokes also led the squad in 3-point shooting at nearly 43 percent.

"I wouldn't trade Michael for any point guard in the league," said Garner. "He did a great job running our team and he shot 43 percent from three. That's outstanding for a point guard."

Short, who shook off two early-season injuries to come on strong down the stretch, was the team's fourth-leading scorer (8.5). He made 21 starts.

"The injuries set Antonio back some, but late in the year, I think we really started seeing what he could do," Garner said.

Three other juniors -- juco transfers Amory Sanders, Nyah Jones and Emmanuel McCuthison -- saw the most action among the Indians' reserves and all contributed solidly.

Sanders, a shooting guard who started nine games when Short was hurt, shot nearly 35 percent from 3-point range and was the team's fifth-leading scorer (5.6).

Jones, a 6-foot-11 center, shot 52 percent from the field and was sixth on the team in scoring (5.5) while blocking 24 shots.

McCuthison, a guard/forward, was Southeast's seventh-leading scorer (5.0).

"They all won different games for us throughout the year," said Garner of his three top players off the bench. "Since we lose our front line, Nyah will be a very important player for us next year and I think he'll have a real good senior season."

In addition, sophomore point guard Fred Abraham averaged nearly 10 minutes per game as Stokes' backup and redshirt freshman forward Drew DeMond came on strong over the second half of the season as he became a shot-blocking specialist with 26 rejections.

"Fred gave us some solid minutes and Drew really came on. He has a chance to be a very good player," Garner said.

Three more squad members who saw limited action are freshman forward Tim Scheer, who could contend for playing time next year since Southeast loses its entire starting front line; junior walkon guard Matt Morris, who actually started a game early in the season and was a key reserve before seeing his playing time cut to virtually nothing over the second half of the season; and sophomore walkon guard Ryan Thomas.

Two other players, who both sat out this season, figure to battle for serious action up front next year. Freshman forward Demarcus Hence, who redshirted after suffering early injuries, has been called perhaps the Indians' best athlete by Garner. Sophomore center Daniel Weaver is a transfer from Memphis who was ineligible under NCAA transfer rules.

"Daniel can help us and Demarcus is a great athlete," said Garner. "They'll both be in the mix up front, as will Tim."

The Indians have two available scholarships and Garner, while not getting specific, said there is the possibility that one or two more scholarships could open up. The spring signing period begins April 12 and Southeast figures to be in the running for some strong talent, particularly coming off the type of season it had.

"We'd like to add one big, strong inside player from the juco ranks to replace the kind of player Brian Bunche was," Garner said. "After that, we'd just like to get the next best athlete we can.

"Making the NCAA playoffs should definitely help our recruiting. It gives great exposure to our program, especially the way we made it. Some teams get in with 15, 16 wins. We won 24 games, tied for the conference championship and won the (OVC) tournament championship."

While Garner is prohibited by NCAA rules from commenting on specific recruits, the Indians are reportedly in the running for one of the nation's top juco forwards, Trinity Valley (Texas) sophomore Jason Wilson, who plays at the same school that produced Stokes. Wilson has already visited the Southeast campus.

State of the Indians

Leaving

Roderick Johnson, Sr., F

Mike Branson, Sr., F

Brian Bunche, Sr., C

Returning

Michael Stokes, Jr., G

Antonio Short, Jr., G

Amory Sanders, Jr, G

Nyah Jones, Jr., C

Emmanuel McCuthison, Jr., F/G

Fred Abraham, So., G

Drew DeMond, Fr., F

Tim Scheer, Fr, F

Matt Morris, Jr., G

Ryan Thomas, So. G

Incoming

Demarcus Hence, Fr., F

Daniel Weaver, So., C

Scholarships currently available: Two