Uptown Dunk: New Players to Men's Basketball

With winter sports starting in the coming weeks, we wanted to introduce you to the newest additions to the 2016-2017 men’s basketball team. The team had their first game of the season in Cedarville, Ohio on Nov. 11. The first home game is Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. vs. Westminster College in the Moloney Arena. Admission is free to students. All photos are courtesy of Maryville Athletics. 

Anthony Johnson | 4 | senior | guard

“I am a senior transfer from Eastern Illinois. I chose to come to Maryville because of the culture they had built here and the style of play matched the way I love playing…Something unique i bring to the team is my work ethic. I strive to be great on and off of the floor everyday.”

How would you describe the team in one word? “Positivity is a word I would use to describe this team. No matter what happens, everyone is always positive towards one another.”

What is your spirit animal? “The animal that I’d relate myself to is a lion. I am super calm and attack when I need to do so.”

 

Dominique Loyd | 5 | redshirt freshman | guard

Why did you choose Maryville? “When I visited, I liked the campus a lot and I really fit in well with the team.”

What are you most excited for this season? “Probably the travel. In high school, you don’t travel that much that far, so the traveling is probably the most exciting.”

What is your spirit animal? “I guess a lion or tiger, because they’re tough and pretty strong.”

What unique quality do you bring to the team? “I’m really laid back, so I’m a pretty good listener, because I don’t really talk that much. I listen to what coach and other players say to me and take it as advice.

What do you do since you’re not playing (redshirt) this season? “We have a scout team, so with the team we’re about to play, we scout them. So me and like four other players are trying to relay what it’s going to be like playing that team. [We predict] their offense, what type of stuff they run and what type of defense they play.”

What are you excited for when you are able to play? “Playing, being on the court, since it’s my first college experience.”

Advice to someone new to the Maryville team? “You have to put in a lot of work. It’s very different from high school. It’s a lot of work.”

 

Jimmy Barton | 12 | junior | guard

I am a transfer. I transferred from Mizzou. I was a walk-on on the basketball team but couldn’t play. I knew about Maryville. Coach Carroll actually recruited me out of high school, but I ended up getting a D1 scholarship [and] ended up not liking it. It would’ve been great if I would’ve went here from the start, but everything happens for a reason.”

What do you bring to the team? “My basketball IQ and my ability to create off the dribble…I’m pretty fast, so I can get to the lane and get other people open. I’m a playmaker, I guess. I’m a playmaker, so I’m good at ball-handling and I feel like I keep everybody else calm and relaxed on the court. A lot of times, if you don’t have a good point-guard that can control the tempo of the game and control the game, a lot of the scorers and the big man [forwards and centers] can’t do their positions or relax and do what they do well. Whatever their role is on the team, they can play it and they don’t have to worry about dribbling the ball or controlling the offense or controlling the tempo of the game, and that’s probably where I help the most.

Who are you closest to on the team? “Me and Nolan have been friends forever. [We] have always been close. I went to DeSmet with Nolan.”

 

Zach Beel | 35 | freshman | forward

Why did you chose Maryville? “I chose Maryville because of the friendly atmosphere throughout the college and how the basketball team is close-knit like a family.

What is your spirit animal? “[An] eagle, because I truly love American and the freedoms we get to practice and a[n] eagle represents that to me.”

 

Nolan Berry | 50 | redshirt junior | center

“Since I transferred, I have to redshirt this year, which kind of sucks, but I’m really excited, going forward. I’m trying to bring some experience to the team. I’ve transferred around and been to a couple different programs, and we’ve got a mix of young guys and guys that have been around the program for a while, so just trying to fit in and try to be a leader. It’s tough when you’re new and don’t know a lot, so just trying to fit in where I can as a leader. I went to Butler University in Indianapolis my freshman year, and then after that I transferred to UC Davis and I was there for the last two years, and now I’m here.”

Why did you chose to transfer to Maryville? “Being so far away from home, I went to DeSmet high school and live like ten minutes down the road, I wanted to come back home. So I was looking at a lot of different schools around this area, and then came home on my visit and talked to coach Carroll a lot and just felt it was the right fit for me. [I] got to know some of the guys and it’s been the right decision for me.”

What role do you play on the team? “Well this year since I can’t play, I’m just trying to learn the offense [and] learn the system, but also doing whatever I can to try to help out the other guys that can play so we have a successful year…and just getting myself ready for next year.”

What is your spirit animal? “Mine would be an elephant, because I’m kind of big and awkward and not very graceful, but elephants love their packs. I like to keep to my family and friends, and I don’t have a huge group of people outside of that.”

 

Other additions to the men’s basketball team: