Thunder make some noise, but wins are elusive

The Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College men's and women's basketball teams are looking for their first wins of the season following the winter break. Despite being a combined 0-13 on the year, both Thunder coaches are positive and look forward to the second half of the season.

"Our players are having fun and are learning the game," said women's coach Robert Smith. "I have been very real with the players as to where we are at and what the situation is for us and they understand that we can't get wrapped up in the wins and losses. Our goal is to just get better and work on executing and not worry about wins and losses."

Smith was hired just a day or two before his first practice and did not have a chance to recruit any of his current players. The team is comprised of individuals who were already at the school upon his arrival in the fall. Despite knowing that his team was at a huge disadvantage, Smith and his charges continue to march on as they try to rebuild the women's program.

"It is obvious that we did not have a chance to recruit, but we won't use excuses," he said. "We realize this is where we are and we just want to do the right thing and continue to work on basics and eventually we will get the recruits to continue our efforts towards building a program," Smith commented. "Our goal is to build a program and we need to start somewhere and that is what we are doing right now."

In the six games the Thunder women have played they have given up more than 100 points five times and their closest game was a 49-point loss to Lake Superior College. Despite the tough losses, the Thunder have had excellent efforts from two local players in Meredith Cherne and Alysha Fox. Cherne is a forward and leads the team with an eight point per game average to go along with seven rebounds per game and Fox is the team's point guard and is averaging seven points per game.

"Those two have really take up leadership roles," Smith said. "They give us a solid leadership component."

For the Thunder men's team, putting up points has not been an issue; the problem is at the other end of the floor where they have been giving up an average of 93 points per game while scoring an average of nearly 64 points per game.

Offensively the Thunder have been led all season by Kevin Bryant, a sophomore guard out of Auburndale, Fla. who has averaged 28.1 points per game on the season. Bryant is not only leading the Thunder and the north division of the MCAC in scoring, but he also leads the entire MCAC - including the south division - in scoring this season. Last Friday Bryant poured in 27 points in a 76-54 loss to Itasca Community College at home. Bryant also had six rebounds, six steals and two assists in a busy night for him.

Roderick Washington has also been a key player this season for the Thunder. Hailing from Austin, Texas, the freshman forward is currently third in the entire MCAC in rebounding with an average of 9.5 rebounds per game. Against Itasca on Friday night, the aggressive Washington had three consecutive slam dunks on consecutive possessions for the Thunder. The rim-rattling slams brought the crowd to life, but it was not enough to get the Thunder over the hump and to their first win of the season.

Both Thunder teams are off until after Christmas and will return to action Jan. 9 at home against Rainy River Community College.