Friday, November 15, 2002

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 14, 2002) - The East Tennessee State men's basketball team debuted with a victory Thursday night, dropping the Charleston (W.Va.) Bombers 96-72 at Memorial Center. True freshman guard Tim Smith (Newport News, Va.) put together the best all-around effort of the night for the Buccaneers, scoring 10 points, collecting a team-high nine rebounds, and dishing out seven assists in the winning effort. "I wasn't really worried or nervous," said Smith, who finished the game 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. "I felt good out there, but it makes things easier when you have guys that can finish. Coach (Ed DeChellis) just wanted me to learn the offense, get ready and get the feel of the game." On this night, Smith was not alone as an offensive star for the Bucs. Sophomore guard Tiras Wade (Tampa, Fla.) scored a team-high 16 points, while sophomore guard James Anthony (Brandon, Fla.) and junior forward Zakee Wadood (Lonoke, Ark.) each pitched in 14 points apiece. ETSU built a 49-40 lead by halftime, but a 21-8 offensive run to start the second half was too much for the Bombers to overcome. Leading the way for Charleston on offense was forward Jarred West, who scored 27 points. Former ETSU star and Charleston native Greg Dennis (1988-‘92) played for the Bombers, but was held to just four points.