Oct. 24, 2005

The play of guards Troy Aaron, Dwight Boatner, John Ford and Ryan Price has been a highlight of recent practice sessions by the McNeese State basketball Cowboys and was particularly so during a short scrimmage last Saturday.

"They have really been playing well," head coach Tic Price said of his guards. "I don't know how many points each of them scored in our scrimmage on Saturday but they had their share."

Aaron, Ford and Price are returnees from last season while Boatner has joined the team after transferring from Colorado State.

The Cowboys are spending this week working out on the basketball court at the Sulphur acquatic center and will be going at 12 noon on Tuesday.

The McNeese head coach also said that he planned to have another scrimmage this coming Saturday and that it will be about 11 a.m. so as not to conflict with the Cowboy football game with Sam Houston State which will begin at 2 p.m.

Aaron played at both the point and the second guard positions last season but is working at the second guard post this season along with Price while Ford and Boatner will be at the point with Price also in the mix.

When football season is over Jamelle Juneau, also a returning letterman, will join the team and he'll play at both the second guard and at the small forward positions.

Aaron, Ford and Price all saw starting time for the Cowboys last season, Aaron coming in with a 5.1 scoring average, Ford with a 6.4 and a team high 105 assists and Price with a 6.6 scoring average. Boatner sat out the year after transferring.

Price said that he has also been pleased with the play of J. T. Williams, the Cowboy forward who is the team's top returning scorer.

"He was probably our leading scorer in last Saturday's scrimmage," the McNeese coach said, noting that the scrimmage was in the form of two, 15 minute periods.

Last year the 6-5 Williams averaged 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, starting 23 contests.

"I really like the chemistry of this team," Price added. "We still have some conditioning issues but from where we were when we started and where we are now, I think that we have made a lot of progress. Attitude has been the key."