The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Miami frosh strives to be ‘energy guy’

Former Middies star ‘dictates his own time on the floor,’ RedHawks coach says.

Miami's Antonio Ballard attempts a shot while being guarded by UC's Yancy Gates during their game on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009.

Staff photo by Samantha Grier Miami's Antonio Ballard attempts a shot while being guarded by UC's Yancy Gates during their game on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Reds' six-game winning streak broken
5/26/12
Annual Warrior Soccer Classic kicks off today
5/26/12
Dragons' rally falls short against Lansing
5/26/12
WSU baseball ousted from tournament
5/26/12
> More sports headlines

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:46 AM Thursday, February 4, 2010

OXFORD — On the basketball court Antonio Ballard is the Miami University basketball team’s “energy guy,” as Adam Fletcher calls him, but freshman Allen Roberts is auditioning for a piece of the action.

“I’m trying to add an Antonio Ballard mindset to my game,” said Roberts, Miami’s 6-foot-3 guard from Middletown High School who has started the last four games.

“You can look at him. Antonio’s a monster,” Roberts said, referring to the combination of energy and overpowering physical presence that Ballard brings to the court. “I feel playing defense as hard as I can, getting rebounds and not turning the ball over will keep me on the floor longer.”

Not many freshman guards have made a substantial number of starts during Coles’ regime. There was Alex Moosmann in 2007, Josh Hausfeld in 2003 and swingman Juby Johnson in 2001. That’s about it.

And Roberts’ playing time isn’t set in stone. Although he had one of his better games during Miami’s 61-51 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 30, scoring nine points and coming up with three rebounds in only 17 minutes, Coles likes to tinker with his lineup.

A little less flash from Roberts when Miami takes on the Western Michigan Broncos tonight might convince Coles to keep him on the floor for more than 17.2 minutes per game, which is Roberts’ average in his five starts.

“Allen brings energy, Allen brings talent, and Allen, if you’re listening, Allen dictates his own time on the floor,” Coles said. “He’s a good basketball player, a good passer. Sometimes he gets a little too fancy.”

That wasn’t the problem earlier in the season, when Roberts saw very little action. In four of Miami’s first nine games, he saw only 2 to 4 minutes of playing time.

“At first it was like freshman jitters,” Roberts said. “I had to learn the system. And coming in from high school, it was a lot more physical.”

Roberts seems to have the hang of it now. Now it’s up to the RedHawks to get the hang of winning on the road. Their record at home is 7-2, at neutral sites 1-1, and in road games 0-10.

“We’re trying to get better on the road,” Coles said. “That’s our big challenge.”

Western Michigan has the Mid-American Conference’s No. 1 scorer in 6-foot-3 senior guard David Cool (21.1) and the No. 2 rebounder in 6-10 senior center Donald Lawson (7.7).

Today’s game

Who: Miami RedHawks (8-13, 5-3 Mid-American Conference) at Western Michigan Broncos (12-9, 4-4 )
When: 7 p.m.
Where: University Arena (5,421), Kalamazoo, Mich.
TV: None
Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WPFB-FM (105.9)
Series: Miami leads 80-38

Share this article