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athletics today
Hicks and Brown Face Senior Year Challenge
Last year, Michael
Hicks and Corey Brown
were a big part of one
of the most successful
Mules basketball teams
in recent memory.
Now as seniors, they
are looking for even
more success. The
challenge for them
is to become leaders
of this year’s team.
When the Mules
coaching staff recruited
Hicks and Brown from
Tennessee, they saw
specific qualities that
they liked in each player
and some similarities.
Both were athletic, had
good quickness and shot
the ball well.
“In Corey’s case, we
were looking for a point
guard. Mike was more a
scorer,” said Mules head
coach Kim Anderson.
Mules assistant coach
Brad Loos spotted the
two first, when they
were playing in a junior
college all-star game. He
convinced them to visit
campus. Hicks and Brown
liked what they saw and
signed with the Mules.
Their impact was
immediate. The pair
helped the Mules to a
24-7 record, a conference
tournament title and
an appearance in the
regional tournament.
Hicks received firstteam
All-MIAA honors
and was named MIAA
Tournament MVP. He
was a second-team Daktronics
All-Region selection. Brown
was second-team All-MIAA
and an All-MIAA Tournament
Team selection.
This summer, the two worked
out to become more well-rounded
players. Hicks worked on all
aspects of his game while Brown
focused on his jump shot, aided
by daily sessions with Loos.
Even with their success last
season, Hicks and Brown are
determined to help lead the
Mules to even greater things this
season. They want to win more
games and go further in the
Mules Basketball heads into the holidays ranked #10 in
the first regular season NCAA-Division II poll, led by seniors
Michael Hicks, above, a preseason All-America selection,
and Corey Brown, stronger and quicker than ever this year.
NCAA tournament. They realize
that will take both skills and
leadership.
“I have to be a leader this
year on and off the court,” Brown
said. “The guys kind of look up
to me, and when I tell them to
do something, they listen.”
Hicks and Brown gained
valuable experience last year
as juniors. Hicks will need that
experience to help the younger
players get used to playing at
this level. Anderson expects
to see both seniors step up
and lead the team this year.
“I think they both have gotten
a lot of attention,” he said. “I
think it is justified in many
respects but what they have to
understand now is that the bull’s
eye is on their backs. They may
not score as many points, but
they can play as good a defense.
They can get as many or more
rebounds, make fewer mistakes
and lead this basketball team.
“That is what I look for from
them,” Anderson said. “I think if
they do that, they will have a very
successful year.”
Anderson notes Hicks and
Brown are two great guys with
different personalities.
“Corey is a quiet young
man,” he said. “He
works extremely hard, is
very tough; an excellent
basketball player, just an
excellent person. Mike
is more outgoing, but
plays with every bit of
the passion that Corey
does. Mike tends to have
more ups and downs.”
Along with their
expanded leadership roles,
Hicks and Brown will each
play a different position
on the floor. Hicks will
play some small forward,
and Brown will sometimes
play off guard. Even
though Brown sees this as
a challenge, he believes he
can adapt. He played off
guard in high school but
moved to the point guard
when he played at Volunteer
State Community College.
Hicks and Brown are
both happy with the choice
they made to come to
CMSU. Hicks is a mass
communication major
and Brown is majoring in
recreation.
Brown, who came here
because of the coaches
and the good educational
opportunity, said he
wouldn’t change a thing.
“I love the experience
here; it’s great,” Hicks said.
Anderson thinks their
personalities complement
each other well on and off
the court, and he hopes that
will help make the Mules
successful this season.
“Corey plays hard all of
the time; he’s very tough.
He has been through a lot
of adversity and he has
overcome it,” Anderson said.
“I think Mike is a young man
who loves to play the game and
is very competitive. He has a
desire to win that I think is very
special. In his case, he is a guy
who hates to lose, and he seems
to rise when times get tough.
“They are both very special
individuals,” he said. “I’m happy
that we’ve had the chance to
coach them here.”
— David Rohrbach
page 10 central today
winter 2005