Training Camp Roster - Keys to Success

So I have not blogged in a while, DEAL WITH IT!!!!! Just kidding, I appreciate any loyal readers I have left. I will not make excuses for my lack of blogging, but I will say Jeff Potter has been doing a great job over at his blog. So make sure to check that out. Plus he actually knows what he is talking about as I am just randomly guessing.

I just want to quickly touch on the Keys to the Mad Ants success this season:

(please keep in mind I was cut from my 7th grade basketball team and have very little actual knowledge on the intricacies of professional basketball)

1.) Chris Hunter - Chris had an all-star year with us in the 08-09 season. He spent last year with the Golden State Warriors and is now back in the Mad Ants training camp. Why is he not in the NBA? I honestly really don't know. He had some great games last year with the Warriors. In a close game against the Lakers he scored 22 points and had 7 rebounds. Apparently Chris was suffering from a sore knee this summer, and that is what kept him out of NBA summer league and training camp rosters. The key is how long can we honestly hope to keep Chris on the roster? You know an NBA team will come calling sooner or later. The NBA Development League is really such a strange dynamic as you really root for these guys to make it to the NBA, but at the same time you know a huge hole will be left when he goes. Last year Chris did not make it through the first week of training camp, I will give him until mid-December before he is a GATORADE NBA Call-up.

2.) Walker Russell JR - Another all-star from the 08-09 season. Will Walker be able to recapture what he had two years ago when he led the league in assists and broke the all-time assist record for a season? I think so, he has been in town and working hard in the gym a month or more prior to training camp. He is a step ahead of many guys in the D-League at this point in the season. I also think it helps that Chris Hunter is back, who was a prime receiver of those assists in the Mad Ants 2nd season.

3.) Rod Wilmont - Rod has basically been in a self-created training camp all summer in Fort Wayne. He is giving it his all to make this a break-out year for him. From what I hear around the water cooler, Hot Rod has improved leaps and bounds of where he was at last year ( which was still very good!). I really look for him to grab some peoples attention this year and help lead the Mad Ants to the promised land.

These are not all the keys to success, but my lunch break is about to be over so I better wrap it up! Please come on out to the following events we have coming up in the next 72 hours:

Nov. 12th MEET THE TEAM PARTY at Crazy Pinz at 7pm. Free Food Free Bowling, plus the Mad Ants players will be there mingling and signing autographs.

Nov. 13th MAD ANTS VS ERIE BAYHAWKS pre-season game at CONCORDIA SEMINARY GYMNASIUM 7pm Tip-off Admission is free with a can-good or $5 at the door.