It was only seven months ago when Tim Carter was leading the South Carolina State boys’ basketball team to its most successful season in three years.

Much has changed since then with the graduation of frontcourt players Josh Jackson and Jason Johnson and the departure of All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie guard Jimmy Williams.

As Carter begins training camp for his third season with the Bulldogs at 9 a.m. today at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School, he finds himself coaching a much different team than the one which placed second in the conference last year and picked to finish behind defending conference champion Morgan State in the preseason poll.

“I think we’re in good shape,” Carter said. “I look forward to getting started because it’s going to be an absolute, different approach to putting together a team. The last two years, we were more inside oriented. This year, we’re going to be more perimeter-oriented.”

S.C. State does return swingman Jason Flagler, who was named to the preseason All-MEAC first-team after averaging 12.8 points and 8,2 rebounds per game last season. He’ll be joined in the frontcourt by returning players Arsenio Williams and Wesley Telfaire junior college transfers 6-3 Devin McBride and 6-4 Darnell Porter, 6-9 true freshman Jodd Maxey and 6-8 sophomore Rio Pitt.

Along the perimeter, the Bulldogs will turn to 6-0 junior college transfer Tyvon Williams to provide speed and quickness in the backcourt. Shooting guard Carrio Bennett is also back for his junior year and Brandon Smalls will return after missing the second half of last season for academic reasons.

“We’re going to look at pressing a little bit more,” Carter said. “Sometimes teams press a lot and are not good defensively in the halfcourt.”

As for highly touted freshman guard Shaq Barber, Carter said the team is still awaiting word from the clearinghouse before making him eligible.

The Bulldogs are slated to play three preseason scrimmages before opening Nov. 13 against Erskine College.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Read his blog, Following the Bulldogs, and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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