Pigram Looks For Answers To Stop ETSU's Slide

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Courtney Pigram was drawing up a play. Blue pen in one hand, dry-erase board in the other, Pigram drew lines and circles and tried to come up with a plan before practice began Wednesday for the East Tennessee State University men’s basketball team inside the Memorial Center.

"I’m coming up with something," said Pigram, showing off a devilish smile.

Pigram knows he has to come up with something, because little has worked for him lately on the court.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior guard has scored just 13 points in his last three games and is shooting 17.2 percent (5 of 29) from the field during the stretch. He has committed more turnovers (six) than made field goals.

"I’ve been playing kind of tight," Pigram said.

The former Atlantic Sun player of the year and honorable mention All-American is in a self-proclaimed slump. And his downturn has occurred at a very rough time for ETSU (18-10, 12-6 Atlantic Sun).

The Buccaneers, who face Kennesaw State (3-15, 7-20) at 7 tonight at the Mini-Dome, have lost four of their last five contests after dominating the A-Sun through the first three months of the season.

ETSU sits two games behind first-place Jacksonville and a game behind Belmont with two regular-season conference games remaining for all three teams.

As Pigram has struggled, so have the Bucs.

"I had to get a lot of stuff off my mind," Pigram said.

Pigram said he’s still confident of his abilities. But he admitted to putting too much pressure on himself to perform during the Bucs’ recent downward slide.

"[I’ve been] trying to make sure things go right toward the end of the season," Pigram said. "Unfortunately, it hasn’t, ’cause of me. So I just got to stay on my game."

Pigram’s 16.9 points and 1.7 steals per-game average rank second on the Bucs, while he leads ETSU in field-goal attempts (437), made 3-pointers (53) and assists (110).

ETSU senior forward Kevin Tiggs said the Buccaneers need Pigram to find his game before the start of the Atlantic Sun conference tournament, which will be held Mar. 4-7 at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

"It’s very big. He’s a big part of our system," Tiggs said. "We need him. … I hope he [gets] hot. I’m praying he gets hot."

Pigram said he reached out this week to former ETSU point guard Keith "Mister" Jennings for advice, while also consulting his mother and childhood friends. Asked what he’d been told, Pigram said: "Just play my game, and everything will take care of itself."

While Pigram reaches inward, Bucs coach Murry Bartow has looked outward.

Bartow said East Tennessee State’s recent fall has been tough. According to Bartow, the Bucs’ defense has held strong, but ETSU’s offense has faltered as the Buccaneers have been unable to find a
consistent scorer to replace Pigram’s expected output.

"I don’t want to put it all on one guy, but Courtney hasn’t played well," Bartow said. "It’s really hurt us offensively."

Notes: ETSU senior guard Jocolby Davis said Wednesday he expects to return to join the Bucs next season. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Davis has missed the entire 2008-09 season after suffering a preseason wrist injury. Davis initially considered playing for the Buccaneers this year if his injury healed. "I could never get 100 percent [healthy]," Davis said. He will now likely apply to the NCAA for a medical redshirt. "I should be back," Davis said.
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