TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – For the second straight offseason, Florida A&M men\u2019s basketball (8-12, 5-4) was faced with a transition; a result of hiring head coach Charlie Ward, the Rattlers\u2019 third bench boss in three years.<\/p>\n
It hasn\u2019t always been pretty during his first season, but the team has impressed in multiple facets, thanks to Ward and two of his senior leaders.<\/p>\n
Ward challenged the Rattlers out of the gate. Five-straight non-conference losses piled up before the team could muster a win, but those losses were crucial in building their new system: the Ward Way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe games we lost, we\u2019ve been right there for a lot of them,\u201d said Ward. \u201cWe had stretches that we didn\u2019t score the basketball and that sort of bit us in the butt. Overall, we have an opportunity to be in the mix, and that\u2019s what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
A coach can only do so much for a team\u2019s success. Luckily, the Rattlers\u2019 roster has plenty of senior leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking at [Tyler] Shirley and Jordan Chatman. Two guys who we look to to get the message across to the team, which they\u2019ve done a really good job of doing,\u201d said Ward.<\/p>\n
The pair has been leaned on heavily this year. On the court, both are averaging career-highs in scoring. Shirley is scoring 11.4 PPG, Chatman is scoring 9.5 PPG.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy teammates and coaches are putting me in the best position according to my strengths,\u201d said Chatman, who\u2019s in his fourth year on the team. \u201cReally just going out there, trying to execute the game plan and do everything you\u2019re supposed to do. When you do that, stats take care of themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shirley, who joined the Rattlers last season, says he\u2019s fit in nicely with this play style. <\/p>\n
\u201cFit is always most important. I feel like I fit within Coach Ward\u2019s offense, so I get a better product of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Off the court, Shirley and Chatman are thriving too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re okay with being wrong. They\u2019re okay with being held accountable. That\u2019s what leadership looks like,\u201d said Ward.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, we just try to be the guys that lead by example, the vocal leaders,\u201d said Shirley. \u201cWe challenge each other in moments where we\u2019re having a lot of fun to bring it together and be like, let\u2019s have fun, but know when to balance it and know when it\u2019s time to be serious.\u201d<\/p>\n
Good leadership is contagious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see two people doing it, another person leads on, another person leads on, and eventually, you get the whole team doing it,\u201d said Chatman.<\/p>\n
Their leadership helped provoke a 5-1 start to conference play. Since then, Florida A&M has lost three in a row, something Coach Ward says is just part of the process. With nine games left, he will rely on his leaders for a strong finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need those guys to step up, really at the end of games to find ways to bring the group together to where we can get the outcomes that we\u2019ve been desiring,\u201d said Ward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand that a season is full of ups and downs, you can\u2019t be really high when you win or really low when you lose, you gotta be even keeled pretty much,\u201d said Chatman. \u201cYou want people to have expectations of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rattlers have high expectations for themselves this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning everything. Winning a championship, going to March Madness, all the big, glorious things. Gold, glisten and gold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida A&M men\u2019s basketball hosts Texas Southern in Tallahassee on February 7 at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
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