Desire…Intensity…Enthusiasm.

Those three words could be the key to success for the 1988-89 NIU men’s basketball team this season.

The Huskies have a fresh attitude and an up-tempo style of play that should give hoop fans something to cheer about this season.

Sophomore co-captains Donnell Thomas and Donald Whiteside have been impressed by the team’s intensity and aggressiveness in practice, and the running game should prosper because of it.

“A lot of guys are working hard to try and improve our record (over last season),” Thomas said. “We’re looking forward to the (fast) break.”

Whiteside, a 5-foot-10 point guard, will be expected to run the transition game with a cool hand, knowing when to pull the ball out and set up the half-court offense.

“Overall, we do like to run,” Whiteside said. “We’re all from high schools that ran, and we have a lot of fast-break drills that we work on in practice.

“I’m more of a role player. If I have to score, I’ll do it. But my main job is to get the ball to the big guys inside.”

One player Whiteside will be looking for in the open court is 6-foot-7 forward Andrew Wells. The 240-pound sophomore averaged 5.7 rebounds off the bench last season and is ready to mix it up with someone other than his teammates.

“It’s a battlefield out there every day,” Wells said. “Our big guys are able to run the floor pretty well. And we know that at the end of the break is a dunk.”

Ah yes, the dunk. NIU head coach Jim Rosborough has lifted the ban on Huskie dunking this season, and his squad is more than capable of slamming the ball with authority.

“One of the concerns on the slam is that it can possibly cost you games,” Rosborough said. “The only thing I’m insisting on with our guys is if you’re gonna slam it—put it in.”

One newcomer who can dunk with the best of them is 6-foot-8 center Antwon Harmon. The Proposition 48 sophomore is itching to get some game experience after spending last season watching from the sidelines.

“Individual stats don’t mean a lot to me,” Harmon said. “The only thing that matters is that you win.”

Indeed, winning is what Huskie fans will be expecting from this youthful bunch.

“It’s going to be an exciting season,” Wells said. “I feel the enthusiasm is a lot better (than last season). These guys have a deep desire to win.”

If the Huskies’ actions resemble their words, NIU fans could be in store for an exciting roundball season.