In his time with Erie, power forward Jarvis Gunter was a crowd favorite.

He felt right at home.

Jarvis Gunter was more of the most well-liked players to suit up for the Erie BayHawks and even though he returned to Tullio Arena on Tuesday wearing a Springfield Armor uniform, he still got love from the Erie fans after the game.

Gunter, who had been with the team since its 2008-09 expansion season, was waived by the BayHawks this season.

In his first game in Erie against his former team, Gunter had nine points on 4-of-4 shooting. For the season, Gunter is averaging 4.6 points a game in 29 games.

After the game that ended with Erie winning 101-92, I talked with Gunter about how it’s been for him since joining Springfield, jabbering with his former teammates and being back in Erie.

How did it feel to be back here for a game? – “It felt good. Good feeling. I was a little nervous, but overall it was a good feeling. We didn’t come out with the win, like I wanted, but it felt good to be back. The crowd really appreciated me.”

At the end of the game, one of the fans gave you a hug. What was that like to know that you left a good impression on them? – It was a great feeling. Good they still appreciated what I had done the past two years. I felt good. I was nervous, but it was a good feeling.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Tasheed Carr is certain he's going to make Erie's final 10-man roster.

Tasheed Carr says he’s focused on just getting better every day in training camp.

Making the Erie BayHawks’ final 10-man roster is a given for him.

“I think I’ve worked hard and I think I’ve earned a spot,” Carr said after Tuesdays’ morning practice. “So right now I’m focused on every day getting better and helping out my team anyway possible and get ready for Friday.”

Now Carr was considered a leader while at St. Joe’s, but the BayHawks are using him as a 2-guard instead of a point guard. Since he can do both and shoot the ball, that makes Carr more attractive to keep on the team.

Erie must get its roster down to 10 by 5 p.m. Thursday. The BayHawks open the season Friday against Springfield at Tullio Arena.

Hard to say who the BayHawks will cut, but their new coach, Jay Larranaga, plans to make the final cuts by the end of the night and inform the players Wednesday morning who’s staying and who’s leaving.

Erie currently has 13 players now. Larranaga hasn’t made a cut since early on in training camp so you know he likes the remaining players.

Read the rest of this entry »

Point guard Cedric Jackson is looking to once again make his way to the NBA through the Erie BayHawks.

The following eight players have been invited to the Erie BayHawks’ training camp that begins Saturday, Nov. 6 at the LECOM Medical Fitness & Wellness Center in Erie.

The BayHawks can have up to 17 players in training camp. Erie opens the 2010-11 season Nov. 19 against Springfield at Tullio Arena.

▀  PG Cedric Jackson – Averaged 16.4 points and 7.4 assists in 34 games for the BayHawks as a rookie last season, The 6-foot, 3-inch, Jackson, 24, received NBA call ups from the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards.

▀   PG Maureece Rice – Avg. 18.7 points to help Erie make the D-League playoffs in its expansion season in 2008-09. Erie tried to get the 6-1 combo guard last season, but Rice, 26, couldn’t get out of his contract with a team in the Ukraine. The Philadelphia native was an exciting player for Erie and was really the difference in the BayHawks making the playoffs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Forward Ivan Harris has shaved his head since last season with Erie and no longer rocks the braids.

The Erie BayHawks have to make their final two cuts by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to get their roster down to 10 players for the season opener Friday at Fort Wayne.

On Monday night, the BayHawks had a controlled scrimmage at East High School that revealed quite a bit about each of the remaining 12 players. The White team consisted of guards Cedric Jackson, Oliver Lafayette, Rod Wilmont, forwards Ivan Harris, Kyle Goldcamp and center John Bryant.

That team beat the Black team, 34-32. The black team consistead of first-round pick, guard Donell Taylor, guards Zach Sowers and forwards Jackie Manuel, Martin Zeno, Alade Aminu and Jarvis Gunter.

Very competitive game, but here’s what I noticed about each player in the scrimmage.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s who the Erie BayHawks will likely start in Thursday’s 7 p.m. D-League preseason game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Meadville Area Senior High School.

PG – Donell Taylor (6-6, 185, Alabama-Birmingham)
SG – Oliver Lafayette (6-2, 190, Houston)
SF – Jackie Manuel (6-5, 189, North Carolina)
PF – Ivan Harris (6-7, 215, Ohio State)
C – Jarvis Gunter (6-10, 210, Arkansas-Pine Bluff)

Now Lafayette, Manuel, Harris and Gunter all played for Erie in its expansion year last season. Taylor is the only new starter. The Bayhawks picked him with the second overall pick in this year’s draft Nov. 5.

When looking at this starting line up, two things jump out.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jarvis Gunter can't run like Usain Bolt, but he may be the fastest D-League big man.

With his arms pumping and legs extending out to eat up space, Jarvis Gunter looks like a sprinter.

Since Gunter is 6-foot-10, he’s also reminds Erie BayHawks forward Jackie Manuel of the fastest man in the world today.

“That’s Bolt,” Manuel shouts out at practice earlier this week. “Usain Bolt.”

The world record holder in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, Bolt is 6-foot-5. When Gunter runs, he has a sprinter form, but there’s a reason for that.

Gunter said he conditioned with the track and field team and cross country team while in high school.

That explains everything.

The Erie BayHawks released Erie native Joe Jones earlier today and kept former Gannon power forward Kyle Goldcamp.

Jones’ downfall was his lack of strength. At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Jones just didn’t match up physically with the bigger guards in camp.

I talked to Erie coach John Treloar today and he simply said Jones, who starred at Edinboro and Cathedral Prep,  needs to get in the weight room.

Now Jones doesn’t have to become this big ol’ brut. That would take away his quickness. With those broad shoulders, Jones could put on at least 15 to 20 more pounds.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ivan Harris is safe from getting cut Wednesday. Who else in Erie's training camp is secure as a blanket?

The Erie BayHawks must make one more cut to get their roster down to 12 before 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The way I see it, six spots are already secure, I think.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you followed the Erie BayHawks last season, you know Ivan Harris, Jackie Manuel, Jarvis Gunter and Oliver Lafayette.

If you followed them really closely, you know Raheem Moss from training camp. He was the last player cut before the regular season opener.

If you follow area college basketball, you know Gannon center Kyle Goldcamp and Edinboro guard Joe Jones, who is from Erie.

So those seven guys need no major introduction.

The remaining 10 in training camp for the BayHawks?

They’re a different story. Let’s a take a look at them.

Read the rest of this entry »

LeBron James is a load to stop. Jarvis Gunter can attest to that.

Switch.

Erie BayHawks center Jarvis Gunter did so on a pick and was left to defend the 2008-09 NBA MVP: LeBron James.

Uh oh.

“I got caught guarding him on a switch for a couple of seconds, but he passed it,” Gunter said. “I just trying to keep him in front of me. Not let him get past me.”

Whew.

Along with former Gannon senior center Kyle Goldcamp, Gunter has been traveling to Cleveland Clinic Courts to play against the Cleveland Cavaliers in pick-up games to help the Cavaliers get ready for training camp.

Gunter has got his share of training out of it as well

Read the rest of this entry »