The game plan was in place before the tip-off of ETSU’s season opener against UVA-Wise.
Brad Nuckles would provide size, experience and consistency inside while a trio of new post players would get their feet wet and learn the system.
Murry Bartow made no secret of Nuckles’ importance to the team during his final call-in show before the season began.
“As goes Brad Nuckles, so goes this basketball team,” Bartow said.
Two minutes after tip-off in that first game against NAIA team Uva-Wise, Nuckles went down with a foot injury, and the newcomers have been swimming in the deep end ever since.
Fast-forward to January – ETSU is at home and running away from Elon in the second half. With the Bucs’ offense hitting on all cylinders, the shell-shocked Phoenix defenders are spread all over the floor frantically trying to get a hand into the face of whichever Buc shoots the ball next.
Tim Smith drives the baseline and zips a pass into Sneed’s hands at the foul line. His first instinct is to protect the ball in anticipation of the swarm of defenders that has descended upon him all season. Then he sees the daylight.
In a split-second, the 6-foot-7, 245-pound wrecking ball goes hard to the rim.
When the dust settles, two Elon defenders are sprawled out under the basket, Sneed is headed to the foul line, and Bartow is running down the sideline and clapping at another breakthrough moment for his big man. Welcome to on-the-job training, SoCon style.
In a season full of dark clouds, the development of Sneed and freshman Andrew Reed has been the silver lining. For Sneed, the realization that he could play Division 1 basketball came during ETSU’s worst loss of the season.
Sneed put up 30 points and pulled down 14 boards in the Bucs’ 114-77 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. His performance against one of the toughest front lines in the SEC filled him with confidence and elevated his game almost overnight.
He followed that game up with 12 points and nine rebounds against the College of Charleston and has become a force inside ever since. Sneed putting up a double-double has become almost a given on game night. His 8.3 rebounds per game are better than Zakee Wadood’s team-leading 8.1 per game last season, and his 10.1 points per game have given the Bucs a substantial presence inside.
While Sneed’s trial by fire began with Nuckles’ injury, Reed was thrown into the mix following Chris Mitchell’s departure from the team due to family issues.
The 6-foot-8 freshman has slowly grown more comfortable on the offensive end, shooting a team best 59.5 percent from the floor, and his energy is contagious.
“He’s got great athleticism, great energy,” Bartow said. “At times he looks out of control, but his motor is just running. He’s going to give you 110 percent every game.”
While Reed has not performed as consistently as junior college transfer Sneed, there is no question that the experience that he is picking up this year will pay dividends for ETSU in the future.
The only question down the stretch is whether the development of Reed and Sneed will be enough to make ETSU a factor in the Southern Conference Tournament or merely something that gives the Bucs some momentum and optimism going into next year.

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