Players in Review: Tony Bethel

Monday, April 27, 2009

Bethel was added to the Erie roster in February and went on to play in 20 games for the BayHawks, including 14 starts. Bethel was signed when former Pitt guard Mike Cook was released.

Bethel, a former North Carolina State guard, had recently spent time playing overseas in Belgium and Sweden. The transition back to the American game didn’t seem to hinder him too much.

In his shortened season with the BayHawks, he averaged a respectable 9.1 points per game on 44 percent shooting. His biggest issue was turnovers. At 6-2, 188 pounds, Bethel doesn’t have the size to be a two-guard in the NBA, which means he has to assume the ballhandling responsibilities of a point guard. His averages of 1.4 assists and 1.45 turnovers per game show that he’s not there yet.

If Bethel is back in a BayHawks uniform next season, that’s one area of his game coaches will look for improvement. Playmaking ability is not only the ability to make plays for yourself but for your teammates as well. Bethel showed flashes of the former this season, but his long-term prospects will depend on the development of the latter.

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About this blog/blogger

Blog Talk BayHawk is an unofficial Erie BayHawks blog covering the NBA D-League. It features opinions and information about the NBADL and the Erie BayHawks. Blog Talk BayHawk is written from a basketball fan’s perspective to fill In the gaps left by professional journalists’ coverage of BayHawks basketball and the Erie professional basketball scene.

Matt Hubert is a 25-year-old writer and basketball fanatic born and raised in Erie, Pa. He graduated from Mercyhurst College in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in English and a dual concentration in writing and creative writing. Matt's not wavering from his stance as a lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan, but he will cover the BayHawks' NBA affiliates in Cleveland and Toronto when it makes sense to do so throughout the year.

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