Wright State senior guard Reggie Arceneaux has a green light from his head coach Billy Donlon to shoot after being sixth on WSU’s squad last season in field goal attempts.
Arceneaux is known as one of the few shooters who has a better 3-point shooting percentage than 2-point percentage. Last season, Arceneaux shot 46.5 percent from the outside and 40 percent from inside the arc.
“You shoot (46) percent from the 3, I may not be the brightest light in the attic but you always have the green light,” Donlon said.
Arceneaux, when asked about playing with the green light too shoot, gave a statesman's like answer.
“That isn’t important to me. I just want to win,” Arceneaux said. “I could have the green light, yellow light, red light, blue light, I just want to win. If that means I don’t play, I’ll be a cheerleader on the bench.”
Arceneaux’s field goal percentage last year saw a dramatic increase from his sophomore and freshman seasons. Those years, he shot well below 40 percent from the field. Last year, he was a 43.2 percent shooter.
Arceneaux said he is excited by the up-tempo system Donlon is attempting to employ this season.
“Quickness, speed and shooting, that is my strength and that is the greatest thing a coach can tell you,” Arceneaux said. “If you have those attributes to blow it up the floor, don’t tell me twice. I won’t think twice about going up the court using my speed.”
Transfers expected to play a huge role
In addition to adding seven freshmen to the roster, juniors Michael Karena and Joe Thomasson joined this year’s squad. Both played two seasons at the junior college level.
With WSU not being as experienced as last year, Karena and Thomasson will need to have good seasons for the Raiders in order for WSU to be successful according to Donlon.
“Those guys are going to have to have good seasons,” Donlon said. “If they can have the kind of seasons (junior college transfers) Jerran Young and Miles Dixon had a few seasons ago, I think we have a great chance to compete for the championship.”
Though Karena has not been on campus for long, he already has a nickname from Donlon.
“I nicknamed him Bane because he is built just like the “Dark Night Rises” character,” Donlon said.
Thomasson is a product of Thurgood Marshall who spent two years at State Fair Community College averaging 14.2 points a game. Thomasson played well in last week’s exhibition game versus Findlay scoring 11 points adding four assists and rebounds.
“I think we have recruited him since he was in the womb and we were lucky enough to get him,” Donlon said.
