By B.J. Bennett

There has been a noticeable energy to this preseason for the Coastal Georgia men's basketball team. Year two of the Tim MacAllister era, boosted by a signature home victory over 9^th-ranked Keiser to end this past season, has been one of potential turning to progress and progress turning to purpose. The Mariners, with a schedule that includes a run through the always-competitive Sun Conference and a trip to "The Show", which will feature a pairing with defending national champion Freed-Hardeman, are eager to prove themselves on the big stage.

That desire has been on clear display this fall. 

"Really pleased with the work ethic, the mindset our guys have had all pre-season. Even going back to July. I think there's just a collective resolve to be really good this year on both ends. And I think that has carried over into practice, into weights," MacAllister explained. "I think that the returners leading the way, the nine guys that are coming back, have a perspective and a mindset that they're going to make sure that this thing works. I think that this is what we have needed, what we lacked last year, and is something that we can use going forward to really propel ourselves into having a great start to the season and then finishing the season really strong as well."

Ahead of a highly-anticipated season-opener against Columbia International University on Saturday, October 24th at 3:30pm, a game which will be Homecoming for Coastal Georgia, the Mariners have been in an all-out sprint to the start line. That pacing has been deliberate; Coastal Georgia is pushing for more. MacAllister's second season has come with more cohesion, and, ultimately, more conviction. This is a team that believes. Though there remains work to be done, and there are needed areas of improvement that MacAllister is highlighting, the focus, for the Mariners, is already in place. 

This is a team doing the little things to accomplish big things. And, as leaders emerge, each member of the roster is playing their part.

"Everybody has had their moments of flashing why they are here and why they can really help us win," MacAllister continued. "I do think Kaden McArthur came back in great shape, he came back ready to roll, ready to lead. I think Thaddeus Burns came back with a more aggressive mindset, which is something that we think he needs because he is such a dynamic player for us and can do so many different things. Guys like Ellis Graham had a great summer. Even guys that are returning, guys that are coming in, everybody has taken a step. Which is what you want. Those are a couple of guys who stood out off the top of my head, but that's not to say that that's the end of the list."

For Coastal Georgia, an ambitious schedule awaits. The program's mindset is equally as aspiring. Thus, the preparation continues. That process, for MacAllister, has been about the details. He is pushing his players towards a season of great opportunity and, there, the line between winning and losing may be very slim. The Mariners' final two losses of last season came by a total of just three points. Coastal Georgia is doing all that it takes, on the court and off, to be in the best position possible to get over that hump. As the preseason comes to a close and the start of the regular season approaches, MacAllister has specific boxes he wants to check as his team takes the floor.    

"I want to see where we put our emphasis showing up on the court in real games," he added. "We put a ton of emphasis on being better defensively, being more physical, both on the offensive and defensive end. Overall, these guys are doing a much better job of being on a string, one-through-five, guys collectively working together defensively. Offensively, I want to see our pace show up. I want to see guys continue to be unselfish, which we've done all preseason." 

Above all else, MacAllister is excited for what's next. 

"I really hope that these dudes' work just shows up. Some of these guys have put in thousands, tens of thousands of hours, to try to be better for this season," he concluded. "I want to see that show up on a game-to-game basis. I want to see them have joy playing the game that they love. Have guys go out there and really just put on an unbelievable show for our fans."