— By Taylor Kennedy
The Salem Tigers men’s basketball team is off to an 8-4 start — the program’s best start since the 2018-19 season.
First-year head coach Brett Rector has been impressed with how his team has played to this point.
“If you would’ve told me whenever I took over the job in July that we would be where we are at, I would’ve thought you were crazy,” Rector said. “There was so much work that needed to be done. From that perspective, I think we are in good shape.
“We signed a couple of talented guys and brought some talent back. Things are going well. Now, I am frustrated because I think we could be better. I love where we are at.”
Salem started the season on a high note, winning four of its first five games. The Tigers then hit a wall and lost three straight by a total of seven points.
Salem is back on the winning side, having won four straight. Rector saw growth not only in himself, but from his squad.
“I probably beat myself up during that span,” said Rector, a Ravenswood native. “We lost to Lake Erie by three, lost to Kentucky Wesleyan by one, and lost to Virginia Union by three. All of those were gut-wrenching losses.
“You go watch the NFL and look at the [Baltimore] Ravens. They lost [twice] on a [failed] two-point conversion situation. It is part of sports and life. How you respond to that adversity and bounce back is important.”
Salem is first in the Eastern College Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 86 points per game. The Tigers are holding their opponents to 72 points per game.
All eight of Salem’s wins have come by double-figures.
“We are resilient,” Rector said. “You have to be able to bounce back. You have to be able to do things when you do not feel good.
“There are days when I come into practice, and I don’t feel well. My hope is they don’t know that. You want to be the same person every day. The consistency is going to take them far in their lives — not just basketball. Being the same person every day, and showing up for work every day.”
Rector played his prep career at Ravenswood for legendary head coach Mick Price, whom he later coached alongside. Rector was a Class AA first-team all-state selection in basketball, as well as in football as a quarterback.
Rector spent 12 years at various college programs learning from those he worked with, including Dwaine Osborne at Charleston and Bob Williams at West Virginia Tech. He tries to differentiate himself from his early mentors.
“I think you have to be yourself as a coach,” Rector noted. “It is ultimately what I am trying to do. Every time I fold a piece of paper I put it in my back right pocket, which is what Kelly Wells used to do. There are many things I do verbatim from those guys.
“There are also things I tweak. I have to be myself in all areas because it is genuine. I have been blessed to work with those guys.”
Salem has three players that are averaging double-figures, including the team’s leading scorer Fonz Hale. Hale is averaging 20 points per game in 28 minutes per game. Rector has been impressed with Hale’s on and off-the-court abilities.
“Fonz is a great player,” noted Rector on the Cleveland, Ohio native. “He can score the ball. I am trying to focus on all the other stuff. I am trying to help him become a better all-around player that will help us win games. Everyone knows he can score.
“I am trying to help him be aware of everything else. The scoring comes easy for him. The guy is super talented, and I have been blessed to have him in my first year.”