Fowler Plays Important Role in Eagles’ Plans
February 10, 2004

By Joe Monaco, AU Sports Information

All superheroes have nailed down the exact science of coming to the rescue of innocent bystanders who are in the clutches of the most evil villains and save them from inevitable harm.

Whether it’s Superman, Batman or Captain America, each superhero possesses their own powers and their own way of helping those in need. It’s those crucial moments that keep the reader on the edge of their seat, thinking that it’s only a matter of time before good prevails over evil.

Ashland University junior guard Michael Fowler (Aurora, IL/Lincoln Junior College) doesn’t possess any superhero powers, but he has been an important part in the rebuilding and rescuing of the AU men’s basketball team.

It has been his determination along with a hard-nosed style of play that has kept the audience on the edge of their seats knowing that it’s only a matter of time before the Eagles begin to turn things around.

Fowler came to Ashland as part of a rebuilding team that featured 15 new players on the squad, including 10 freshmen. As a point guard, it’s his job to be the leader on the court, but head coach Roger Lyons believes that Fowler’s experience at Lincoln Junior College enables him to become a leader off the floor to the younger players.

“Mike’s number one role on this team is his leadership ability,” said Lyons. “He has to be the leader on this team because he’s one of the few guys who have that experience playing in college. Everyone is new on this team, including him, but it’s that experience factor that makes it essential for him to step up and lead.”

While Fowler’s experience gives him an advantage over some of his teammates, he is also in a position where he is being taught a new system. Many players struggle with Lyons’ system of a high-paced fast break offense and Fowler has been going through the same growing pains as his teammates.

“It’s been hard for me because every other team that I’ve been on has never sprinted up and down the court like we do now. We would fast break when we needed to, but it was never the focal point of our offense. That’s what it’s here. Coach gets on me because I haven’t been pushing the ball up the floor as quick as he would like, but that’s part of the learning curve,” Fowler explained.

“A lot of players struggle at the beginning because they say that they come from a high school that runs the floor, but it’s completely different here. He’s done a good job for us whether it’s been as a starter or off the bench. He has done everything that we have asked him to do,” Lyons added.

One aspect of the offense that’s a change for Fowler has been his role as the focal point in the Eagles’ scoring. This has been a bit of a transition for the AU guard as he was previous asked to be a passer first and shooter second in high school and junior college. Currently, Fowler is averaging 11.5 ppg., which ranks him second on the team. This is the first time in his career that he has averaged double digits. He also leads the team in assists (89).

“My mindset has reversed. The team looks to me to score a basket in certain situations and it’s my job to step up and score when I need to. It’s a new thing for me, but if it helps the team then I’m all for it,” said Fowler.

At the beginning of the season, it was critical for Fowler to be the scorer on the team. With his scoring ability, opposing teams focused on stopping him, which allowed for the younger players to get open looks and build confidence in their own shooting ability.

“We were surprised with his scoring ability because we brought him here to be our point guard with tremendous passing ability. He just continues to do everything that we ask of him,” Lyons commented.

The theme for the Eagles this season was to improve with every game and practice and continue to show progression throughout the year. Even though AU possesses a 10-12 record with three wins in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Fowler believes that the team continues to take two steps forward in its growth.

“Basically, it’s just a learning step for the team because we’ve had problems grasping what needs to be done and there are other times when we pick up on things quick. It’s just a learning step for the freshmen and it’s going to take this year for them to learn it and be able to adjust to college basketball. Fortunately for us, this team works hard, plays hard and wants to get better so I think we’re doing some good things, regardless of our record,” Fowler said.

Playing in one of the most competitive Division II conferences in the country has proven to be a double-edged sword for AU. At one end, the Eagles can only continue to get better by playing against the best competition, but also they are aware that they’re going to take quite a few lumps along the course. Fowler immediately found out what GLIAC action is all about as he has faced some of the country’s best point guards in Mercyhurst’s Justin Shouse, Michigan Tech’s Jason Marcotte and Findlay’s Dustin Pfieffer.

“It’s rough,” Fowler joked. “We’re 3-9 in the conference and we’re obviously not happy to have a losing record, but we have a chance to play some of the same teams again and see what we’ve learned from the first meeting.”

Even though, the waters are rough right now, the morale of the team remains positive in Fowler’s view. The one thing that can’t be questioned is that the Eagles play hard on the floor and continue to learn with every score and every mistake. Now – it’s a matter of putting all of those lessons learned into action.

“I tell the guys everyday to keep working hard and don’t get their heads down – keep them up. If you keep working hard then good things will happen. We need to stay focused for 40 minutes – not 30 minutes or 36 minutes – but need to put together a complete game. Once we are able to do that then we are going to be in great shape,” concluded Fowler.

It would be easy for the Eagles to stay down and bag the remainder of the season, but Fowler believes that giving up isn’t part of this team’s plans any time soon.

Think about it – how many times have you seen a superhero give up and go home without finishing their work? It doesn’t happen. That’s the one thing that will keep the audience on the edge of their seat, knowing that they are watching an Eagles squad that won’t give up without a good fight.