News-Record.com

HIGH POINT -- The High Point University sports information department makes the men's basketball team youth movement clear for all to see. The 2008-09 media guide's cover features the team's 16 players with arms folded or basketballs in hand around a campus fountain, accompanied by the title, "A fountain of youth".

With the sun in their faces, most of the players are squinting while maintaining their unnatural poses. But no worries; the majority will have several more chances to get used to photo shoots. That's because 13 of the 16 players are either freshmen or sophomores, making the Panthers the second-youngest team in NCAA Division I. Only The Citadel has more underclassmen, and no one has more freshmen than High Point's nine.

"We're young -- probably the most talented we've been -- but we throw the ball all over the place and people don't understand what college basketball is about yet," Panthers coach Bart Lundy said at a preseason luncheon. "But I love our kids, I love where we are and I love where we're going."

Lundy has a horde of young talent at his disposal, but none of the newcomers is likely to match the production of Arizona Reid.

The "Big Peach," who finished his High Point career with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, not only graduated, he's on another planet.

Reid signed a professional contract with an Italian team in August. When he called Lundy with the good news, he told his former coach he was going to "Venus."

Before the conversation ended, the two established that Reid actually was headed to Venice, but either way, that chapter is over and the youth movement is in full swing. Which was glaringly obvious when the Panthers committed 25 turnovers in a season-opening 84-55 loss at Duquesne on Friday night.

"We have good leadership and guys who understand how to win," Lundy said. "We have enough guys back who provide energy, but we're going to have to be patient through the ups and downs that come with being young."

The newcomers will at least have the benefit of playing in the friendly confines of the Millis Center, High Point's home arena. The Panthers have won 73 percent of their games in the 16-year history of the facility and are 28-2 in the building during the last two seasons.

The Panthers aren't in horrible shape by any means, as juniors Eugene Harris (12.5 ppg) and Cruz Daniels return to the starting lineup along with sophomore David Campbell. Melvin Crowder (the only senior), Ibrahim Appiah and Earnest Bridges also return, but all averaged less than 11 minutes per game last season. Freshmen Steadman Short, a 6-foot-9 forward, and guard David Singleton will round out the starting five.

High Point was picked to finish fifth in a clustered Big South Conference in the preseason poll. Defending champ Winthrop is the favorite, but from there on it's wide open. Radford, new league member Gardner-Webb and Liberty, respectively, were voted to finish ahead of the Panthers.

Lundy knows full well it will be an uphill battle full of growing pains, but he also has complete faith in his young team.

"Our goal is like it always has been, and that's to win the league," Lundy said. "We're really young and it's a work in progress, but it's one of the most talented teams we've ever had and we just want to stay healthy."