Daniel Shirley: Mercer players play through adversity

It has been a difficult week for the Mercer basketball team, and Tuesday likely was one of the worst days this program has endured.

That's the day when the Bears dealt with something college basketball players shouldn't have to face: attending the funeral of a teammate.

Jibri Bryan was killed Feb. 2, and the Bears' coaching staff and players, along with many support staff members, headed to Savannah on Tuesday morning for his funeral. That's tough. It's way more important than any game the Bears will have to play this season.

But they have to continue to play the games, and they have, and they have played well the past week. Mercer blew out The Citadel on Saturday in an emotional and mentally exhausting win at Hawkins Arena, and the Bears took Southern Conference-leading Chattanooga to overtime Monday.

They return to action Thursday at Wofford and then Saturday at Furman, but those games were not the focus Tuesday because there were way more important things to deal with.

"We will have a really tough day (Tuesday)," Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman said after the team's game Monday. "It was a tough night (Monday). It will be more tough with the stuff (Tuesday), but more important stuff (Tuesday) than this game. Wofford, it will be important but nothing like the important stuff (Tuesday)."

But it's also important how the Bears have dealt with the adversity they have faced the past week. Bryan's death, along with the suspensions of starters Jestin Lewis and Desmond Ringer, could derail the Bears' season, and no one would blame this team it that happened. But it doesn't look like that is going to be the case even if Lewis and Ringer don't return.

This team has too much character and leadership to let that take place, and that was on full display with the Bears' win Saturday and their close call Monday against a really good Mocs team.

"I think it says a lot about the character of those guys and how bad they wanted to do their best and give their best," Hoffman said. "I think about our assistant coaches and how hard they go and how they continue to push guys to be better. It was a special day for us. We didn't get the win, but in my heart of hearts, I believe our guys got a victory by what they were able to give (Monday)."

The Bears' coaches and players have given a lot in the past week through some trying times. That likely won't get any easier after the death of a teammate and suspensions of two key players.

But this team has shown it can play through the emotions of what it has endured, and that should help the Bears close out this season on a positive note.

Contact Daniel Shirley at 744-4227 or dshirley@macon.com

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Daniel Shirley: Mercer players play through adversity ."