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A year after winning the Southern Conference's North Division championship, the Elon Phoenix fell all the way to last place in 2006-07. Coach Ernie Nestor believes improved depth and a commitment to pound the ball inside will help turn the team's fortunes back around.

"Last year was a great guard league in the Southern Conference," Nestor said. "This year it's going to be a great frontcourt league. Now, there's very good guards, but there's more better big guys than there's been for quite awhile in our conference."

The Phoenix may not have a dominating inside presence, but Elon hopes to make up for that with a rotation of quality post players. Nestor mentioned Scott Grable, Adam Constantine, Ola Atoyebi and Monty Sanders as big men who will make a contribution this season.

"We have some depth," the Elon coach said. "We have not had that, particularly in the interior positions."

Also in the mix is 7-foot freshman Daniel Watts. Nestor is unsure what to expect from the tallest player on the team, but Watts' play during exhibition games impressed the coach.

"Big kids will stay at a certain point and then will make a big jump," Nestor said. "(Watts) made a big jump and he's got my attention."

Elon's offensive focus this season is to play inside-out. The plan is to work the ball into the post and come away with points in the paint or kick it outside to open shooters.

"We're really trying to bring the ball inside," Nestor said. "We're not a great 3-point shooting team. We're going to be more of a two-point scoring team, particularly early.

"That's going to constitute posting the ball and we've got to get some production in there. We've got to get fouled and we've got to get to the line. ... We've gotten too perimeter oriented the last couple of years."

One advantage this season's Elon squad will have is a true point guard. Fifth-year senior Montell Watson returns to run the show after sitting out last season with a foot injury.

"Montell puts everyone else in a comfort zone," fellow guard Brett James said. "We won't have to worry about bringing the ball up any more."

Watson is rounding back into game shape and has not shown any lasting effects from the foot injury. His return to the point guard position will allow James, Devan Carter and Brian Waters to focus more on other parts of the game.

"Sometimes the worst thing you can have is a lot of guys playing the point," Nestor said. "We'll have fewer this year if (Watson's) health holds up. That allows the kids who played the point to move to where they're more natural."

The biggest beneficiary should be James, the leading returning scorer (12.2 ppg) for the Phoenix. No other returning player averaged more than six points per game.

James is ready for a greater scoring load this season.

"I've got to get my condition up to play more minutes," he said, "but I'm up for the challenge."

James expects that with additional depth, the Phoenix will play at a faster tempo.

"We're going to get out and run a lot more," he said. "The big guys can all run. We're going to get more shots off this year."