Media picks UH second in WAC men's basketball
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Don't believe everything you read.
The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference in a preseason poll of the conference's media.
Fresno State was predicted to finish first, receiving 11 of the 13 first-place votes.
Of course, this is the same media panel that picked San Jose State's Carlton Baker to win the Newcomer of the Year award.
Baker has not been on the San Jose campus for three weeks since returning to his Indiana home for "family reasons." He is not likely to play at all this season, although the San Jose State coaches "are not ruling anything out at this point."
In any case, the media's guess is as good as any in what is expected to be an unpredictable season.
Boise State and Louisiana Tech join the WAC, adding more mileage to the most geographically stretched conference in the nation. Unlike other WAC sports, basketball requires each team to play a home-and-home series with other conference members, meaning each team must make nine road stops.
During a media teleconference yesterday, the WAC's 10 coaches shared a general sentiment: everybody's good and every place is tough.
• • •
Team capsules
(in alphabetical order)
Boise State
2000-01 record: 17-14 (8-8 Big West)
Outlook: The Broncos enter their first year in the WAC with four starters returning from last season. The BSU Pavilion — which has served as an NCAA Tournament regional site four times since 1992 and has a capacity of 12,380 — has the potential to become the most feared home court in the WAC.
Player to watch: Abe Jackson, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, averaged 17.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. He scored 40 points, including eight 3-pointers, in an exhibition game last week.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 20 at Utah; Dec. 12 vs. Wyoming.
Coach's quote: "I do think we have a nice home court, but you look up and down the conference, there's not an easy place to play," said head coach Rod Jensen.
Fresno State
2000-01 record: 26-7 (13-3 WAC, NCAA Tournament second round)
Outlook: The Bulldogs have received the most preseason hype among WAC teams, including a No. 25 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Center Melvin Ely and forward Chris Jefferies are arguably the two best players in the conference.
Player to watch: Ely, a 6-10 senior who averaged 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last season, was picked by the media to repeat as Player of the Year. He was the starting center for the USA at the World University Games in August, and led the team in rebounds.
Key non-conference games: Dec. 4 vs. San Francisco; Dec. 11 at California.
Coach's quote: "For our team to be successful, everybody has to realize we have two quality players and everybody else has to play their roles," head coach Jerry Tarkanian said.
Hawai'i
2000-01 record: 17-14 (8-8 WAC, NCAA Tournament first round)
Outlook: The Rainbow Warriors return six of the eight players who were key contributors last season, including three starters. However, three of those players are currently under NCAA investigation for past participation with professionals in European leagues, and their eligibility for the early season remains in question.
Player to watch: Predrag Savovic, a 6-6 senior guard, averaged 17.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. He is the leading scorer among all returning WAC players, but is one of the players under NCAA investigation.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 23-25 at Big Island Invitational; Dec. 19-22 Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.
Coach's quote: "We have a good nucleus returning from last year's (WAC) Tournament championship team and sometimes that's the best teacher," head coach Riley Wallace said.
Louisiana Tech
2000-01 record: 17-12 (10-6 Sun Belt)
Outlook: The Bulldogs enter their first season in the WAC with their three leading scorers from last season. "I keep telling everybody that Louisiana Tech is the sleeper team and nobody wants to believe that," said SMU head coach Mike Dement.
Player to watch: Gerrod Henderson, a 6-4 senior guard, averaged a team-high 18.4 points per game and was an All-Sun Belt Conference selection.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 17 at Iowa; Dec. 4 at Auburn.
Coach's quote: "In the Sun Belt, you could go on the road and clip a couple of the bottom-half teams," said head coach Keith Richard. "I don't know if you can do that in (the WAC)."
Nevada
2000-01 record: 10-18 (3-13 WAC)
Outlook: The Wolf Pack enters its second season in the WAC with four returning starters. Three of those players, guards Andre Hazel and Garry Hill-Thomas and center Sean Paul, started as freshman last season.
Player to watch: Terrance Green, a 6-2 junior guard, led the Wolf Pack in scoring in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 17 at Cal State-Northridge; Dec. 20 at UNLV.
Coach's quote: "I don't have a top player; I have eight or nine guys that are pretty solid," head coach Trent Johnson said.
Rice
2000-01 record: 14-16 (5-11 WAC)
Outlook: All-WAC guard Mike Wilks used up his eligibility last season, but the Owls return 10 other players, including three starters. Willis Wilson is 117-136 in nine seasons at Rice, and is 14 victories shy of becoming the program's all-time leader in coaching victories.
Player to watch: Shawn Tyndell, a 6-5 senior guard, averaged 10.5 points per game last season. He finished fourth in the WAC with 65 3-pointers.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 16 vs. Navy; Nov. 29 at Houston.
Coach's quote: "You don't replace a guy like Mike Wilks. He was everything for our program last year," Wilson said. "This year's team is going to be different. We're going to have to count on a lot of different guys on different nights."
San Jose State
2000-01 record: 14-14 (6-10 WAC)
Outlook: The Spartans lost four senior starters from last season, and might also lose prized recruit Carlton Baker for the season because of "family reasons." Garvin Davis, a 6-11 junior center, leads a group of seven newcomers.
Player to watch: Brandon Hawkins, a 6-3 junior guard, was a starter at Iowa State before transferring. He will become eligible in late December.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 27 at Santa Clara; Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Cyclone Challenge.
Coach's quote: "We have a lot of new faces," assistant coach Patrick Springer said. "We feel good about our recruiting class, but they're all new."
Southern Methodist
2000-01 record: 18-12 (8-8 WAC)
Outlook: The Mustangs return three starters, including potential All-WAC performers Damon Hancock and Quinton Ross. In addition, SMU had a stellar recruiting class, including 6-9 forward Patrick Simpson, the Colorado high school player of the year last season.
Player to watch: Hancock, a 6-4 senior guard, averaged 16.7 points per game last season. Because of his experience and versatility, he may split time between point guard and shooting guard.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 20 vs. Texas Tech; Dec. 18 at TCU.
Coach's quote: "We've got so many new guys, I'm more worried about who's going to be playing for us," head coach Mike Dement said.
Texas-El Paso
2000-01 record: 23-9 (10-6 WAC, NIT second round)
Outlook: WAC scoring champion Brandon Wolfram completed his eligibility, but four other starters return. Two of those starters, point guard Eugene Costello and center Brian Stewart, are currently injured, but both are expected to be ready by next week.
Player to watch: Costello, a 5-10 senior point guard, averaged 14.3 points and 4.6 assists per game last season. He is recovering from a foot injury suffered in the summer.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 26 at Texas Tech; Dec. 18 at Charlotte.
Coach's quote: "Our league is difficult," head coach Jason Rabedeaux said. "The travel is brutal. (The teams) are well-coached from top to bottom, and there are good players all around."
Tulsa
2000-01 record: 26-11 (10-6 WAC, NIT champion)
Outlook: John Phillips takes over as head coach after four seasons as an assistant. Eight players return, including three starters. The Golden Hurricane will make two trips to Hawai'i this season — in December to play in the Yahoo! Sports Invitational, and then in February to play the Rainbow Warriors.
Player to watch: Kevin Johnson, a 6-7 junior forward, led the team with 13.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season. He injured his foot during the off-season, but is expected to be ready by next week.
Key non-conference games: Nov. 28 vs. Arkansas; Dec. 29 at Kansas.
Coach's quote: "I see the WAC being very balanced," Phillips said. "I see the (WAC champion) losing anywhere from five to seven ball games."
