CHRIS Herren thanked the local security guard for keeping him alive long enough to reach the charter bus bound for Honolulu International Airport. Herren burns the ’Bows
and toasts the fansThe last Fresno State player to climb on board, he scooted into the seat across from Jerry Tarkanian, who looked up from the box score to give Herren his best goofy grin.
"Great game tonight, Chris," the Fresno State head coach said of the one Bulldog he can't live without. "We're the uninvited guest on our way to the Big Apple."
Herren offered only a tired smile as he settled in for the shortest segment of a 5,000-mile journey to famed Madison Square Garden. On Tuesday, Fresno State plays Minnesota in a National Invitation Tournament semifinal.
It's something Herren promises to think about another day, but at this moment, he wanted to savor Fresno State's 85-83 victory over the University of Hawaii in last night's pulsating NIT quarterfinal.
"This was a huge victory for us," Herren said. "Nobody really wanted us to win. But we did, and on one of the toughest home courts in the country."
Hours earlier, Herren entered the Stan Sheriff Center with the swagger of a championship boxer fighting in the hometown of the top contender.
HE not only danced to his own imaginary tune minutes before the starting lineups were announced, the talented guard also gave the shaka sign after being introduced to a crowd that didn't know whether to pat or knock him on his butt.
"I feed off these fans," said Herren, who finished with 14 points, six assists and three rebounds. "They're among the best in the country. I love playing here."
This from a guy who had beer thrown in his face on his way to the locker room seconds after Anthony Carter's desperation shot at the buzzer came up short.
It might have had something to do with Herren putting his index finger to his lips and uttering, "Shhhhh" to a stunned sellout crowd.
Few of the fans had enough left in them to respond to his jeer as Herren shuffled around the edge of the court on his way to the winning locker room. But it was certainly a sobering moment for a player who spent part of this season in rehab for substance abuse.
"It was just one of those things," Herren said. "It doesn't change how I feel about this place. Somebody just lost it for a second. I know how that is."
Herren certainly didn't let the incident keep him from making encore appearances. Several times he came and went from the locker room to the court to do television and radio interviews.
Granted, he didn't make a last-second shot. His final two points came with 4:37 remaining in the game. But the driving layup not only gave Fresno State a 78-77 lead, it also helped end an 11-0 Rainbow run.
"Chris holds everything together on the floor," Tarkanian said. "If he's not doing something offensively, then he's trying to make something happen on defense."
DOWN the stretch, Herren strutted in Alika Smith's shadow. He didn't allow Hawaii's leading scorer to get too many open looks. Smith last scored with 12:50 left, and the senior guard missed his final three shots.
Not only did Herren have something to do with that, he settled the nervous stomach of Winfred Walton, whose two free throws with 42 seconds remaining proved to be the difference.
"I told him to relax and make sure to hit the first one," Herren said of the huge 1-and-1. "For me, situations like that are what players live for."
And thanks to that attitude, the Bulldogs will live to play another day, something Tarkanian wasn't sure of until the final second ticked away.
"Our kids have come through so much this year," Tarkanian said loud enough for Herren to hear as the bus driver prepared to leave UH. "Thanks to Chris, we're on our way to New York."
Paul Arnett has been covering sports
for the Star-Bulletin since 1990.
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