STAR-BULLETIN / 2002
Coach Riley Wallace has led Hawaii to the NCAA Tournament the past two years.
Hawaii, Tulsa When coaches get together -- even if it's for a teleconference -- various shades of the truth come out.
are class of WAC
The league's other coaches
The teams
know who they are chasingBy Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.comJust how bad are the injuries? Are the newcomers really taking longer than expected to adjust to the new system? And is the Western Athletic Conference truly better than its mid-major label in men's basketball?
Yesterday, the WAC's 10 coaches were pretty straightforward about the hopes for this coming season. And, truth be told:
>> Tulsa and Hawaii are the class of the WAC;That said, the common themes yesterday were how to survive the preseason with few injuries and fewer losses, and how to get good enough to be considered for postseason play.>> The four new coaches have a huge learning curve when it comes to traveling through four time zones and seven states;
>> And, yes, Predrag Savovic has really finished his eligibility.
Rainbows sign two: Hawaii received two national letters of intent yesterday, the first day of the early signing period.Signing were Iolani School senior forward Bobby Nash, son of Rainbow associate head coach Bob Nash, and Jeff Blackett, a 6-8 forward out of Salt Lake City Community College.
Bobby Nash has requested to wear No. 33 next season, the same uniform number worn by his father during his Fabulous Five days in 1970-72.
Hawaii expects to sign one more player this weekend in Logan Lee, a 6-2 point guard at South Plains (Texas) Community College who verbally committed last month. The three signings leave Hawaii with one scholarship for 2003-04.
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A look at the teams, as ranked by the media for predicted conference finish:
1. Tulsa
Coach John Phillips has seven players back with a lot of experience, including five seniors who are 86-23 the past three seasons. After going 27-7 in his first season, Phillips knows it could be tough to top that.But the Golden Hurricane are off to a good start as the only WAC team ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll (No. 25).
"The factors to be successful in this league are experienced players and coaches who know what it takes to win on the road," said Phillips. "It's difficult to win on the road in any conference, but more so in ours."
Tulsa is the nation's second-winningest program over the past three years, behind only Duke. The Golden Hurricane had two players picked to the media's preseason All-WAC team in 6-foot-8 forward Kevin Johnson and 5-10 guard Dante Swanson.
2. Hawaii.
Being No. 2 is not a problem for coach Riley Wallace, the dean of the WAC coaches entering his 16th season. He considers it a good motivator for his team, a reason to work harder.With four starters back from a team that won a school-record 27 games and talented newcomers, Wallace is very optimistic about this season.
"This group has worked with the most intensity of any group I've ever had," he said. "It looks like we've filled the holes we needed to fill and we're way ahead of where we are normally at this point."
Junior guard Carl English was tabbed by the media as the preseason Player of the Year and is the only Rainbow on the preseason All-WAC team. Wallace said to look for an improved Haim Shimonovich and Tony Akpan, and for newcomers Michael Kuebler, Jason Carter and Vaidotas Peciukas to make major contributions.
3. Louisiana Tech
The Bulldogs open Tuesday at No. 7 Florida in the Preseason NIT. Coach Keith Richard said it's a mixed blessing -- a national TV game in a very tough place to play.He is counting on senior forward Antonio Meeking for consistency every game.
"Hawaii and Tulsa are heads and shoulders above everyone else," said Richard. "We have numerous players returning, but we don't have all-league players back like a Carl English, a Kevin Johnson. It will take two players to have all-league seasons to battle Tulsa and Hawaii."
4. Nevada
The Wolf Pack return four starters but will be trying to fill the void created by the loss of Corey Jackson, the WAC's leading rebounder last season (11.3 rpg)."I think we're better offensively," said Nevada coach Trent Johnson. "We're further ahead from last year. My main concern is to be in a position to play our best ball at the end of the year."
Back for his senior year is Terrance Green, the Pack's leading scorer the past three seasons. Nevada hopes to build on its home-court advantage, having gone 11-0 in nonconference games the past two seasons, 19-9 overall.
5. Fresno State
New coach. Same goals.Jerry Tarkanian may be gone, but Ray Lopes is ready to keep the Bulldogs on the national radar screen.
He has three starters back but lost two to the NBA Draft in Melvin Ely and Chris Jeffries.
"We don't have talent like last year, but that's no excuse not to be a good basketball team," said Lopes. "The biggest challenge is to get the team to buy into my philosophy.
"We don't have the level of toughness or experience right now of a Tulsa or a Hawaii. That's the level we want to be at."
6. SMU
Coach Mike Dement isn't shying away from tough competition. In a span of five days later this month, the Mustangs host Texas Christian and North Texas and are at Texas Tech.They are also on the road for five of their six games in December, including the UNLV Jim Thorpe Classic.
"I worry that it's too much, too soon," said Dement. "But if you can get out of the gate fast, we can shoot up the charts in terms of respectability."
Senior swingman Quinton Ross was a preseason All-WAC pick and, according to Dement, is the hardest worker in practice he's ever had. Expected to help with the scoring load this year is highly touted freshman guard Bryan Hopkins, tabbed by the media as the Newcomer of the Year.
7. Rice
Willis Wilson is pleased with his team's progress, but said the Owls are still looking for an identity and leadership. Rice has its four leading scorers back."We have the makings of a good team," he said. "It's hard to tell how good we are and how good we can be."
8. San Jose State
After three years as an assistant with the Chicago Bulls, Phil Johnson has returned to the Spartans. He coached at SJSU in 1998-99."Our goal is to come in each day and leave better each day," said Johnson. "I hope to use some of my experiences from the NBA and use it to our advantage."
Johnson is looking at asking more from senior point guard Brandon Hawkins, last year's leading scorer (16.0 ppg). Hawkins may move over to 2-guard.
The death of sophomore James Jenkins (hiking accident) leaves the Spartans with just one player taller than 6-6.
9. Boise State
New coach Greg Graham has been plagued with injuries, making it difficult to get in full practices."We're kind of a MASH unit," he said. "But the guys have figured out what I want. Our big thing in the preseason is to get better.
"We'll be a work in progress."
Graham doesn't have much to work with. He will rely heavily on junior guard Booker Nabors (11.4 ppg last season), who is currently injured.
10. UTEP
Billy Gillespie, a former Illinois assistant, has been on the job less than two weeks. The learning curve is steep and the roster small (13 players, nine on scholarship).The Miners have one returning starter in senior forward Roy Smallwood, who is nursing an ankle injury.
"We have got a lot of work to do," said Gillespie, a former assistant at Tulsa. "We're taking it one day at a time."
UH Athletics
