Big
West boasts many tough teams
By Karl Peterson
On-line Forty-Niner
With
the start of the Big West men’s basketball
season about a month away, the consensus
is that the conference will be stratified
in the 2002-2003 season.
Both coaches and media agree that the conference
championship will go to one of three teams:
UC Santa Barbara, Utah State or UC Irvine.
The preseason media and coaches poll predicted
those teams should finish first, second
and third, with Long Beach State, Cal State
Northridge, Pacific, Cal State Fullerton
and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo comprising
the next strata of teams who must outperform
expectations to win the conference.
The University of Idaho and UC Riverside
are teams rebuilding and have been given
very little chance of competing for the
Big West title.
UCSB won the conference tournament last
season and played well against Arizona in
the NCAA tournament but lost 86-81.
The Gauchos return four of five starters
from that team, including senior forward
Mark Hull. Hull is an early candidate for
player of the year honors in the Big West
after he averaged 15 points and five rebounds
last season.
Head coach Bob Williams is confident going
into the season with Hull as the team leader,
citing his exceptional work ethic which
helped Hull go from the team’s worst defender
to its best.
The Gauchos weakness may be the team’s lack
of experienced big men. With Brian Whitehead
standing 6-foot-8 playing center, coach
Williams stresses that the team must shoot
well to remain competitive this year.
Utah State is looking for a fourth straight
20-win season and first-team Big West player
Desmond Penigar will play a major role.
Penigar, a senior forward from Upland, averaged
over 17 points per game on 49 percent shooting
last season for head coach Stew Morrill.
If Utah State is successful this season
it will be because of the defense that has
become the staple of a Morrill-led squad.
“The things I’m concerned about is understanding
defense, we have been a good defensive team
and we need our guys to commit to that,”
Morrill said.
Last season the Aggies ranked fourth in
the nation in points allowed, giving up
only 58.1 point per game.
UC Irvine is also poised to play well this
season in the Big West.
Although the team has won the regular season
Big West title the last two seasons, poor
performance in the conference tournament
has eliminated the Anteaters from a berth
in the NCAA tournament.
The Anteaters power undoubtedly lies in
the middle, with 7-foot junior center Adam
Parada.
“Our strength of our team is our inside
play,” head coach Pat Douglass said. “Adam
Parada is probably going to be one of the
best post players on the West Coast.”
UCI will also need strong inside play with
the loss of point guard Jerry Green, who
averaged 20 points a game for the team last
year.
Among the second layer of Big West teams,
many feel that Cal State Fullerton has the
best chance to reach the upper echelon.
“Hopefully what everybody is saying is true,
hopefully we are pleasant surprise,” head
coach Donny Daniels said.
Junior forward Pape Sow is a raw talent
from Senegal, Africa, who is expected to
compete for a spot in the NBA in the years
to come.
The Pacific Tigers’ head coach Bob Thomason
hopes that good guard play can help the
team score well this year, and that a favorable
early season schedule will propel the team
to a good year.
Cal Poly should be competitive this season
with junior forward Varnie Dennis, who must
play through pain to lead the Mustangs after
suffering permanent damage to his right
knee.
Bobby Braswell, head coach of CSUN, said
that his players have really come together
as a team after training on campus for the
entire summer.
LBSU’s success this year may depend on the
team’s ability to understand the system
set by new head coach Larry Reynolds.
If The Beach is able to pick up the new
system effectively, the team could fare
well in the Big West this season.
UC Riverside is still adjusting the change
from Division II to Division I and must
deal with NCAA probations, which prohibit
the school from participating in post-season
play.
Head coach John Masi must keep the team
motivated even though they have no hope
for post-season play, regardless if the
Highlanders are to stay competitive throughout
the year.
Idaho’s second year coach Leonard Perry
hopes to have great effort from his players
this year and is excited about being able
to play without any pressure.
The team went 9-19 last year and is not
expected to be a legitimate contender for
the 2002-2003 Big West crown.
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