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Capped by its third straight first-round Big West Conference Tournament loss on Friday, the Long Beach State men's basketball team has seen its season come to a screeching halt.
After a disappointing 10-19 season, it is time to forget the past and concentrate on what the 49ers need to do to return to NCAA Tournament form.
Two outta three ain't bad. The 49ers have two of the best returning players the Big West will see next year in Antrone Lee and D'Cean Bryant. Keep them. Don't let them jump ship.
Don't rule out the possibility of senior Andy Betts returning for another year. Long Beach is in the process of retaining the 7-foot-1 center, and at 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, he would round off a threesome of monumental proportions.
Solidify the five. With Lee, Bryant and possibly Betts, the 49ers could have one of the best starting units in the Big West. Add Ramel Lloyd, who redshirted this season-and is supposed to be the best thing Long Beach has seen since Misty May-and the 49ers could be downright scary.
Although Lee is coming off an outstanding season (among the Big West leaders in blocks and steals), the addition of Lloyd would enable the Thomson, Ga. native to return to his natural position - shooting guard.
Hold the music. Enough of the pseudo-Chicago Bulls music the 49ers are introduced to before games. Fire up a little of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell," shut off the lights and spark up a little spotlight action.
If the game looks like a huge event, it probably is.
Stop picking daisies. Names like Norfolk State, Lehigh and Brown need to disappear from the Long Beach schedule, which did little to prepare the 49ers for this season's Big West opponents.
Thankfully, one of the weakest schedules in the nation has been remedied. Next year the 49ers will host Utah, Kansas State and Pepperdine. They will also travel to USC, Loyola Marymount, San Diego State and Southwest Missouri State.
The daisies have been picked and replaced by poison ivy. It doesn't matter who the 49ers are able to recruit for next season, they have already made the key move: A team earns respect from bangin' with the big boys.
Leadership. Coaching equals leadership. Find a way to solve the equation.
Find the floor general. Although he was viewed by many as a bad seed, forward Marcus Johnson brought a presence to the floor which seemed absent this season. It doesn't matter what happens during practice, all that matters is game night. The 49ers need someone who is going to throw an elbow and get on a teammate's case.
With fire, anger and a lot of sweat, Long Beach could return as the tournament team it was three years ago.
Games aren't just won on the court. Find a better way to get the students involved. It's bad enough that many Long Beach students don't know that it is free to attend games at The Pyramid, but don't know where The Pyramid even is (the big blue pointy thing in parking lot B).
There is no reason why, with a facility like the 'Mid and a team like the 49ers will have next year, Long Beach cannot become another Chapel Hill.
the 49ers are introduced to before games. Fire up a little of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell," shut off the lights and spark up a little spotlight action.
If the game looks like a huge event, it probably is.
Stop picking daisies. Names like Norfolk State, Lehigh and Brown need to disappear from the Long Beach schedule, which did little to prepare the 49ers for this season's Big West opponents.
Thankfully, one of the weakest schedules in the nation has been remedied. Next year the 49ers will host Utah, Kansas State and Pepperdine. They will also travel to USC, Loyola Marymount, San Diego State and Southwest Missouri State.
The daisies have been picked and replaced by poison ivy. It doesn't matter who the 49ers are able to recruit for next season, they have already made the key move: A team earns respect from bangin' with the big boys.
Leadership. Coaching equals leadership. Find a way to solve the equation.
Find the floor general. Although he was viewed by many as a bad seed, forward Marcus Johnson brought a presence to the floor which seemed absent this season. It doesn't matter what happens during practice, all that matters is game night. The 49ers need someone who is going to throw an elbow and get on a teammate's case.
With fire, anger and a lot of sweat, Long Beach could return as the tournament team it was three years ago.
Games aren't just won on the court. Find a better way to get the students involved. It's bad enough that many Long Beach students don't know that it is free to attend games at The Pyramid, but don't know where The Pyramid even is (the big blue pointy thing in parking lot B).
There is no reason why, with a facility like the 'Mid and a team like the 49ers will have next year, Long Beach cannot become another Chapel Hill.