WAC PREVIEW : A Return to Form

Mission accomplished.

That sure makes Brigham Young University basketball Coach Ladell Anderson happy.

Five of the seven BYU basketball players who left on missions two years ago have returned to play for Anderson this season.

“When those guys left, I told them I hope I’ll be here when they get back,” Anderson said. “I had to suffer through it. By now we’ll be OK.”

After 15-14 and 18-14 seasons, the Cougars are expected to be more than OK this season. BYU returns four starters and has the five returning missionaries, four of whom have played for Anderson and all of whom are 22 to 24 years old.

“I have more depth than I’ve ever had in the four years I’ve been here,” Anderson said. “We have better shooters. The league is better, but I think our team will be in the thick of things.”

The Western Athletic Conference season is expected to be a race between the Cougars, league champion Wyoming and Texas El Paso.

“BYU has a better team than they’ve ever had before,” said San Diego State Coach Smokey Gaines, who thinks his young team will finish sixth or seventh.

BYU’s use of missionaries in sports has been a source of controversy throughout the league for years. This year, 10 of the top 12 players on the BYU basketball team are returning missionaries.

“I think it’s unfair to have someone 24 years old playing,” Gaines said. “Twenty-four years old. But there’s nothing you can do about it. Nothing.” United States Air Force Academy

Last season’s record: 3-13, 10-19.

Finish: Eighth.

Coach: Reggie Minton (18-39).

Top returnees: Eric Kjome (6-7, 195, So.), Michael Lockwood (6-6, 205, So.).

Top newcomers: Jeff Bowling (5-11, 170, Fr.), Ray Dudley (6-0, 165, Fr.).

Outlook: The Falcons lost their two leading scorers and rebounders in forwards Maurice McDonald (who averaged 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Jim Gulsvig (9.1, 5.5). In the backcourt, Minton is counting on newcomers Bowling (14.0 points, 6.0 assists at Air Force Academy Prep School) and Dudley (24.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists at Warner Robins in Warner Robins, Ga.). Brigham Young

Last season’s record: 11-5, 18-14.

Finish: Fourth.

Coach: Ladell Anderson (53-39).

Top returnees: Bob Capener (6-4, 185, Sr.), Jeff Chatman (6-6, 205, Jr.), Tom Gneiting (6-10, 220, Sr.), Brent Stephenson (6-9, 200, Sr.). Players returning from missions: Michael Smith (6-10, 205, So.), Jim Usevitch (6-9, 225, Jr.), Brian Taylor (6-5, 185, Jr.), Alan Astle (6-6, 190, So.), Marty Haws (6-2, 160, Fr., Redshirt).

Top newcomers: Nathan Call (6-0, 180, Fr.), Todd Gentry (6-5, 170, Fr.).

Outlook: The Cougars have four starters returning and five players returning from church missions. That’s the most to return to the BYU basketball team at one time. Guard Richie Webb, the only starter who is gone, will be replaced by Taylor. Chatman, a starting forward, is the conference’s leading returning scorer with a 17.5 average. Colorado State

Last season’s record: 6-10, 11-18.

Finish: Seventh.

Coach: Tony McAndrews (67-104).

Top returnees: David Turcotte (6-3, 210, Jr.), Pat Durham (6-8, 210, So.).

Top newcomers: Scott Mabey (6-9, 235, Jr.), Max Nicholson (6-9, 210, Jr.), Paul Rademaker (6-11, 230, Fr.).

Outlook: The team must replace Rich Strong, its leading scorer with a 16.9 average and the conference’s leading rebounder with a 7.6 average last year. McAndrews is counting on Rademaker and junior college transfers Mabey and Nicholson to contribute immediately. Rademaker averaged 21.0 points and 13.5 rebounds and had a school-record 77% field-goal percentage at Kemberly High in Combined Lakes, Wis. Hawaii

Last season’s record: 1-15, 4-24.

Finish: Ninth.

Coach: Frank Arnold (4-24).

Top returnees: Jerald Wrightsil (6-4, 175, Sr.), Rick Domonkos (6-8, 195, Sr.).

Top newcomers: Jamie Weaver (6-5, 200, Jr.), Chris Gaines (6-5, 180, Fr.), Alan Andrus (6-7, 205, Jr.), Bill Holcumb (6-10, 210, Jr.), Peter Martin (6-11, 215, Fr.), Moritz Kleine-Bockhoff (6-5, 210, Fr.), Jeff Lucas (6-3, 165, Fr.), Craig Murray (6-0, 160, Fr.).

Outlook: Arnold brought in eight new players this season, including five freshmen. Andrus (21.4 points, 9.5 rebounds at Utah Technical College) and Holcumb (15.0, 6.8 at Louisberg College in North Carolina) are scheduled to start. Weaver, who lettered for two seasons at the University of Houston and sat out last season, is expected to start at guard after he becomes eligible Dec. 23. Recruits include Kleine-Bockhoff of West Germany and Martin of Auckland, New Zealand, both of whom are expected to see limited playing time. New Mexico

Last season’s record: 8-8, 17-14.

Finish: Fifth.

Coach: Gary Colson (99-82).

Top returnees: Kelvin Scarborough (6-1, 170, Sr.), Kelly Graves (6-6, 190, Sr.), Hunter Greene (6-7, 185 Jr.).

Top newcomers: George Adams (6-8, 187, Jr.), Darrell McGee (6-0, 180, Fr.).

Outlook: The Lobos return four starters and Greene, who returns to the starting lineup after sitting out last season with torn ligaments in his left ankle. Greene averaged 11.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 1984-85. Adams (16.0, 8.0 at Imperial Valley College) is expected to start at forward. The Lobos will miss forward Johnny Brown, who averaged 20.9 points, 7.5 rebounds as a senior last season. San Diego State

Last season’s record: 7-9, 10-19.

Finish: Sixth.

Coach: Smokey Gaines (107-92).

Top returnees: Josh Lowery (6-4, 175, So.), Gerald Murray (6-8, 245, Jr.), Tracy Dildy (5-11, 180, So.), Johnny Scruggs (6-4, 185, So.).

Top newcomers: Juan Espinoza (6-7, 205, Jr.), Rodney Hawkins (6-8, 205, Jr.), Tony Ross (6-3, 175, Fr.).

Outlook: The Aztecs have no starters returning. Murray is practicing after redshirting last season with a knee injury. Lowery, who averaged 6.1 points, is the leading scorer among returning players. Sophomore center Kevin Brown (2.9 points, 4.6 rebounds last year) quit the team. Of the newcomers, Gaines is most impressed with Espinoza, Hawkins and Ross. Espinoza averaged 15.1 points and 8.5 rebounds at Grossmont Junior College, Hawkins averaged 14.6 points and 9.0 rebounds at Colby Community College in Colby, Kan., and Ross averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 rebounds at Grant High in Portland, Ore. Texas-El Paso

Last season’s record: 12-4, 27-6.

Finish: Tied for first (won the WAC tournament).

Coach: Don Haskins (468-208).

Top returnees: Quintan Gates (6-7, 200, Sr.), Hernell Jackson (6-1, 180, Sr.), Mike Richmond (6-9, 235, Sr.).

Top newcomers: Chris Blocker (6-5, 205, Jr.), Chris Sandle (6-6, 220, Jr.).

Outlook: Haskins has his work cut out for him. The Miners have won or shared the WAC title for four straight seasons but lost Dave Fietl (10.6 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Juden Smith (13.7, 4.7). The Miners will be centered around Gates (9.3 points), Richmond (8.5 points) and Sandle, a transfer Arizona State who the Miners are counting on to be one of the conference’s top players. Sandle, a McDonald’s All-American from Poly High in Long Beach, averaged 17.0 points at Arizona State last year before transferring to UTEP. He will become eligible after the first semester. Utah

Last season’s record: 12-4, 20-10.

Finish: Tied for first.

Coach: Lynn Archibald (46-45).

Top returnees: Albert Springs (6-6, 185, Sr.), Gale Gondrezick (6-4, 195, Jr.), Mitch Smith (6-8, 190, So.).

Top newcomers: Paul Van Maren (6-11, 195, Fr.).

Outlook: The Utes lost guards Kelvin Upshaw (11.7 points) and Manuel Hendrix (15.8 points) and forward Jerry Stroman (18.0 points, 5.2 rebounds). Returning is Smith, the conference’s leading returning rebounder with a 7.6 average, and Springs, who averaged 8.6 points. Van Maren of the Netherlands is expected to start at center. Freshman forward Marcel Huybens (6-9, 225) of Leidordorp, the Netherlands, has three cracked vertebrae in his back and will redshirt. Wyoming

Last season’s record: 12-4, 24-12.

Finish: Tied for first.

Coach: Jim Brandenburg (152-87).

Top returners: Fennis Dembo (6-4, 210, Jr.), Eric Leckner (6-11, 225, So.), Turk Boyd (6-0, 184, Jr.), Sean Dent (6-1, 168, Jr.), Dave Lodgins (6-10, 212, Jr.).

Top newcomers: Reggie Fox (6-3, 197, Fr.), Willie Jones (6-6, 195, Jr.).

Outlook: Les Bolden is the only starter gone from last year’s team. The Cowboys will once again be led by Dembo (17.0 points, 6.7 rebounds) and Leckner (15.8, 5.8). Brandenburg has been impressed with Fox, who averaged 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds at Muskegon Community College. Forward Jon Sommers will be out four to six weeks with appendicitis and will be replaced by Lodgins.

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FACTS & FIGURES

STANDINGS, STATISTICS

CONFERENCE Team W L Pct. PF PA FG%O FG%D FT% REBF Wyoming 12 4 .750 70.1 64.3 .526 .446 .657 36.9 UTEP 12 4 .750 69.3 61.4 .488 .468 .724 31.9 Utah 12 4 .750 71.3 68.8 .491 .470 .686 34.3 Brigham Young 12 4 .750 71.7 65.8 .476 .458 .690 36.1 New Mexico 11 5 .688 67.0 64.8 .499 .462 .571 33.6 San Diego State 8 8 .500 73.9 75.2 .450 .469 .646 38.4 Colorado State 7 9 .375 65.3 67.1 .459 .461 .686 36.4 Air Force 3 13 .188 56.8 64.9 .409 .493 .654 33.3 Hawaii 1 15 .071 64.0 76.9 .422 .488 .519 34.4

OVERALL Team REBA W L Pct. Wyoming 31.2 24 12 .667 UTEP 26.8 27 6 .818 Utah 37.3 20 10 .667 Brigham Young 33.7 18 14 .563 New Mexico 34.3 17 14 .548 San Diego State 41.7 10 19 .345 Colorado State 32.7 11 18 .379 Air Force 33.3 10 19 .345 Hawaii 41.9 4 24 .143

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

BASED ON ALL REGULAR-SEASON GAMES

SCORING

Player (School) Avg. Watson (SDSU) 22.5 Brown (UNM) 20.9 Stroman (UTAH) 18.0 *Chatman (BYU) 17.5 *Dembo (WYO.) 17.0 Strong (CSU) 16.9 Feitl (UTEP) 16.6 *Leckner (WYO.) 15.8 Hendrix (UTAH) 15.8 *Capener (BYU) 14.9

REBOUNDING

Player (School) Avg. Strong (CSU) 7.6 *M.Smith (UTAH) 7.6 Brown (UNM) 7.5 *Gneiting (BYU) 7.4 Martens (SDSU) 7.3 A.Jones (UH) 7.2 Feitl (UTEP) 6.8 *Dembo (WYO.) 6.7 McDonald (AFA) 6.6 *Springs (UTAH) 6.6

FG PCT.

Player (School) Pct. *Leckner (WYO.) .582 *Springs (UTAH) .576 Brown (UNM) .554 Strong (CSU) .552 *Chatman (BYU) .545

FT PCT.

Player (School) Pct. Upshaw (UTAH) .830 McDonald (AFA) .814 Bolden (WYO.) .810 Walker (UH) .808 *Dembo (WYO.) .764

STEALS

Player (School) Avg. *Dent (WYO.) 2.7 Watson (SDSU) 1.9 Upshaw (UTAH) 1.7 *Scarborough (UNM) 1.7

ASSISTS

Player (School) Avg. *Scarborough (UNM) 4.8 *Dent (WYO.) 4.6 Beer (AFA) 4.6 Upshaw (UTAH) 4.0 *Wrightsil (UH) 3.9

* Returnee.