Transfers Crowd Occidental Backcourt

The problem of replacing Occidental’s backcourt duo of graduated seniors Jim Cartoni and Mike Guzman has left basketball Coach Brian Newhall’s head swimming.

Newhall’s squad doesn’t lack talent--it’s overloaded with it.

And the transfer of Pomona-Pitzer’s starting point guard, Ethan Caldwell, to Occidental merely clouded the issue.

But Newhall, who was given the school’s coaching responsibilities last May, isn’t complaining.

“Caldwell can run a team as well as give us an outside scoring punch,” he said.

And Caldwell didn’t transfer alone. He brought his roommate and best friend, Stephen Bertz, MVP of Pitzer’s junior varsity.

Bertz is, of course, a guard.

“I fell for Occidental first,” Caldwell said. “But it didn’t take long for Bertz to get all gung-ho about it.”