1988 COLLEGE BASKETBALL : Brandenburg Optimistic About Second Season : Questions Remain for the Aztecs, but Coach Sees Potential Answers

As Jim Brandenburg prepares for his second season as San Diego State basketball coach, he begins with a list of questions.

But unlike last season, when Brandenburg struggled to put together a team that resulted in his first losing season in his 12 years of coaching, he figures to find more answers this time around.

The Aztecs open preseason practice Saturday morning with 4 returning starters and a group of newcomers that Brandenburg figures will provide some of the help he needs to rebuild the SDSU program.

“I can’t wait to get started,” Brandenburg said this week. “I’m excited about what is ahead, and I’m curious to see just what we have.”

He can begin with the return of forward Sam Johnson, center Mitch McMullen and guards Tony Ross and Bryan Williams. All started last season for a team that finished 12-17 and in seventh place in the Western Athletic Conference at 5-11.

Ross led the team in scoring (15.9 points per game) and shot 46.9% (100 of 213) from 3-point range. McMullen was second in scoring (13.0 points per game) and rebounding (6.1 per game). And Williams led in assists (148) and steals (52).

Only forward Rodney Hawkins won’t return from last season’s starting lineup.

Hawkins led the team in rebounding (7.9 average), was third in scoring (12.1-point average) and near the top in almost every other important statistical category. But just as important, he was the team’s best defensive player.

“Over the summer, I watched tapes of every game we played last season,” Brandenburg said. “I don’t think it was until then that I realized what a good basketball player Rodney had become. He did so much for us.”

The loss of Hawkins has left Brandenburg with 2 of his primary questions: finding a defensive stopper at forward and an aggressive frontcourt rebounder.

Brandenburg said it might take several players to replace Hawkins because he doesn’t know if anyone can bring Hawkins’ mix of skills. But at least this year, Brandenburg figures to have players to choose among.

Six lettermen return to join 2 transfers who sat out last season and 5 recruits. That compares to last season when he finished with 10 players, only 3 of them guards.

Chief among the newly eligible players are transfers Shawn Bell and Michael Best.

Bell, a 6-foot, 6-inch forward from Morse High School, has 1 season of eligibility remaining after transferring from Chicago State.

Best, a 6-4 guard from Seat Pleasant, Md., has 2 seasons remaining after transferring from Clemson. Best has the potential to be one of the Aztecs’ more versatile players. He could play small forward, shooting guard or point guard, depending upon Brandenburg’s needs.

The Aztecs should have more depth at guard with the addition of Rodney Jones, a 6-2 junior transfer from Panola (Texas) College; and Eeric White, a 6-6 freshman from Las Vegas High School.

Because Ross gives the Aztecs one of the better 3-point threats in the country, Brandenburg will be looking for his new guards to play tougher defense and handle the ball better than his short-handed group did last season.

“We never found that defensive stopper on the guard line last year,” Brandenburg said. “We had a lot of trouble handling teams with big, aggressive guards.”

Brandenburg also figures he has strengthened his team in the frontcourt with addition of 3 freshman recruits--Dana Jackson, a 6-8 forward from Crystal Lake (Ill.) South High School; Alex Sund, a 6-8 forward from Golden (Colo.) High School; and Neal Pollard, a 7-0 center from Torrey Pines High School.

If he develops quickly, Pollard could be counted upon to back up McMullen. Pollard’s older brother, Mark, took some of that responsibility last season. But Mark is on the first year of a 2-year Mormon mission this season.

McMullen had a tendency to get in foul trouble last season and occasionally tired, especially at high-altitude sites. Brandenburg used Johnson at center when McMullen struggled but would prefer to keep Johnson at forward this season.

Saturday’s practice begins 5 weeks of preparation before the Aztecs play the Australian national team in an exhibition game Nov. 21 at Peterson Gymnasium. They open the regular season against Delaware Nov. 26 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The schedule also features early nonconference games at Baylor Nov. 29 and against North Carolina Dec. 29 at the Sports Arena. That has Brandenburg a bit concerned, especially because of his team’s record of starting slowly.

“We try to teach the players an awful lot in the first few months, maybe too much,” Brandenburg said. “We give them a lot to learn and it takes some time for it all to sink in.”

But Brandenburg said he believes the learning will go smoother this time. He spent much of his first few weeks last season trying to teach the basics of his system. With half the team returning, Brandenburg is expecting a more productive preseason.

“I’m hoping some of the older players will work with the new players,” Brandenburg said. “I hoping the communication will be better this year. If we get the players talking basketball off the court, getting closer with each other, we have a better chance to succeed.”