Freshman Dottin Helps USD Grow Up Quicker

Last winter, Gylan Dottin was leading Santa Ana’s Saddleback High School to its most successful boys’ basketball season.

Dottin averaged 19.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists while guiding the Roadrunners to a 24-5 record and their first Sea View League championship. He was named first team Times All-Orange County and Southern Section All-CIF. He was a McDonald’s All-American honorable mention and earned a scholarship to the University of San Diego.

Tonight at 7:30 against Cal State Fullerton in the USD Sports Center, Dottin will start for the first time for the Toreros after admirable play during the first four games. USD (3-1) will be trying to equal its best start since the program went to NCAA Division I in 1979-80. (In 1984-85--Coach Hank Egan’s first year at USD--the team also started 4-1 before losing its next two games.)

That such a beginning is possible is somewhat amazing considering the ages of the personnel being used.

Dottin, a freshman who will be 19 Jan. 10, is far from the youngest Torero. Five other freshmen are younger; one is 2 months older. Five other players are sophomores, and there are just two seniors and one junior. It is Egan’s youngest team in 18 years as a Division I coach.

So when will the young mature, the potential be realized? When might this team be good rather than promising?

Egan will tell you those questions may never be answered. But Gylan Dottin (GUY-lan DOTT-en) is helping make them seem less troublesome than they were 2 weeks ago, before USD traveled to “The Pit” and won a tournament at the University of New Mexico.

With 21 points and 12 rebounds in victories over Lehigh and New Mexico, Dottin was Egan’s pick for the tournament’s most valuable player.

Including a blowout of Cal Lutheran (90-64) and last week’s loss to UC Santa Barbara (76-58), Dottin, a 6-foot 5-inch guard/forward, is third on the team in scoring (10.3 average), second in rebounding (5.8) and fourth in assists (1.8).

He leads the team in field-goal percentage (.667) and offensive rebounds (12).

But these numbers don’t tell the whole story. Ask Egan for some insight, and his first response is: “He’s loose.”

That’s followed by: “Gylan has a great sense of humor about life and other people.”

After an hour or so, Egan said, “When you talk to Gylan, oh boy, I’d love to be a mouse in your pocket.”

Pat Quinn, Saddleback’s coach of 10 years, said, “Gylan’s attitude was fantastic. He was a great kid.”

Fine. But USD has thousands of those. Can this kid play basketball? Can he hoop, as they say around the gym?

Said Quinn: “I had him for 3 years, and we really miss him this year even though we’re 4-0. He was a guy who made everybody else look real good.”

Said Egan: “With freshmen, you never know what to expect. It’s tough enough (aside from sports) for them to go away to school for the first time. It’s a surprise for us how well he’s performed as a freshman.

“No matter what I tell Gylan . . . if I say, ‘Go run through that wall,’ he’ll say, ‘No problem coach.’ He’ll do whatever you ask, at least try.”

Such as play forward (his high school position) or guard (he’s a good ball-handler).

“Wherever they need me,” Dottin said. “I’ve mostly played forward. But at guard, you get the feeling of freedom. The rare times I got to play guard, I really enjoyed it.

“I just like being 6-5 and playing guard rather than being 6-5 and playing forward.”

Dottin’s favorite player: “It depends on my mood,” he said. ‘(Michael) Jordan, (Larry) Bird, Magic (Johnson). I don’t want to be labeled as a scorer or a rebounder or a passer. My ultimate dream is a triple-double (double figures in scoring, rebounds and assists). I’ve come close many times, but I’ve been shy by one assist or one rebound.”

He adds, “I love the fast break. Slow-down games are for teams that are big. I like an aggressive game with lots of energy.”

Dottin was born in San Francisco, and his family moved around quite a big before settling in Santa Ana 12 years ago. He and his younger brother, Malru, were given names made up of other names--he isn’t sure which--by parents Aitishia and George.

Gylan says he took an early interest in all sports, but basketball was clearly his favorite. He also enjoys music and art.

“I could stand in a gallery for hours and just stare at the paintings,” he said.

He chose USD because of its reputation as a top business school.

“You can play basketball at any school, but education comes first,” he said.

Egan said: “The guy who was really high on him was Mike Legarza, who heads our recruiting. We recruited Gylan very hard and stayed with him.

‘(The Dottin) family handled the recruiting process as well as any family I’ve ever seen.”

Recruited by most of the Pac-10 and Big West teams, Dottin chose USD.

“I’ve adjusted fine,” Dottin said. “Coach Egan and some of the older guys have really helped me out.”

While Egan knows Dottin and his team will mature, Dottin also likes to think he’s still growing in stature. “I think I’ve grown a half an inch since I’ve been here,” he said.

Maybe, like the rest of the basketball team, he’s just walking a little taller these days.

Fullerton is coached by John Sneed, a former San Diego State assistant who replaced George McQuarn when McQuarn unexpectedly resigned last month.

Fullerton also lost the top six scorers off of last year’s 12-17 team, but still upset Utah, 59-57, in its opener. The Titans then lost to Pepperdine, 71-67.

Egan is fearful of Fullerton because, “They come after you. The way Santa Barbara did to us, and the way we did to New Mexico.”