When He Needs Assist, Oregon State Is There : Gary Payton’s Performance Makes St. John’s Regret Turning Him Down

The pace is slow in Corvallis, Ore., a college town in the lush Willamette Valley about 100 miles south of Portland.

Downtown looks like the set from “American Graffiti.” Gangs around Corvallis are the kids who hang out at the local convenience store on weekends and cruise in their hot rods.

When Gary Payton, a high school basketball phenom, visited on a recruiting trip to Oregon State in 1986, he was ready to go right back home to Oakland.

A street-wise city boy, Payton felt out of place in Corvallis.

Besides, Payton had dreamed of attending St. John’s, where he could bask in the national limelight. He even made an oral commitment to St. John’s after visiting New York, where he toured Manhattan in a limousine. Lou Carnesecca, coach at St. John’s, closed the deal with Payton’s parents.

“He came to our house and gave us a lot of promises,” said Payton’s father, Al. “He told us he was going to take care of Gary. I wanted him to go where they had an older coach who could look after Gary because he’d never been away from home before, not even for a night.”

But Carnesecca reneged after signing another guard, and Payton eventually signed with Oregon State.

Welcome to big-time college basketball.

“It kind of shocked me that they had set me up like that,” Payton said. “They were running a game.”

Carnesecca said: “We made a mistake. We should have signed him. He’s a great player. We really blew it.”

But Payton, a 6-foot 3-inch junior, has no regrets.

Payton has emerged as an extraordinary point guard. Some say he’s among the nation’s best.

“If he’s not the best point guard, he’s right up there with whoever is,” said George Raveling, USC basketball coach. “Those who see him on a regular basis realize he’s right up there with B.J. Armstrong (of Iowa) and Sherman Douglas (of Syracuse). But he’s not a player who’s fully appreciated nationally.”

Payton could have gained a lot of respect by making the 1988 Olympic team. He was invited to the tryouts but failed a physical because of an irregular heartbeat.

“That was the weakest excuse for me to go home,” Payton said. “I had a chest cold and told our trainer. I didn’t think it was serious, but they took it in a big way. They put me through all sorts of tests, like the treadmill. And I had a tingling sensation when I got off.”

He underwent further tests in Corvallis, which indicated nothing abnormal. Payton thought he’d be able to return, but Coach John Thompson wouldn’t allow it.

Not making the Olympic team has given Payton added incentive this season.

“I don’t know that it hurt us that he didn’t make the team because he still had a lot of proving to do this season,” said Ralph Miller, Oregon State coach.

Payton leads the Beavers in scoring, rebounding, steals, minutes played and assists going into tonight’s game against USC at the Sports Arena.

Oregon State’s career assist leader, with 596, Payton is on a pace that would break the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. record. The mark of 894 is held by Andre LaFleur, formerly of Northeastern.

A poor shooter in his first 2 seasons, Payton has blossomed as the Pacific 10’s leading scorer with a 22.9-point average. He was obsessed with improving his range last summer, taking 500 shots a day.

“Payton has really jumped his game up a level, especially offensively,” UCLA Coach Jim Harrick said. “He’s stepped up to where he’s right up there with the best guards in America.

“But nothing’s more impressive than his shot. He shoots a 3-pointer like it’s a layup. Before, you’d beg him to take it.”

Payton has elevated his game to an even higher level in recent weeks.

He scored a career-high 41 points against Washington State 2 weeks ago, putting himself in elite company. Gail Goodrich is the only other Pac-10 guard who has scored 41 points or more in a game. The former UCLA star had 42 against Michigan in the 1965 NCAA final.

In a 69-64 overtime victory at Cal last week, Payton scored all 9 of Oregon State’s points in the extra period. After being held to 4 points in the first half, Payton finished with 24.

Payton was spurred by the Cal rooting section, which taunted him.

“Gary was having a perfectly miserable game until they tried to discombobulate him,” Miller said. “As far as I’m concerned, they picked on the right player. They should have learned by now that you don’t get on him.”

Actually, Payton sometimes goes out of his way to incite opposing fans because the reaction motivates him.

“He’s the one that the other team loves to hate,” said Mike Corwin, Oregon State publicist. “A crowd will always pick him out because he’s easy not to like.”

Payton wears his arrogance as a badge of honor on the court, strutting as if he owns the world.

“He’s a cocky little rascal,” Miller said. “I’ve never seen a little guy who was pretty good that wasn’t on the cocky side. As long as it doesn’t get out of hand that’s fine.”

A master at intimidation, Payton likes to talk to his opponents on the court to upset them. His icy glare--”the evil look”--is a staple. Payton developed his style at Skyline High, which competes in the rough Oakland Athletic League.

“We went through riots and fights in the OAL,” Payton said. “People would try to punk you out and you had to be tough enough to come back at them. I just brought my high school with me to college.”

The Beavers reflect Payton’s style off the court, too.

After big victories, Payton leads the team in a chorus-line dance--packing burgers--the players moving their hands as if they’re scooping hamburgers off a grill.

Trojan Notes

Oregon State beat USC at Corvallis last month, 64-55. George Raveling, USC coach, presented Oregon State Coach Ralph Miller a Playboy magazine before the last game, saying he wanted to distract Miller. Miller sent the magazine back to Raveling and asked him to autograph it. “My wife would never believe George gave it to me unless he signed it,” Miller said. . . . USC is 7-12 overall and 0-8 in the Pacific 10. Oregon State is 13-4 overall and 6-3 in the conference.