Colleges / Alan Drooz : Lions Senior Center Answers Coach’s Challenge

Like a promising racehorse that starts fast but never wins, center John Veargason had teased Loyola Marymount with flashes of talent. But when many were finally ready to write off the slender 6-10 senior, he suddenly found the home stretch.

After transferring from San Jose City College in his hometown, Veargason spent two somewhat unproductive seasons at Loyola fighting injuries and searching for his role. At times it was as if Veargason was battling himself so hard he couldn’t get out of the starting gate.

Before this season, as he prepared his fourth team, Lions Coach Paul Westhead talked about how a senior had always stepped forward. Since Veargason is the team’s only senior off the bench, Westhead’s challenge was clear.

For a while it seemed the challenge would remain unanswered. The Lions lost a series of close games in December in which Veargason had little effect.

But around Christmas, Veargason seemed to find himself. Since the start of West Coast Athletic Conference play in January, Veargason has blossomed into Loyola’s top front-court reserve. He had several rebounding efforts in double figures. He blocked shots. He began to take, and make, the open 16-footer. He’s not flashy or dominating, but in the final months of his college career Veargason has become a valuable player.

It couldn’t have happened at a better time for Loyola, which last week returned Bo Kimble to the starting lineup and suddenly has all of its key players performing well a week before the West Coast Athletic Conference tournament.

“It’s kind of been a difficult last couple of years,” Veargason said. “Things just finally came, maybe slower than people expected. Maybe slower than I expected.”

The big turnaround for the Lions’ biggest player was seen in the two games after Christmas. Against Marist he produced 9 points and 13 rebounds in 11 minutes. Loyola defeated Nevada-Reno in Reno two days later, with Veargason hitting three of four shots and grabbing nine rebounds in 15 minutes. On the flight back, Westhead sat next to him. “Coach said when things start going good, the game starts getting easy,” Veargason recalled. “There’s never been words more true. The game is getting easier.”

After those games Westhead commented, “We’ve been saying his whole career he’s just about to turn the corner. We and he have hung in. There’s no reason why he can’t continue to play like that. It’s always been a confidence thing.”

Veargason says he was “trying to figure out what I was doing” as a sophomore at Loyola when he averaged 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds. Last season he battled an ankle sprain and knee problems that kept him out for much of the preseason, and he was rarely a factor, averaging 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds--hardly the big man Loyola has so long craved.

But this season Veargason has gotten comfortable in his role. His preparation included sessions with a sports psychologist: “I got down on myself. You can have some ability but if you don’t have confidence . . . (the psychologist) helped me a lot--thinking about stuff--and not thinking about stuff.”

In a recent Gonzaga game, Veargason performed the unthinkable--he took a rebound away from Hank Gathers, his teammate who leads the nation in rebounding.

“In a timeout coach said something like it’s nice to see somebody take a rebound away from Hank; it’s nice to see us bump some bodies out there,” Veargason said with a laugh.

Veargason, who will graduate with a degree in political science in May, goes into tonight’s game at Santa Clara averaging 3.6 points, 5 rebounds and shooting 52%. “I just try to stay in the role I’ve been given here. Every now and then there might turn out to be a little bit more, but I just try to stay within myself.”

Kimble’s return to the starting lineup makes Loyola a more dangerous team as it approaches the WCAC tournament. Kimble made two starts last weekend after arthroscopic knee surgery in late December, and he was on his game--69 points, 29 of 39 shooting, 8 of 10 from 3-point range and a career-high 40 points against Gonzaga on a variety of high-arching jumpers, layups and hanging dipsy-doo shots around the basket. He was named WCAC Player of the Week.

After the Gonzaga game Kimble said, “Sitting on the side I’ve been watching a lot. I’ve learned to be more balanced, when to take shots. I feel very comfortable out there. It feels great to be back in the flow again.”

Kimble, who played as shooting guard and small forward, estimated he’s “about 60% to 70%.” Gonzaga Coach Dan Fitzgerald doesn’t want to be around if Kimble is any more effective.

“They’re a different team with Kimble,” he said. “If he wasn’t healthy tonight, God forbid. I’d like to have what he had. He’s a tough match for us at forward.”

Westhead, who used Kimble as a reserve until he was sure the 6-5 junior was healthy, told Kimble he was starting in midweek. “I could have started him at St. Mary’s, but I didn’t want to push it. Hopefully in the playoffs that will prove to be a wise decision,” Westhead said.

Kimble teams with guard Jeff Fryer, the Lions’ other long-distance marksman, to give the Lions a game-breaking outside threat, as well as opening the inside a bit for Gathers. Against Gonzaga, the three combined for 106 points.

“(Kimble) adds a dimension to our team. He just opens things,” Westhead said. “He defies defense. Fryer has to be open. Bo doesn’t need to get open. In fact, he doesn’t like to get open. He likes to feel that pressure. They’re a nice combination.”

Word of a cable television deal for the upcoming California Collegiate Athletic Assn. basketball tournament apparently was premature. Last week, CCAA officials thought they were negotiating a deal with Prime Ticket to show the March 4-6 tournament, which will determine the CCAA’s representative to the Division II playoffs.

However, on Tuesday, the CCAA told Dominguez Hills Athletic Director Dan Guerrero that there will be no TV. Dominguez Hills hopes to play host to the CCAA tourney.

Sportsworks, an Inglewood-based sports marketing company associated with the Lakers, apparently attempted to negotiate a deal for the CCAA with independent TV stations in Southern California but found no commercial sponsors.

College Notes

Kristen Bruich of Loyola Marymount was named West Coast Athletic Conference women’s basketball Player of the Week. She scored 27 points, hit two 3-pointers and added 5 assists in Loyola’s 65-69 upset of Gonzaga in Spokane, Gonzaga’s first home loss in three years in the WCAC. . . . The Loyola men’s team finished its home schedule 10-3, averaging 122.9 points while opponents scored 108.1. . . . Dominguez Hills center Anthony Blackmon has moved into second place in Toros career scoring with 1,361 points. He needs 15 rebounds to take over the lead from James Shaw at 847. . . . Dominguez Hills has opened the softball season with 4-0 mark, all shutouts. Denise Biller threw a 2-0 perfect game against Loyola. The Lady Toros play a doubleheader Saturday at Christ College.