Brandenburg: SDSU a Mystery Because of New Faces, Injuries

Ask Jim Brandenburg almost any question about what to expect from his third season as San Diego State’s basketball coach, and his reply is, “I don’t know.” He smiles when he says it. Time will tell if he will be laughing when it is over.

Seldom has there been as much uncertainty surrounding a Brandenburg team as there is around the one he will greet today for the start of preseason practice.

Of his 13 players, eight are newcomers. Only one starter, guard Michael Best, returns from a team that finished last in the Western Athletic Conference at 4-12.

Six of the first-year players are community college transfers and the two others--Terrence Hamilton from Patrick Henry and Courtie Miller from Torrey Pines--were in San Diego County high schools a year ago.

The influx of new players makes Bradenburg as curious as anyone about what form this season’s SDSU team will take. He only hopes it is better than his first two, both of which finished 12-17 overall, his first losing records in 13 seasons as a major-college coach.

“Where we are is kind of a mystery to everybody,” Brandenburg said.

But when Brandenburg says his two biggest concerns are center and point guard, that is reason for concern.

He must find a replacement for center Mitch McMullen, who led the team in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.9 per game), and recently signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks. And he must settle on a point guard--a position of turmoil since Bryan Williams was dropped from the team last season after his arrest for shoplifting.

Sean Jamison, a transfer from Pratt (Kan.) Community College, will get a look at center as well as power forward. The point guard spot could go to either senior Rodney Jones or junior Arthur Massey, a transfer from Alvin (Tex.) Community College. Best also could see action there.

Adding to Bradenburg’s uncertainty are injuries that will keep three players sidelined today.

Best is recovering from an operation he underwent two weeks ago to remove two screws that were surgically placed in his left leg before his freshman season. Best, whose 12.5 points per game were second only to McMullen, missed the last two weeks of last season for medical reasons unrelated to his leg problem.

Forward/guard Nelson Stewart, a junior transfer from Eastern Utah, is sidelined after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees two weeks ago. And center Marty Dow, a junior transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M;, has a back problem. All three are expected to be out at least a week.

But for all the questions, Bradenburg can take comfort in the fact that this is his first Aztec team comprised of players he recruited. Tony Ross, the last player from the coaching regime of Smokey Gaines, transferred after last season following a series of disagreements with Brandenburg.

The loss of Ross is only part of what caused the retooling of the Aztecs. Another top reserve, forward Dana Jackson, transferred to Minnesota, and four starters have used up their eligibility. That leaves Brandenburg with Best and four returning reserves, whose playing time averaged seven minutes.

But Brandenburg said he welcomes the challenge and realizes he must work quickly. The Aztecs open the season Nov. 24 against Villanova in the Maui Classic in Hawaii. The eight-team field also includes traditional powers North Carolina, Missouri and Louisville.

“That will accelerate our preparation process,” Brandenburg said. “It will give us an early indication of just what kind of work we are going to need to do to become a good basketball team.”

Aztec Notes

San Diego State’s top freshman recruit from last season, guard Kevin Rembert, never made it to SDSU and it appears he never will. Rembert failed to meet the freshman eligibility requirements of NCAA Proposition 48 last year and enrolled at Arizona Western College in Yuma, with plans of eventually enrolling at SDSU. But after leaving Arizona Western and registering for classes at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Rembert has transferred to Eastern Montana, an NCAA Division II school in Billings. . . . Junior forward Steve McClellan, who was to transfer to SDSU from Arizona Western this year but failed to meet academic requirements, has enrolled at Western New Mexico. But McClellan will not play there because of a disagreement with Coach Chris Ritchey. He will transfer at midyear, Ritchey said.