It Looks Like a Good Season for Dominguez Freshmen

Just three games into his 13th season as basketball coach at Cal State Dominguez Hills, it’s already becoming painfully clear to Dave Yanai that he can write off his team’s fortunes for the remainder of the preseason to allow key freshman as much playing time as possible.

“This is the time of year when we must give our young people a chance,” admitted Yanai. He has guided the Toros to five 20-win seasons, but another one appears out of the question.

Yanai bristles at the thought of a rebuilding year, but that appears to be what he has on his hands. In the process, his personal coaching record of 186-140 stands to take a beating. This season will be a youth movement, with any shot at the playoffs or a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title a few years and a few new recruits away. The Toros’ best bet would be to finish strong and sneak into the CCAA post-season tournament via fourth place.

Dominguez Hills opens at the Cal State Stanislaus Tournament Friday against Washburn University of Kansas after falling to 0-3 with a 70-67 loss to visiting La Verne University Nov. 21. Although the Toros showed promise in spurts against La Verne, they have yet to score 70 points in a game, while allowing an average of 77.

Not that this type of play wasn’t expected. Only one bona fide starter returned from last year’s team, which was 20-10 and advanced to the Division II Western Regional. That player, guard Robert Barksdale, can’t be expected to carry the team every night, said Yanai.

“Robert must do a lot of the work,” the coach said. “But it’s tough on a player in the last five or six minutes if he is your lead guard and he is tired.”

Barksdale said the team can come around if “I just be a steadying influence from the point guard spot.” He has played all but five minutes so far and leads the team in scoring with an average of 16 points per game.

The Toros have just two seniors, forwards Kevin Shaw and Brian Johnson. Johnson is an adept three-point shooter from the top of the key, and he led the team with 15 points in the La Verne game. But he and Shaw give up a lot on defense, which means that Yanai is leaning toward several first-year players.

Against La Verne, Yanai, who has not settled on his first eight or nine players, had three freshmen on the floor most of the second half. Eleven players saw action.

“Baptism by fire,” Yanai called it.

As for wins and losses, “I’m more concerned with our own development,” he said. “I want to get things settled.”

In the next month, look for freshman guard Ray Bennett from Carson High School to get more playing time. Also expected to see plenty of action is freshman center Vincent Washington of Carson, who scored 12 points against La Verne. First-year guard Norman Francis from Fairfax High looked quick in spots in the La Verne game.

A big question mark, however, was the play of junior center Joseph Janney, a transfer from Trade Tech, who is playing only his second season of basketball. In losses to Cal State Hayward (85-60) and Sonoma State (75-60), the native of Ghana played well, according to Yanai. But against La Verne, he looked unsettled and Yanai benched him in favor of Washington, Shaw or freshman Curtis Wright of Modesto.

A bright spot might be the return of sophomore forward Segaro Bozart, who will not be academically eligible until Dec. 8. He is expected to combine with returning swing man Michael Bell, best known for his defense, to provide a steadying influence up front.

“Segaro is the best player in our front line right now,” Yanai said. “Michael has been doing the type of things that are his strengths very well.”

The Toros need the cohesion Bozart is expected to bring because the schedule for the next month and a half just gets more difficult. After the Stanislaus Tournament, Dominguez Hills plays single games with West Texas State, North Central Illinois, Grand Canyon College, Quincy College and a pair with Biola University follow.

And don’t forget the CCAA season, which begins Jan. 12. Six of the Toros’ seven conference opponents are expected to be improved over a year ago.

“It definitely won’t get easier,” Yanai said after the La Verne loss. “But we will get better every day. I hope that in the next 10 days we will have 10 days of growth.”

Yanai has given the team a motto, one he has been reciting every day at the beginning and end of practices:

“Let’s get better.”