SDSU Pleasing in Its Opener

The unknown became a little bit clearer for the San Diego State men’s basketball team Monday night, and the Aztecs liked what they saw.

With only three key members of last year’s team returning, this year’s edition is long on questions and short on answers. But a season-opening 115-96 exhibition victory over High Five America--a team consisting of former college players-- before 1,141 at Peterson Gym put an exclamation point on four weeks of practice.

“We played better than I thought we would,” said SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg. “I thought there was every chance we’d be kind of a nightmare.”

Instead, six Aztecs reached double figures against High Five America (5-6), a team that had won at South Carolina and Memphis State. Center Marty Dow and guard Arthur Massey led the way with 21 points each, Vern Thompson and Chris McKinney added 13 apiece, Keith Balzer had 12 and James Lewis 10.

Brandenburg went with experience at the outset, starting Dow, Massey and Thompson. Dow was the Aztecs’ starting center last season before missing the final nine games with a foot injury, and Massey and Thompson each played quite a bit last season. Sophomore Ray Barefield, who missed last season because he didn’t meet Proposition 48 requirements, started at guard and junior Keith Balzer, a transfer from Imperial Valley Community College, started at a forward.

Three Aztecs--Dow, Balzer and Massey--have missed significant practice time with injuries, but SDSU was still able to produce as much as a 14-point lead in the first half.

Brandenburg shuffled 11 players in the first half, noteworthy because SDSU finished last season with only nine available players. Balzer had the hot hand early, scoring all of his 12 points in the first half.

SDSU built as much as a 25-point lead in the second half. The Aztecs’ biggest problem came in the second half when High Five employed a press. The Aztecs had some trouble, and both teams got sloppy toward the end.

Still, SDSU shot 57% from the field and had only seven turnovers in the first half. The Aztecs finished with 21.

Aztec freshman Joe McNaull scored nine points and had four rebounds in his debut.

“We were a little fragmented offensively and defensively, but I thought we found the open man and made some plays,” Brandenburg said. “We weren’t perfect, but the kids hung in there.”