Recruiting Class Is in Session for USD Coach Egan : Basketball: He’s eager to see how newcomers will fit in to the Torero program.

“Have you read this?”

University of San Diego basketball coach Hank Egan sits behind his desk and motions to a tattered copy of a paperback book someone has given him to peruse.

“It’s about North Carolina State basketball,” he said. Pause.

“A program just like we have here.” Smile.

USD’s coaching staff doesn’t apologize for the institution’s academic emphasis. Egan makes no reference to collegiate programs that have bent the rules, but it is evident that this veteran of more than two decades of Division I coaching wouldn’t so much as roll his eyes at regulations.

So, today from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Egan gets his first look at the 1992-93 Toreros, to determine what they must do to prepare for a Dec. 1 opening date against San Diego State--two late November exhibitions precede that.

Entering the season, Egan has six first-year freshmen, a Fresno State transfer and a belly full of gut feelings, but no real inkling of how anyone will fit into the USD program.

“This is our best recruiting class,” he said. “When we recruited them, we thought we had some skilled and versatile kids. Certainly they can play, but you worry about whether they can make the transition to college.

“We can’t see them before practice starts, so we don’t know what they can do.”

For 21 years, Egan has prepared for basketball season in similar fashion. But this year, with the NCAA mandate that practices start two weeks later than usual, Egan’s schedule has been thrown slightly out of kilter.

“I’ve been doing it a certain way, preparing them a certain way all this time,” Egan said. “Something has to go when you lose that. It takes away some of the personal development. But those are the rules.”

Like a giant puzzle to assemble, Egan thinks he has the pieces of a fine creation. His recruiting class, a pair of core returnees and four other returnees from last season, make him hopeful about what might transpire at Alcala Park.

“I’m as excited as I’ve been in all the years I’ve been coaching,” he said. “That comes from the unknown.”

But there’s also the known.

USD (14-14 in 1991-92) lost five seniors, including leading scorer and rebounder and MVP Kelvin Woods and Wayman Strickland, the Toreros’ third-leading scorer and rebounder.

“The loss of those guys will change our approach,” Egan said. “We’re not big or super athletic or have burning speed, but I like our basketball stuff.”

Stuff like a true understanding of the game and a great work ethic. Those are things that make Egan feel good about what’s to come.

“And we haven’t always had that in the past,” he said.

Carrying the load of Egan’s instincts are senior co-captains Gylan Dottin and Geoff Probst. Dottin, a 6-foot-5 forward, was USD’s leading rebounder (6.5 average) and second-leading scorer (11.8) last year. Point guard Probst led the Toreros in assists (91), steals (32) and minutes played (950).

Among returners, Escondido High product Brooks Barnhard, a junior center prone to injury, is second to Dottin in scoring average (6.6) and rebounding (3.4). USD was 3-1 before Barnhard was injured last season, and the Toreros went 3-7 in the next 10 games they played without him.

Also returning are forward Christopher Grant, swingman Joe Temple out of Lincoln High, and off-guard Neal Myers, all juniors.