It’s Time for Titans to Do Reality Check

This week’s dilemma for Cal State Fullerton Coach Brad Holland: How do you prepare the Titans for games at 11th-ranked UCLA Wednesday, 16th-ranked Nevada Las Vegas Saturday and highly regarded New Mexico State Monday when they’ve spent most of December fattening up on appetizers such as Eastern Illinois and Chapman?

The answer might have been right under Holland’s nose, in Titan Gym, where Georgetown’s basketball team practiced Sunday and Monday in preparation for the Disneyland Freedom Bowl Classic.

The Titans could have used a scrimmage or two against the 10th-ranked Hoyas to acclimate them to the caliber of opponents they’re about to face.

“Is that legal? Can we do that?” Holland asked. “Do you think (Georgetown Coach) John Thompson would have agreed to it? It would have given us some great competition going into these games.”

And a reality check, too. The Titans are off to an impressive 5-1 start, but their schedule, in degree of difficulty, is about to go from a swan dive in the back-yard pool to a triple somersault in the Olympics.

Some think UCLA is overrated--the Bruins (7-2) lost to Pittsburgh, 91-79, Monday--but they have one of the nation’s better forwards in Ed O’Bannon. St. Mary’s, they’re not.

Some thought Rollie Massimino would take UNLV’s running game out of high gear, but Rollie’s Rebels, led by high-scoring swingman J.R. Rider, are 4-0 and look every bit as explosive as Jerry’s Kids.

And New Mexico State (6-3) is 47-5 at home since February, 1989, and has been picked over UNLV to win the Big West Conference.

The Titans’ mission, and they have no choice but to accept it: Avoid a belly flop.

“It’s really a test of our character, especially at Las Vegas and New Mexico, where we won’t have many fans,” Titan forward Bruce Bowen said. “But I think we can fight through that and play well. We know we have to be ready or those teams will dog us.”

History isn’t exactly on Fullerton’s side, but there are reasons for optimism. Though the Titans are 0-4 in Pauley Pavilion, they have not lost to UCLA by more than 12 points, and they gave the Bruins a serious scare before losing, 86-80, last season.

Fullerton is 1-8 in New Mexico State’s Pan American Center but played the Aggies tough there in 1990-91 (an 80-74 loss) and 1991-92 (a 63-60 loss). Las Vegas is another story. The Titans are 0-9 in the Thomas and Mack Center and have been blown out in their last three games there.

“It’s difficult to prepare for these teams because they play at a level we haven’t played against this year,” Holland said. “But we’ve got some guys who have played against good competition in the past and we’ll draw from that.”

Homecoming: When Fullerton plays at UCLA Wednesday night, Holland will have to fight the natural tendency to sit on the home team’s bench.

Holland was a part of four Pacific 10 Conference championship teams at UCLA from 1976-79 and spent four years as a Bruin assistant under Coach Jim Harrick before taking the Fullerton job last spring.

“It’s going to be special because it’s where I played and coached,” Holland said. “It’s my school, the one I identify with. It’s going to be a great feeling walking in there and seeing a lot of friendly faces, people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with.”

Season’s greetings: The Titan women’s gymnastics team will hold a “Meet the Team” night at 7 p.m. Sunday in its practice room, which is located on the second floor of Titan Gym. The team opens the season Jan. 8 at home against Stanford.

Fullerton, under the direction of 18th-year Coach Lynn Rogers, will be led this season by junior Celeste Delia, who placed 25th in the all-around competition at the NCAA championships and won Big West Conference Gymnast of the Year honors last season.

Rogers said junior Karena Mills has made considerable progress since last season, and three freshmen--Brandi Baldasano, Cristi Clifford and Kristi Mardyn--are expected to boost the team’s chances.

“We have five strong scorers in every event,” Rogers said. “This team can score a lot of points and I wouldn’t be surprised if we break some school records, but we’re not real deep. We have no room for colds, the flu, stubbed toes or anything.”

Out but not down: Francine Garrett, a foreign exchange student from Israel who suffered a severe knee injury in the third meet last season, will not compete for the Titan women’s gymnastics team this season.

But she has still been one of Fullerton’s most impressive gymnasts this fall, not because of her skill but because of her determination.

Though Garrett’s knee is not strong enough to run on, she attends practice every day, for the duration of each workout, performing conditioning drills.

“I can’t believe the strength of this young lady,” Rogers said. “She’s a biochemistry major and got straight A’s this semester, even though she has trouble with the language sometimes. She’s there for the whole time at practice and just finds stuff to do.”

Garrett, who tore several major knee ligaments on a dismount from the balance beam, finished seventh in the world in that event at the World University Games several years ago.

“Being a world-class athlete, she put her life into it, and then in one second, everything she trained for was lost,” Rogers said. “It’s been mentally tough on her, especially when the kids got their uniforms and when they’re talking about the first meet. Her career is in doubt, but the door is not shut.”

Titan Notes

The Fullerton baseball team, runner-up in the 1992 College World Series, has been ranked eighth in Collegiate Baseball Magazine’s preseason poll. Louisiana State is ranked first, followed by Miami, Texas, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Arizona and Wichita State. Defending national champion Pepperdine is ranked ninth. . . . Titan center Sean Williams, who has 20 blocked shots this season, has moved into third on the school’s all-time blocked shots list with 61. Tony Neal holds the school record of 115, set from 1981-85. . . . With 25 three-pointers this season, Don Leary has already moved into 10th on the school’s career three-point list.