LONG BEACH STATE NOTEBOOK / JASON REID : Even Greenberg Is Excited About 49er Prospects

He has to follow the coaches’ script to a point, so men’s basketball Coach Seth Greenberg is upfront about the numerous questions, uncertainties, problems, etc., the 49ers face entering their season-opening practice Saturday.

And Greenberg’s cautious talk about the difficulty of the Big West Conference is sure to satisfy his coaching brethren.

The party line aside, though, Greenberg also shares this: The 49ers are talented, and there’s no denying this group should be successful.

“I’m not going to sit here and say we don’t have good players,” Greenberg said. “I’m as excited this year as I’ve ever been because I think we’ve got the pieces together now.

“If the (players and coaches) can fit the puzzle together then, yeah, we can have a very, very exciting season.”

Long Beach was 17-10 last season, and tied Utah State and San Jose State for second place in the Big West at 11-7. It was the team’s highest regular-season conference finish in 14 seasons.

Greenberg begins his fifth season at the 49ers’ controls with, talent-wise at least, his best team. The group is also experienced, including four fifth-year seniors.

Senior forward Mike Atkinson led the nation in field-goal percentage (69.5), averaged 15.4 points and was selected second-team all-conference. Guard James Cotton (11.4 points) was the conference’s freshman of the year. Cotton’s younger brother, Schea, is a standout at Mater Dei.

The 49ers open The Pyramid--the athletic department’s Plymouth Rock--with a game against Detroit Mercy Nov. 30 on ESPN. Greenberg said the school’s $22 million on-campus athletic facility has already helped recruiting; he’s not the only one who has noticed.

“I’ve told Seth, ‘Coach, the only person who can mess up this team is the coach,’ ” assistant athletic director Bill Shumard said. “But, seriously, everyone is looking forward to the season.”

Campuswide enthusiasm is great, and Long Beach is definitely enthused. But like most who hold clipboards and blow whistles, Greenberg doesn’t want the good-natured enthusiasm developing into unrealistic expectations.

“People are excited about our building and the program, and that’s great,” Greenberg said. “But I also have to temper that enthusiasm with reality. We do have some questions.”

And, Greenberg knows, they have the talent to find the right answers.

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Signing time? Greenberg hopes to sign two players during basketball’s early signing period, Nov. 9-16. The 49ers have four scholarships to offer.

“We’d like to sign two front-court players, a perimeter player and then probably hold one for the best player we can get,” Greenberg said. “Maybe it’ll be a transfer because, let’s face it, a lot of kids want to come home.”

The late period runs April 12-May 15.

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Sweep: The men’s and women’s cross-country teams both finished first in the UNLV Invitational on Saturday. The victory was the first for the women’s team since 1983, said Andy Sythe, head coach of both teams.

“We ran the best race we’ve run in a while,” Sythe said. “I knew we could do it. I told them we could do it, and they responded and fought hard.”

Pat Bendzick was the highest individual finisher for the men, taking third place. He ran the 5.2-mile course in 26 minutes 37 seconds.

Lisa Bower finished fourth for the women. She covered the 5,000-meter course in 19:06.

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Banged up: Setter Heather Hofmans continues to play well despite a fractured ring finger on her right hand, but Coach Brian Gimmillaro wonders how much longer she can hold up.

Outside hitter Kristin Harris is trying to play through a groin pull, but Gimmillaro knows she needs to take things easy. And Lori Price, Hofmans’ backup, is working hard despite a sprained ankle, but . . . well, you get the idea.

“We have to get healthy,” Gimmillaro said. “The key to our program is improvement during the season, and it’s very difficult to improve if you’re not healthy.”

Despite the injuries, the team is 11-3, 6-1 in the Big West Conference and ranked No. 9 nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Assn.

Notes

Long Beach is playing host to its eighth hall of fame golf tournament at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach on Oct. 17. The tournament is open to the public. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. The tournament is being conducted in conjunction with the annual 49er Athletic Hall of Fame inductions. The 1994 group: Klaus Barth (swimming, 1969-73); Rikard Bergh (tennis, 1986-87); Warren Boring (wrestling coach, 1958-65); Mike Horan (football, 1980-81); Margaret LeDuc (basketball and volleyball, 1968-71); Ralph Lee (track and field, 1963-65); Bob Pinkerton (football and track, 1957-61); Sam Robinson (basketball, 1968-70), and Rob Townley (baseball, 1978-79). The hall of fame banquet will be held on Oct. 27 at the Long Beach Hyatt Regency. More information: (310) 985-7662.