LONG BEACH STATE NOTEBOOK / JASON REID : Salahuddin’s Crowd-Pleasing Play Is Always a Slam Dunk

His dunks are important, spectacular and unrehearsed. Rasul Salahuddin, Long Beach State point guard and showman, insists he doesn’t practice the art.

He rarely thinks about past dunks and doesn’t spend time developing new ones. It just isn’t worth it.

But the steals, that’s a different story. Salahuddin works on his defense with a passion--at practice and on his own.

He vividly recalls many timely steals that sparked rallies or sealed victories. Those less key have meaning too.

The dunks have their importance, but Salahuddin measures himself by his defense. On both counts, Salahuddin is among the Big West Conference’s best.

“Everybody loves to see people run and dunk,” he said. “You know, it’s just about having fun.”

With Salahuddin around, the 49ers’ mood is often festive.

Salahuddin (pronounced saul-uh-HOO-den) jump starts Long Beach with acrobatic dunks. His leaping ability gives him the added hang time for impressive emphasis.

He’s good for at least one eye-opening slam a game, sometimes shattering opponents’ spirits with his fierce trips through the lane. And that part is special, he said.

“When I dunk, I feel that motivates my teammates,” Salahuddin said. “That gives us momentum.”

Steals usually lead to those crowd-cheering moments. When Salahuddin locks onto opposing point guards, they’re in trouble.

Salahuddin’s lateral quickness, long arms and coordination help him poke balls away from his counterparts. Even if Salahuddin can’t get to the ball, he slows down ballhandlers with intense pressure.

At times, the threat of facing Salahuddin is enough.

“Pressing the ball is one of the most important things for a point guard,” Salahuddin said. “I play the [passing] lanes too, but stopping opposing point guards is what I do best.”

Salahuddin averages three steals. As a junior last season, his first at Long Beach, he averaged 2.1 steals and led the team.

Those stats are among Long Beach Coach Seth Greenberg’s favorite. Salahuddin is one of Greenberg’s favorite players.

“Rasul proved last season that he is a great on-ball defender,” Greenberg said. “He’s the pulse of our team. How Rasul goes basically goes the 49ers.”

He’s been going good recently. And as Greenberg said, the team follows Salahuddin.

Salahuddin has scored at least 10 points in the last three games, and is averaging 10 points. He leads the team in assists, averaging four. Long Beach (3-2) has won three consecutive games.

The trend began last season. He was super in the 49ers’ run toward the Big West tournament championship, averaging 11 points and seven assists in three victories.

“Rasul is a winner,” Greenberg said. “He does whatever it takes to be successful. He’s brought that type of attitude and a contagious enthusiasm to our basketball program the last two years.”

At 6 feet 3 and 185 pounds, Salahuddin has the size and strength to match up with the conference’s best shooting guards. He did for much of last season, playing the other guard spot when Tye Mays, then a senior, became the starting point guard Jan. 30.

Not coincidentally, the 49ers won 10 consecutive conference games when Mays’ role increased. Moreover, Salahuddin, relieved of running the offense, played his best basketball.

“Last season, I only played point guard for part of the season,” he said. “I’m playing the point for the whole season this time, so it’s been a new experience for me.

“Even though it’s not my natural position, I feel more comfortable at it because of how hard I’ve worked. If anything, I think it’s better for me this season because I know I’m not going to be switched around.”

Salahuddin didn’t play the position until his sophomore year at Dixie College in St. George, Utah. While growing up in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Salahuddin was known around New York playgrounds and gymnasiums for his creative jams--not his ballhandling.

But Salahuddin is the 49ers’ only experienced point guard. Greenberg didn’t have a choice.

“We’re asking him to play the point guard and the two guard although the two guard is his natural position,” Greenberg said. “Rasul has done everything he needs to do that.”

Last season, Salahuddin averaged 9.3 points. His averages of 30.7 minutes played and 5.3 assists also led the 49ers.

Salahuddin’s brightest moment came Feb. 9 at Pacific. One of the Tigers’ obnoxious fans heckles opponents throughout games while sitting courtside.

He was all over Salahuddin from the start, ridiculing his surname. After about five straight minutes of that, Salahuddin decided to shut the guy up.

In three consecutive first-half possessions, Salahuddin made a three-pointer, a nice pass that led to an easy layup and then stole a pass and threw down a crowd-silencing dunk. As he ran back on defense, Salahuddin winked to the big-mouthed fan who was now sitting quietly. Salahuddin finished with a season-high 20 points.

“A lot of the players [in the conference] had told me about him,” Salahuddin said. “I like people who talk a lot out there because that just gets me going.”

Fortunately for Long Beach, Salahuddin isn’t slowing down.

49er Notes

Standout guard James Cotton has been selected the Big West Conference player of the week (Dec. 4-10) in men’s basketball. Cotton averaged 17 points and seven rebounds as the 49ers defeated Hawaii and Oregon State. Cotton leads the 49ers in scoring, averaging 17.4 points. . . . Rhonda Smith and Monique Whitfield have signed letters of intent with the women’s basketball team. Smith (6 feet 7) is a center at Downey High. Whitfield (6 foot) is a power forward at Cerritos Gahr High.