Freshman Jarrett Knows He’ll Improve With Age

Freshman Kenroy Jarrett has had a lot to learn in his first basketball season as a point guard at Cal State Fullerton.

Like the Titans, he has had his share of growing pains.

But he says he’s not discouraged, and he’s sure of one thing: He’ll continue to get better. “I want to be the best point guard in the Big West by the time I’m finished,” Jarrett said.

There’s no question about who’s the best this season, and Jarrett says he has learned some things by watching UC Irvine’s Raimonds Miglinieks.

“The main thing he’s shown me is how you have to be able to really concentrate in that position,” Jarrett said. “As soon as anyone shakes open, Miglinieks sees them and gets them the ball.”

Jarrett said most of his problems this season have come from inexperience. A year ago he was playing Division IV high school basketball for Twentynine Palms.

“Point guard is a hard position to play even when you are experienced because you’re controlling the game all the time,” Jarrett said. “It takes time just to get the feel of how your teammates play and how to get the ball to them. I just need to be more of a leader, and that comes with experience.”

Jarrett has shared playing time with junior Ali Nayab.

Jarrett has scored in double figures four times, with a season-high of 12 points against New Mexico State in a game the Titans won at home, 85-72. But there also have been some lows, including his nine turnovers in Fullerton’s 73-66 loss to Long Beach State Feb. 1 in Titan Gym.

“I’d never played with a shot clock before, and I know I’ve made quite a few mistakes when I felt rushed by the clock,” Jarrett said. “There was the one time, I know, when I looked up and thought the game clock was the shot clock.”

Jarrett says he’s capable of shooting better. He’s shooting 34% from the field and averaging five points.

“I need to be more consistent in hitting the open shots when they come to me,” Jarrett said. “I also should be driving more than I have and making some things happen. I know I can do it, but I just haven’t done it as well as I should.”

Jarrett expects the season of experience to help.

“I want to be bigger, faster and stronger for next year,” said Jarrett. “The competition on this level is tough, and I know I’m going to have to be ready for it.”

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Coach Bob Hawking has almost completed the Titans’ basketball schedule for next year.

Fullerton is scheduled to play Utah, Pepperdine, Loyola of Chicago and Ivy League teams Brown and Columbia at home. The Titans will play road games at Gonzaga, Montana, Loyola Marymount and San Diego. San Diego is coached by former Titan Coach Brad Holland.

Hawking said he plans to add one more nonconference game.

The Titans won’t have UCLA on their schedule next season after playing the Bruins for two consecutive years. “We’ve been trying to work out something for UCLA to play us in the Pond, but we’re not going to be able to get it done in time for next season,” Hawking said.

Big West teams go to a new divisional format for conference play next season with the addition of North Texas, Boise State, Idaho and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Nevada Las Vegas and San Jose State will join the Western Athletic Conference.

Big West teams play each team in their own division twice, and teams in the other division once. The Titans tentatively are scheduled for single games with Idaho, Boise State and Nevada on the road and games against North Texas, Utah State and New Mexico State in Titan Gym. Those sites will be reversed the next year.

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The Titans are mathematically alive in their bid for one of the six spots in the conference tournament, but Hawking is aware that his team faces an uphill climb in the final two weeks of the season.

“We’re going to have to win some games, and we may need some help from someone else, but we’ve got a chance,” Hawking said. Fullerton, 10th in the conference, is only two games behind Utah State and Pacific, tied for fifth. The Titans play third-place Nevada Thursday and Utah State Saturday in Titan Gym before ending the regular season on the road at Pacific and San Jose State next week.

The Titans won at New Mexico State Thursday, but were beaten Saturday at Las Vegas. “The big difference was in the shooting,” said Hawking. “We win games when we shoot 50%, but it’s very difficult to do that when we shoot 36%. Shooting has been the story of our life this season.”

The Titans fell behind by 15 points at halftime against UNLV, but were only four points behind with 2 minutes 17 seconds to play before losing, 68-59. Fullerton shot only 31% in the first half.

Fullerton’s five conference victories match last year’s total.

Titan Notes

The fractured finger on Titan forward Mark Richardson’s left hand will be checked today to see if he can resume playing or will have to miss the rest of the season. “We’re hoping the doctor will let him play with a soft cast to protect it, but it will depend on the extent it has healed,” Coach Bob Hawking said. . . . The weekend baseball series with Arizona had crowds of 1,477, 1,997 and 1,974. The Titans are averaging 1,770 in six home games at the stadium that seats 1,500.