Childress Is Set to Put Best Foot Forward

Stanford is No. 5 in the nation, already the surprise of the Pacific 10 Conference.

Now it looks as if the Cardinal is about to get better.

Josh Childress is scheduled to come off the bench in Stanford’s Pac-10 opener against Washington State on Friday in his return from a left foot injury that might have led to a stress fracture if not treated carefully.

Although some might wonder whether Childress, possibly Stanford’s best player, might upset the exceptional balance and chemistry the Cardinal has displayed, Coach Mike Montgomery doesn’t seem concerned.

“He’s a special kid, just in terms of personality, and he’s been very, very supportive when he’s been out,” Montgomery said. “The kids just really, really like Josh. We don’t really have chemistry problems in this group. The kids want to win and are willing to accept their roles.

“The biggest thing is, we certainly can’t just stand and watch when Josh comes back.”

(Montgomery, by the way, won’t be on the bench Friday, as he serves a one-game Pac-10 suspension for physical contact he made with an official last season during a victory over Arizona State.)

Unbeaten Stanford has been thriving behind such emerging stars as guards Matt Lottich and Chris Hernandez and a deep group of front-line players led by Justin Davis, Rob Little, Matt Haryasz and Nick Robinson.

Childress probably won’t be his old self immediately, but the Cardinal gets to wade into the Pac-10 season against Washington State, Washington and Arizona State before a potential clash of top-five teams against No. 4 Arizona on Jan. 10 at Tucson.

Arizona Coach Lute Olson knows a thing or two about easing a star back into the lineup.

“We had that happen with Miles Simon in our championship year [1997], where he didn’t play the first semester,” Olson said. (Simon wasn’t injured, but was academically ineligible.)

“We didn’t put him right into the starting lineup when he came back, but waited a couple or three games,” Olson said. “I don’t think it will be any problem for Josh. He’s a very good player and it’s not like he’s new to the program.

“The problem is it’s not like Miles, who was healthy and could practice. Josh has been injured, so I’m sure it will take a while. No matter what you do to keep in condition, there’s nothing you can do to keep in condition for basketball except play basketball.”

That’s all Childress is thinking about, and from the looks of things, a season that is starting late for him could stretch deep into March -- maybe even April.

Stanford isn’t the only team whose prospects have changed since the season began. The Pac-10 is looking more and more like a powerful top two -- Stanford and Arizona -- and eight also-rans.

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Some notable developments:

* Best roster addition: Arizona.

With Isaiah Fox out for the season because of knee surgery and Ndudi Ebi opting for the NBA out of high school, Arizona made a key in-season pickup in Serbian forward Ivan Radenovic.

“We went the only place any players were left, which would be overseas,” said Olson, who found Radenovic during the summer after inquiring about another European player.

Radenovic knew nothing about Tucson or the Wildcats, and called a friend who plays at Monmouth College in New Jersey.

“I asked my friend, ‘What is this place called Arizona?’ ” Radenovic told the Arizona Daily Star. “He said they were one of the top five schools for basketball. He said, ‘Coach Olson is a legend in America. He is the best coach in America.’

“I said, ‘OK, that is good enough for me.’ ”

Radenovic had a 17-point, nine-rebound debut against Liberty and had eight points and seven rebounds in a close call against Louisiana Lafayette on Monday.

* Worst halftime score: Washington State, 9.

New Coach Dick Bennett’s Cougars scored only nine points in the first half of a 46-29 loss to Fresno State.

That’s a little extreme, even for a coach whose teams are known for playing at a deliberate pace.

“Usually, we get a lot worse before we get better. We’ve succeeded at getting a lot worse,” said Bennett, who built Wisconsin into a program that reached the Final Four.

“It’s tough to change attitudes, philosophies and habits. That is a part of it. As difficult as it is, it has to be accepted.

“That’s called a positive spin.”

Washington State also was thumped by Gonzaga, 96-58, allowing Gonzaga to shoot almost 71%.

“I’ve been down this road,” Bennett said. “I don’t like it. It’s so difficult to get your head handed to you.

“I knew when I laid eyes on this team this was going to be difficult. Usually you don’t make a major shift in a year.”

* Biggest disappointment: USC.

Three seasons after a run to the Elite Eight that should have signaled the arrival of Trojan basketball, USC is earning its second-class status to UCLA again.

With the core of a team that reached the Pac-10 tournament final back, the Trojans have lost to Western Michigan, Nevada Las Vegas, Brigham Young and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo -- and needed overtime to beat St. Mary’s and Cal State Fullerton.

Coach Henry Bibby cited injuries to Roy Smiley and Nick Curtis and pointedly criticized some of his veterans.

“I’m kind of behind the eight-ball because my upperclassmen haven’t stepped up,” Bibby said. “Errick Craven, Nick Curtis and Rory O’Neil -- it’s been a little disappointing.”

Underachieving is nothing new for USC, especially early in the season when Bibby often seems to play mind games with his players.

“USC, I think, has gotten better as seasons progress,” Bibby said. “We’ve had trouble getting going at the beginning and finding out where we are.”

Wherever that is, it isn’t where USC should be.

* Second-biggest disappointment: California.

Cal has lost to Cal Poly, Nevada Las Vegas, Colorado, St. Joseph’s and Air Force, but has four freshmen among its top six players and might improve later in the season. Freshman forward Leon Powe has been the standout, leading the team in scoring and rebounding while senior Amit Tamir has struggled.

* Best scoring performance: Ike Diogu, Arizona State.

The odds-on favorite for Pac-10 player of the year, Diogu had a 38-point performance against McNeese State and leads the league in scoring by almost four points, averaging 24.9 points.

* Best rebounder: Andre Iguodala, Arizona.

At only 6 feet 6, Iguodala leads the Pac-10 in rebounding at 10 a game as well as assists at 6.25 and already has two triple-doubles.

* Worst free-throw shooting team: UCLA.

The Bruins’ 60.4% from the line ranks last in the conference, and point guard Cedric Bozeman is struggling at 42.4%, making only 14 of 33.

Free-throw trouble and turnovers continue to indicate Bozeman isn’t a natural fit at the point, but Howland said he is committed to playing him there with the Bruins’ current roster.

“He’ll definitely be our point guard this year. Next year, Jordan Farmar [from Woodland Hills Taft High] will be here, and those two will fight it out at that spot,” Howland said. “That’s a long way off.”

* Players not to foul: Hernandez and Lottich, Stanford.

It will be difficult to come from behind late in the game against Stanford with guards who shoot like this: Hernandez has made 33 of 34 free throws, and Lottich has made 21 of 23.

* Team most likely to finish a distant third: Oregon, UCLA (tie).

Somebody has to be the best of the rest behind Stanford and Arizona.

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*--* THE TIMES’ RANKINGS ROBYN NORWOOD’S RANKINGS AND COMMENTS: Rk. School (Rec.) Comment

1 GEORGIA TECH (12-0) It’s illogical to rank Connecticut ahead of unbeaten team that beat Huskies. 2 CONNECTICUT (10-1) Ben Gordon is averaging 21 points and four assists. 3 DUKE (9-1) Four Atlantic Coast Conference teams are in the top 10. 4 STANFORD (9-0) Childress is back and a showdown with Arizona awaits Jan. 10. 5 WAKE FOREST (8-0) Eric Williams is leading the way for the Deacons. 6 NORTH CAROLINA (8-1) Sean May, Jawad Williams sat out latest game because of minor injuries. 7 ARIZONA (8-1) Wildcats are making a habit of close shaves. 8 OKLAHOMA (9-0) Sooners have a big game against Connecticut on Jan. 11. 9 ST. JOSEPH’S (10-0) Hawks shouldn’t lose more than a few games the rest of the way. 10 LOUISVILLE (8-1) Cardinals have beaten two No. 1s -- Florida and Kentucky. 11 GONZAGA (9-2) Zags beat the Palouse out of Washington State, 96-58. 12 KENTUCKY (8-1) Too undersized and not offensively skilled enough to last at No. 1. 13 CINCINNATI (9-0) Bearcats are starting to look scary good. 14 TEXAS (6-2) Longhorns are second in nation in scoring behind Wake Forest. 15 KANSAS (7-2) Guard Michael Lee is close to returning from broken collar bone. 16 FLORIDA (8-2) Basketball version of football rivalry against Florida State is Saturday. 17 SYRACUSE (8-1) Battered Michigan State tests the Orangemen on Saturday. 18 PITTSBURGH (13-0) Impressive 21-point victory over Georgia. 19 ILLINOIS (8-2) Deron Williams might return for start of Big Ten play. 20 MARQUETTE (9-2) Sacred Heart score close enough to cause palpitations. 21 VANDERBILT (10-0) Commodores shoot 49% to opponents’ 38%. 22 FLORIDA STATE (12-1) Seminoles defeated Maryland, and only loss is to Pittsburgh. 23 DAYTON (10-1) Only loss was blowout against unbeaten Cincinnati. 24 CREIGHTON (9-0) Victims include Nebraska and Fresno State. 25 MISSISSIPPI STATE (10-0) Still undefeated, but probably not deserving of ranking.

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