Titanic Voyage May Be Over

Call it a Rodney Dangerfield complex if you like.

Cal State Fullerton’s basketball team the last several years has been a little like the comedian who always insists he gets no respect, but can’t quite understand why.

In Fullerton’s case, however, it wasn’t that difficult to figure out.

There were three consecutive seasons in the 1990s when the Titans won a total of 21 gamesand lost 59. Fullerton’s last winning season was in 1992-93 at 15-12.

You have to go back to the days of Cedric Ceballos in 1988-89 to find a team that won as many as 16 games. And the last time the Titans went to the NCAA tournament? That was 20 years ago.

That image, however, could be changing.

“We’re at the point now where we feel like we can can go into any game we play and think we have a chance to win it,” Coach Bob Hawking said. “Two or three years ago, we couldn’t legitimately say that.”

Fullerton was improved last season, and probably would have had a winning record if senior forward John Williams hadn’t broken a bone in his hand with 11 games left. The Titans were 9-6 at the time, but then went 4-7. Williams tried a dramatic comeback in the Big West Conference’s postseason tournament, but really wasn’t ready, and the Titans were hammered by Nevada, 80-55.

“I thought we were solid a year ago, but we just didn’t have the depth,” Hawking said.”And the last two years, we’ve been decimated by a couple of injuries.”

Hawking thinks that won’t happen this year. The Titans appear to be two-deep at every position, and Hawking is considering a rotation involving as many as 10 players. And the talent level rises with the addition of sophomore Ike Harmon, who sat out last season as a Proposition 48 nonqualifier. Harmon, an agile 6 feet 7, can shoot well from the perimeter.

“Ike is very athletic, and can do a lot of things,” Hawking said. “He’s going to continue to get better. He has the potential to be as good as he wants to be. I just hope people don’t expect too much from him too soon.”

Fullerton should be solid in the backcourt with the return of fifth-year seniors Chris Dade and Chris St. Clair.

Dade averaged 16.4 points last season and St. Clair 10.3. A four-year starter, Dade averaged almost 20 points after Williams went to the sidelines and is regarded as one of the Big West Conference’s top defenders. Sophomore Kenroy Jarrett, out last season with a knee injury after starting part time as a freshman, provides depth at guard.

Hawking can use any of several players at the other spots inside. Senior Craig Whitehead and junior Mark Richardson were part-time starters a year ago at forward, and fifth-year senior DeVaughn Wright started 22 of 27 games at center. Transfer Jason Cunningham, who played at Fullerton College, also is available at forward.

Two freshman centers--6-11 Corey Sanders and 6-8 Matt Caldwell--have shown promise, but are likely to have growing pains.

“Our initial thought for Corey was a redshirt year, but that thought process changed quickly once practice started and we saw how far he had come since high school,” Hawking said. “We think he’ll have unlimited potential once he becomes a little more seasoned.”

CAL STATE FULLERTON AT A GLANCE

SCHEDULE

DATE: OPPONENT, TIME

Nov. 15: at Utah, L 87-59

Nov. 22: Norfolk State, 7 p.m.

Nov. 25: Lewis & Clark State, 7 p.m.

Nov. 29: Loyola Marymount, 7 p.m.

Dec. 2: at Pepperdine, 7 p.m.

Dec. 6: San Diego, 7 p.m.

Dec. 13: at UCLA, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20: Portland, 7 p.m.

Dec. 27: at Wisconsin Green Bay, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 30: at Loyola of Chicago, 5 p.m.

Jan. 8: at New Mexico State, 6 p.m.

Jan. 10: at North Texas, 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 15: Idaho, 7 p.m.

Jan. 17: Boise State, 7 p.m.

Jan. 22: at Long Beach State, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24: at Pacific, 7 p.m.

Jan. 29: UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

Jan. 31: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 7 p.m.

Feb. 5: at UC Irvine, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7: at Utah State, 6 p.m.

Feb. 12: Nevada, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14: UC Irvine, 7 p.m.

Feb. 19: Pacific, 7 p.m.

Feb. 21: Long Beach State, 7 p.m.

Feb. 26: at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 7 p.m.

Feb. 28: at UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.

March 6-8: Big West Tournament.

ROSTER

*--*

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 3 Dane Plock G 6-1 170 So. 4 Geoff Meeks G 5-11 165 Fr. 5 Ike Harmon F 6-7 190 So. 10 Jon Breazeal G 6-0 165 Jr. 11 Wyki Tyson F 6-8 225 Sr. 12 Chris Dade G 6-2 205 Sr. 14 Kenroy Jarrett G 5-11 160 So. 15 Corey Sanders C 6-11 210 Fr. 21 Jason Cunningham G 6-5 190 Sr. 22 Josh Leighton F 6-5 180 So. 24 Chris St. Clair G 6-0 170 Sr. 25 Craig Whitehead F 6-6 190 Sr. 40 Jerome Archie C 6-11 235 Sr. 42 Mark Richardson F 6-7 215 Jr. 44 DeVaughn Wright F 6-6 215 Sr. 50 Matt Caldwell F 6-8 220 Fr.

*--*

RETURNING LEADERS

Scoring: Chris Dade, 16.4 ppg

Rebounds: DeVaughn Wright, 4.8

Assists: Chris St. Clair, 3.5

Blocks: Wright, 0.8

Steals: St. Clair, 1.6

FG%: Wright, 73.8

FT%: Dade, 80.4