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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 9-19;
3-11 in MWC (Tied 7th)
Postseason: None. Last NCAA appearance was in 1962.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Gerlach 11.4
Rebs: Bellairs 5.1
Assists: Jenkins 2.4
FG: Gerlach 53.0%
3pt: Bellairs 41.3%
FT: Keller 81.1%
01-02 Stats:
Air Force | MWC
KEY LOSSES
Lamoni Yazzie | 12.4 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Ver. Jenkins | Senior
G | Tim Keller | Soph
F | Tom Bellairs | Senior
F | A.J. Kuhle| Junior
F | Joel Gerlach | Junior
Player to Watch
Tom Bellairs
Junior Forward
The Falcons "center" gives up size, but can shoot it (41.3% on 3s).
DATE TO REMEMBER
We're not calling for an upset at Louisville, but having to defend Air Force this early in a season ... If shots fall, you never know.
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AIR FORCE FALCONS
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Look closely. You can see the improvement. Joe Scott has done a solid job turning the Falcons into a respectable team, not to mention a headache when having to prepare for the third-year coach's Princeton-style offense. Air Force went 9-19 against an all-Division I schedule last year, but 12 of the losses were decided by eight or fewer points. And now, the Falcons return four starters and even add some size to the roster. Tom Bellairs is a 6-7 senior forward/center and just one of 12 players in school history with 500 career points and rebounds. There is a defensive pest in senior point guard Vernard Jenkins and three-point threats in junior wing A.J. Kuhle, sophomore guard Tim Keller and junior forward Joel Gerlach. The newcomers include freshman center Deane Lake, who at 6-10 gives Air Force the kind of height it has lacked for so long. Lake needs to add some muscle to a 190-pound frame. Scott has sought out more bulk in recruiting, and the program this season will have three players standing 6-8 or taller. At Air Force, that is a significant step forward.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
These are Air Force kids, remember. The Falcons, like their fellow cadets in football, run a unique offense that demands discipline and focus. And the more comfortable you get with all the backdoor cuts and 3-point looks Scott's scheme produces, the more efficient you become running it. Air Force took nearly 20 threes per game last season (it made 37 percent) and you can expect the number to be that or more this year.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
It's the same story. Air Force, despite Scott's attempts to get bigger, will likely always be at a height disadvantage. A team that was out-rebounded by an average of 8.1 last season might not fare much better. Bellairs is the team's best rebounder and doesn't back down from anyone, but his 5.1 average last season was followed by Gerlach's 3.4. The next best? Kuhle at 2.9. The lack of second shots really puts pressure on those outside to be near-perfect.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Air Force lost four games in overtime last year and three others by a 3-pointer or less. The Falcons had regular-season champion Wyoming by the throat before falling 69-67 in the conference tournament. What does it mean? Scott's team is no longer a gimme, home or away. It might be destined for another losing record, but don't be surprised if it beats out someone for seventh place.
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