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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
MICHAEL WRIGHT (6-7, 240 lbs., SO, PF, #21, 13.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 27.3 minutes, .556 FG, .736 FT, Farragut Academy/Chicago, Ill.) The Pac-10 Freshman of the Year last season, Wright appears poised to take his place among the elite players in the conference. His raw physical power helped him earn freshman All-America honors last season, when he piled up 12 double-doubles. "He had the best year of any freshman we've had since Sean Elliott, probably," Olson said. "We knew he was going to be good. I predicted prior to the season if he stayed healthy, he had a great chance to be [Pac-10] Freshman of the Year. "Michael has a great work ethic, he's a tenacious rebounder and his offensive game came around as the year progressed." Wright scored fewer than nine points in just two games all season, and went for 21 points in just his third collegiate outing ( vs. Brigham Young). Later the left-hander produced a 15-point, 17-rebound game at New Mexico, a 19-point, 13-rebound effort vs. Oregon and a 22-point, 13-rebound performance vs. USC. He is the second-leading rebounder among returning players in the Pac-10. A former high school teammate of Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett, Wright played the past two summers on the USA Junior National team. "We need for him to have a big year and I think he'll have that because he just works so hard at the game," Olson said. "I felt last year he put on a little bit too much weight. He's cut back (from 253 to 240 or so) and that will enable him to run the court." RICHARD JEFFERSON (6-6, 215 lbs., SO, SF, #44, 11.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 27.0 minutes, .495 FG, .364 3PT, .776 FT, Moon Valley HS/Phoenix, Ariz.) A 25.0 ppg scorer as a low post player in high school, Jefferson successfully made the move to small forward last season. He started 26 games, earning All-Pac-10 Freshman honors after scoring in double figures 17 times. Regarded as one of the best athletes on the team, Jefferson had 25 points and 12 rebounds against Washington State, one game after notching 24 points at USC. But his most memorable moment came against Washington, when he grabbed an airball shot by Jason Terry and put it in the basket as time expired to give Arizona an 88-86 victory. "He had a number of good games for us," Olson said. "The biggest thing with Richard is to develop that minute-in, minute-out consistency. There were some games where he'd be unbelievable for a stretch and then just disappear. "That's typical of most freshmen. With Jason Terry gone, we need to have our perimeter give us consistent play." Jefferson underwent surgery at the end of last season to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, and is not expected to have any lingering effects. Doctors detected the injury at the start of his freshman year, but it was not serious enough to require immediate attention. RUBEN DOUGLAS (6-4, 185 lbs., SO, SG, #5, 8.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.8 spg, 20.9 minutes, .386 FG, .333 3PT, .608 FT, Bellarmine-Jefferson HS/Altadena, Calif.) Douglas enters the season as the incumbent at the shooting guard slot, having started 14 games a year ago. Coming off a senior high school season in which he averaged 35.1 ppg, Douglas scored in double figures 12 times, including four times in the Wildcats' final five games. He averaged 14.8 ppg over that five-game span, including a 19-point effort vs. Southern California and a 17-point performance at California. "I felt the last three weeks of the season, Ruben was probably our most improved player from the start of the year," Olson said. "His shot selection was much better and his shooting percentage took a real upward turn." Olson has no concerns about Douglas' offensive capabilities, but wants to see continued improvement at the other end of the floor. "Typical of most freshmen, you have to understand the team defense concept," Olson said. "His individual on-the-ball defense was pretty good initially, but his team defense left a lot to be desired." Douglas, who will be pushed by freshman Gilbert Arenas, will also get a shot at point guard, likely as a backup. LOREN WOODS (7-1, 250 lbs., JR, C, #3, 8.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 25.2 minutes in 22 appearances in 1997-98, .401 FG, .670 FT, Wake Forest & Cardinal Ritter HS/St. Louis, Mo.) Olson anticipates Woods developing into one of the best big men he's had at Arizona. "Loren is the first guy we've had in some time who is a shot-blocker," Olson said. "He's got great timing and he will create a lot of problems for people with his shot-blocking. He has a nice shooting touch. There's no reason he shouldn't be a huge factor right away for us." Before departing Wake Forest after a conflict with coach Dave Odom, Woods was on his way to developing into one of the nation's top young big men. He averaged 11.6 ppg and 8.5 rpg the first 14 games of the 1997-98 season before taking a seven-game leave of absence. He returned to play the final nine games, but his playing time and effectiveness diminished. Olson had no problems with Woods in practice last year, and got an encouraging reference from Odom before Woods made the transfer. "We got a call from Wake Forest and Dave actually recommended him very highly," Olson said. "He just said he needs a little bit more control. He tended to be very hard on himself. Loren is a year ahead of his class anyway, so now he's more the age (21) of a junior. He fits in well with our guys, and that's a big thing." As a freshman, playing alongside Tim Duncan, Woods averaged 6.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg in just 17.5 minutes per game. Those numbers earned him a spot on the Basketball Times Freshman All-America team and the ACC All-Rookie squad. A McDonald's All-America as a senior at Cardinal Ritter HS in St. Louis, Woods averaged 21.1 ppg, 13.2 rpg and 6.5 bpg. He led his team to back-to-back state 2A titles and a combined record of 55-6. JASON GARDNER (5-11, 175 lbs., FR, PG, #22, 22.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.0 apg, 3.0 spg, North Central HS/Indianapolis, Ind.) Gardner arrives at Arizona as one of the most decorated point guard prospects in the country and a strong contender to win the starting job right away. "I think he's very advanced for a freshman," Olson said. "He was a starter on his high school team four years, was Player of the Year in Indiana two years and led his team to the state title last year." In the Indiana state semifinal game, Gardner had 29 points, eight rebounds, four assists and hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. Three days later he played in the McDonald's All-America game, collecting seven points, six assists and six rebounds. He returned two days after that for the state title game, totaling 24 points and five assists as North Central defeated Elkhart Central. Strength is not an issue for Gardner, which Olson believes will also assist in his immediate transition to college ball. "Damon Stoudamire was 142 pounds as a freshman," Olson said. "Jason is 175-180 already." More than physical maturity, though, Gardner's game is mature. "I like the way he plays," Olson said. "He's not an out-of-control guard at all. He has no ego to deal with where he feels like he's got to shoot it. The biggest thing is going to be to defend, hit the open shot and get the ball to the [frontcourt] guys." Gardner compiled a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, and brings a 36-inch vertical leap to the floor. Winner of the Mr. Basketball award in the state of Indiana, Gardner was a second-team Parade All-America pick. He also played alongside new UA teammate Michael Wright for the gold medal-winning USA team that played in the Junior World Championship qualifying tournament in the summer of 1998. The all-time leading scorer at North Central HS with 1,699 points, Gardner picked Arizona over Duke, Kansas, Purdue and Indiana, after conferring with ex-Wildcat Stoudamire. His father, James, was a wrestler for two seasons at Miami (Oh.) and his brother, James, plays basketball at Marion College in Indianapolis.KEY RESERVES JUSTIN WESSEL (6-8, 225 lbs., JR, F, #30, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 15.8 minutes, .480 FG, .273 3PT, .560 FT, Prairie HS/Cedar Rapids, Ia.) In his fourth year in the program, Wessel will get the chance to play at both forward spots. He saw action in every game last season, and has improved steadily throughout his career. "He has the offensive skills of a three-man, as well as interior skills to play the four," Olson said. "His biggest challenge will be his ability to defend on the perimeter, which was the major reason that limited his court time a year ago." Wessel's best game last season was a 15-point performance against Wyoming, his only double-figure scoring performance of the year. RICK ANDERSON (6-8, 220 lbs., SO, F, #22, 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 10.0 minutes, .348 FG, .286 3PT, .750 FT, Long Beach Poly HS/Long Beach, Calif.) Anderson played in 26 of 29 games as a true freshman last season, starting five times. He scored a career-high 14 points in 26 minutes against Oregon State, also contributing two steals and three rebounds. Having added 10 pounds since arriving last season, Anderson figures in the rotation at either of the forward slots. "He showed some great signs as a freshman," Olson said. "The biggest thing for him is to slow down a little bit and let the game come to him." Anderson is the son of Gary Anderson, who played for Olson at Long Beach City College in the early 1970s. Gary Anderson now coaches at that school, where last year his team featured Schea Cotton currently a sophomore at Alabama. Anderson's brother Rob plays on the Arizona golf team. GILBERT ARENAS (6-4, 189 lbs., FR, G, #0, 33.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, 4.7 spg, 2.0 bpg, Grant HS/North Hollywood, Calif.) Arenas will push Douglas for playing time at shooting guard after signing with the Wildcats early last fall. Rated as the No. 4 shooting guard prospect in the country by PrepStar, Arenas is a versatile and athletic player who is comfortable at any of the three perimeter positions. He's also just a kid (Arenas doesn't turn 18 until Jan. 6). Blessed with superb one-on-one skills, Arenas scored 46 points in one game as a prep senior last year. He was his school's career scoring leader with 2,124 points. "Gilbert Arenas has the ability to be awfully good," Olson said. "He played on a team where he needed to score a lot, sort of like Ruben Douglas the year before. The biggest adjustment with guys who score a lot of points is they have to be more selective with their shots." Arenas averaged 28.9 ppg and 9.1 rpg as a high school junior, and 22.5 ppg as a sophomore. He scored a career-high 49 points with 13 assists as a junior against Ruben Douglas' Bellarmine-Jefferson team. Grant HS coach Howard Levine said of Arenas: "He's the best player that's been in this [San Fernando] Valley maybe ever." LUKE WALTON (6-8, 230 lbs., FR redshirt, F, #4, 20.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 6.0 apg in 1997-98, University HS/San Diego, Calif.) The son of ex-UCLA All-America Bill Walton, Luke sat out last season as a medical redshirt after suffering a stress fracture in the navicular bone of his right foot. He wore a hard cast for four weeks, then a walking cast for another four. He was healthy enough to begin practicing at the end of last February. "He's totally healthy," Olson said. "He's put on 20 pounds and, provided he can stay healthy, he's going to help us. He has a feel about the game, obviously from the genes. He's a great passer, he understands the game and doesn't have to be a guy who's putting it up all the time. "He's happy to do whatever he can do to help the team." Olson said Walton will challenge for playing time at both the small and power forward spots. LAMONT FRAZIER (6-3, 200, JR, G, #23, 23.0 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.8 rpg, .410 3PT, Lon Morris JC, Tex. & Dorsey HS/Los Angeles, Calif.) A rare junior college signee by Olson, Frazier is a superb perimeter shooter who converted 51 percent of his three-point shots his freshman season. He scored 1,108 points in two years at Lon Morris JC, scoring 30 points or more five times last year and 20 or more on 20 occasions. Olson hopes Frazier will provide some of the maturity all teams need. "We needed another upperclassman," he said. "He can play any of the perimeter positions, he's a great passer and has the quickness defensively to be a big factor."OTHER RETURNEES JOHN ASH (5-10, 180 lbs., JR, G, #15, 1.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 11 appearances, Salpointe HS/Tucson, Ariz.) In his third year in the program as a walk-on, Ash played in 11 games last season, scoring a season-high six points vs. UC Irvine. Ash's greatest value has been as a practice player, where he has been matched defensively against the likes of Jason Terry, Miles Simon and Mike Bibby during his career. Ash once had 19 points and 11 assists to lead Salpointe HS to an upset win over Bibby and his top-ranked Shadow Mountain (Ariz.) HS team. JOSH PASTNER (5-11, 180 lbs., SR, G, #12, 0.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg, three appearances, Kingwood HS/Kingwood, Tex.) Although he rarely plays, Pastner has gotten the most from his walk-on experience with the Cats. He graduated last December with a degree in family studies after just two-and-one-half years the shortest time any Arizona athlete has ever required to graduate. Pastner expects to receive his master's degree this December, and may pursue an MBA after that. Ultimately, he wants to coach. "There's nothing else in his mind other than to be that," Olson said. Pastner coached the Houston Hoops to the San Diego national AAU tournament title this past summer. He was granted a special waiver to coach the team because the program was started by his father, Hal, and Josh has worked on the coaching staff since he was a junior in high school. Pastner, who often leads late-night shooting drills at McKale Center, enjoys boasting that Arizona is 28-0 in games in which he has played. Of course, he never has played in the first half of a game.OTHER NEWCOMERS ROBERTAS JAVTOKAS (6-10, 240 lbs., FR, C, #54, 15.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 5.0 bpg at Bishop McGuiness HS/Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1997-98, also St. Mary's HS, Oh./Siauliai, Lithuania) Javtokas will be of primary aid this season as a practice opponent for Loren Woods. Ultimately, the Arizona coaching staff believes he could develop into a solid player. "Robertas is a good athlete who runs the court well for a player his size," Olson said. "He is also a good defender. Typical of a lot of European big men, he faces up to the basket and shoots the ball well, but needs to work on the back-to-the-basket portion of his game." Javtokas has attended high school in the United States the past two years, but did not play basketball last season at St. Mary's HS in Akron, Oh., due to a state interscholastic rule that prohibits foreign transfers from playing in their second year. He practiced with the team, played in a city recreation league and attended two postseason All-Star camps the Derby Classic in Louisville and the Rising All-Star Game in Pittsburgh. Javtokas played this summer with the Lithuanian National Team in Europe.NOTABLE REDSHIRTS EUGENE EDGERSON (6-6, 210 lbs., SR, F, #33, 5.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 17.9 minutes, .506 FG, .712 FT, St. Augustine HS/New Orleans, La.) Edgerson decided last summer he would redshirt this season in order to avoid a conflict with the student-teaching commitment required of his education degree. The student-teaching would prevent him from attending afternoon practices, so Edgerson opted to delay his senior season. "Personally, I don't think it's the best thing for his basketball, but I'm pleased that he has that kind of goal," Olson said. "It's always been his goal to graduate in four years. The advantage he would have had over our younger guys would have been his maturity and experience, but he was just so bound and determined to do this." Edgerson is a physical defender and rebounder with limited offensive skills away from the basket. He scored double figures five times last year, with a season-high of 13 points vs. Arizona State. He was suspended for one game after throwing an elbow against Brigham Young. LUKE RECKER (6-6, 205 lbs., JR, G-F, 16.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 31.8 minutes, .428 FG, .364 3PT, .747 FT, Indiana University & DeKalb HS/Auburn, Ind.) Recker will sit out this season after transferring from Indiana. In two seasons with the Hoosiers, he scored 954 points, averaging 14.5 ppg, and had totals of 259 rebounds, 178 assists and 107 steals. He started 60 of 63 games he played for coach Bob Knight, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore. Recker will work against Richard Jefferson in practice, providing an example of toughness that Olson relishes. "Luke will have immediate impact on our team," Olson said. Recker was injured and underwent plastic surgery following a July 11 three-car car accident in Durango, Colo., in which driver John Hollberg, 23, was killed. Recker suffered facial lacerations and lost part of his left ear. Olson said he should be ready to begin practice no later than a few weeks after workouts begin Oct. 15. Recker's girlfriend, Kelly Craig, suffered a spinal fracture and partial paralysis following the accident. As a sophomore at Indiana, Recker scored 20 points or more 12 times and produced in double figures 26 times. He scored 28 points vs. Michigan and Northwestern, one shy of the career-high total he posted as a freshman against Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament. Recker will have two years of athletic eligibility at Arizona.STARTERS NOT RETURNING JASON TERRY (6-2, PG, 21.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.8 spg, 38.2 minutes, .443 FG, .398 3PT, .839 FT) Terry was the dominant player in the Pac-10 last season, quite a leap from his role as the team's sixth man. No question, Terry was a super sub for the likes of Mike Bibby and Miles Simon on Arizona's 1997 national championship team, but no one even Olson could fully anticipate the jump he made last season when given the reins to the team. Terry led the conference in scoring, assists and steals, and was the emotional fuel for the Wildcats. He kept his young teammates involved, but never was afraid to take the big shot. He scored in double figures 28 times in 29 games, hit 20 or more 18 times and three times reached 30. He scored a season-high 37 points in an 85-83 win at Oregon, then lit up the Ducks for 32 in the rematch at McKale Center. In addition to being selected Pac-10 Player of the Year, Terry earned first-team All-America honors from Associated Press, the U.S. Basketball Writers, The Sporting News, Basketball News and Basketball Times. He was chosen 10th in the first round of the NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. A.J. BRAMLETT (6-11, C, 14.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 31.3 minutes, .535 FG, .576 FT) Too skinny and hardly a household recruiting name when he arrived in Tucson, Bramlett turned out to be, in some ways, the typical Olson player. He improved every year, blossoming nicely as a senior with a game that was more substance than style. Bramlett earned All-Pac-10 honors last season, ranking second among Arizona's scorers and second among the league's rebounders. He was a remarkably consistent performer critical on a team with so much youth compiling 17 double-doubles in 29 games. He had a 24-point, 17-rebound performance vs. Wyoming, and a 24-point, 11-rebound effort vs. rival Arizona State. Only three times all year did he fail to score in double figures. Bramlett also developed into a strong defender, using his quickness and experience to compensate for a lack of bulk. Bramlett was the third Pac-10 player selected in the NBA draft, going 39th overall to Cleveland.OTHERS NOT RETURNING TRAVES WILSON (6-3, G, 3.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 15.1 minutes, .315 FG, .275 3PT, .577 FT) A freshman from Moline, Ill., Wilson transferred closer to home at Illinois State after his playing time dwindled during Pac-10 play. Wilson scored in double figures twice in the non-conference season, including 12 points vs. Iowa State. But in 17 Pac-10 contests, he averaged 1.9 ppg and 12 minutes, shooting .286 from the field. After sitting out this season, he will have three years of eligibility remaining. JASON STEWART (5-10, G, 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, three appearances) A walk-on senior, Stewart saw action in three games last season, playing a total of four minutes. He had converted all three of his three-point field goal attempts entering last season, but missed his only try last year.QUESTIONS Life without JT? Freshman point guard Jason Gardner looks like a star on the horizon, but he won't walk in the door with the savvy and skill that Jason Terry demonstrated as a four-year man. A rusty Woods? Olson anticipates that center Loren Woods will adjust quickly and provide an immediate boost to his squad. But Woods sat out all of last year, and missed portions of the 1997-98 campaign at Wake Forest before leaving the team for good. Will the transition here go smoothly? "Go-to" who? There is plenty of firepower on this team, but no proven clutch scorer down the stretch of games. Will the sophomores step up to assume that role, or might it be one of the newcomers Woods or Gardner?ANSWERS Frontcourt! The arrival of Woods to anchor a frontline featuring talented sophomores Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson gives the Wildcats one of the most potent trios in the nation. Homecourt! The Wildcats enter the season with the nation's fourth-longest current home win streak 32 games. They have built McKale Center into a forbidding venue for visitors, with 172 wins in their past 182 home games. Depth! Arizona was thin and young a year ago, but faces no problem in either area this season. The presence of Indiana transfer Luke Recker merely adds to a favorable practice situation that will toughen up the 'Cats.
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