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LOCATION: San Jose, CA
CONFERENCE: Western Athletic (WAC)
LAST SEASON: 12-16 (.429)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 5-9 (6th, Pacific)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 4/1
NICKNAME: Spartans
COLORS: Gold, Blue & White
HOMECOURT: The Event Center (5,000)
COACH: Steve Barnes (Azusa Pacific '80)
record at school First year
career record First year
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ASSISTANTS: Eddie Hill (Washington State '84)
Gary Patterson (Utah State '93)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 4-13-13-3-12
RPI (last 5 years) 261-179-122-253-209
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference first round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Phil Johnson took a team of walk-ons and castoffs and turned it into one of the toughest teams to beat in the WAC. He did such a good job in one season that he's gone. Despite being a fiery sideline coach who was prone to technicals, Johnson got a cush job where his temper will hardly rise. Chicago Bulls coach Tim Floyd kept Johnson under his family tree and hired him in late August for an assistant's job. The move ended Johnson's one-year reign in the South Bay. But Floyd's influence remains. Less than a day after Johnson's decision, San Jose State athletic director Chuck Bell hired Steve Barnes. Barnes, an Iowa State assistant with Floyd's trusted friend Larry Eustachy, was at Utah State with Eustachy when Bell was the athletic director in Logan. Eustachy, Barnes, Floyd, Johnson and LSU assistant Kermit Davis are a tight pack that seems to always take care of each other. That's why it was no surprise that Barnes would replace Johnson just like Eustachy following Floyd at Iowa State last year was a no brainer. "It's amazing how these things work out," the 42-year-old Barnes said of his first head coaching job. "The loyalty among us is high. This job is loaded with possibilities. Phil did a great job here."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT C- BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT D INTANGIBLES B+
Steve Barnes said he will instill the same type of stingy defensive approach at San Jose State that Phil Johnson did and Larry Eustachy does at Iowa State. That still means they'll play ugly and struggle to score. However, he's at least got more options this season. Johnson had to manufacture each basket. That shouldn't be a problem with a few creators on the team in Rashad Hines, Cory Powell and Ben Sanders. The Spartans are still in a loaded WAC that is frontcourt heavy at TCU and Tulsa. Fresno State's Melvin Ely will be nearly impossible to defend for the Spartans. SMU's quickness could be matched but Hawaii has plenty of size, too. Rice is an unknown, leaving San Jose State to battle with UTEP possibily for the right to stay out of eighth. They may still upset a few teams but it's going to be tough to duplicate last season's 12-win season with an upgraded schedule and a better, more balanced league. Barnes at least has more talented players, something Johnson didn't in his first year. The transition couldn't have worked out any better for the school and the team. |
Johnson made this transition easier for Barnes. It's still one of the toughest jobs in a high major conference especially financially where the cost of living makes it nearly impossible to buy a house. Johnson recruited one of the top classes in the nation at least by one recruiting service. "Phil's allowing me to walk into a better situation," Barnes said. "He really worked hard at it here." During his only year, Johnson did whatever he had to do to be competitive. He went to a near crawl against Fresno State in a 27-point win at home and in a tight loss on the road. He did the same in a near-miss against New Mexico. He worked the shot clock down in nearly every possession. He got booed on the road for his boring play but it worked as inner-city players had no problem playing ball like they were stuck in the movie "Hoosiers." They were at a talent disadvantage and didn't mind playing a different style. Barnes may not have to go to an extreme. He's got a healthy Ben Sanders back at wing to push the transition. The 6-4 Sanders (11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.7 apg) was one of the more athletic players during his 20-game junior season before breaking his hand. His slashing ability gives the Spartans a player who can get to the basket from the perimeter. He's not a three-point threat, making only seven last season. Senior R.J. Powell (6.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.8 apg) may share time at the point. Powell, one of the WAC's top ball defenders, earned a sixth year of eligibility because of a previous injury. He was second on the team in assists. His scoring is second nature to his defense. The rest of the backcourt and slashers is a collection of junior college and freshman scorers who have plenty to prove: 6-4 redshirt sophomore guard David Egans, a transfer from Long Beach State; 6-7 junior swingman Billy Landram of Olympic (Wash.) CC; 6-5 freshman Brett Lilly of Riceville (Iowa) HS; and 6-4 junior Elliott Marshall of Merritt (Calif. ) CC. Lilly may be the sleeper in this bunch. Barnes said the Cyclones had him on an unofficial visit last year. He averaged 29.6 points a game as a high school senior and was a two-time all-state selection. Landram put up 21.6 points a game in junior college while Marshall averaged 19.2. "We lost Michael Quinney, who was an all-conference player, but we have the talent coming in although none are proven," Johnson said before his departure. "Brett Lilly can play as a freshman. Rashad Hines has proven he can score. Elliott Marshall put up impressive numbers and Billy Landram can really shoot it. But none have been asked to defend it like they will be here." Scoring in the low-post is a concern. While Johnson did get 6-9 forward Brian Stewart to sit out this season after transfering from Washington State, he can only help in practice. The rest of the rebounds and low-post scoring have to come from 6-8 senior Eric Griffin (4.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg); 6-7 junior Kevin Blunt of Long Beach (Calif.) CC; 6-10 junior Lawrence Felder of Fullerton (Calif.) CC); and 6-8 junior Darnell Williams of Long Beach (Calif.) CC. They've got to find someone capable in this group to replace Will Trawick, who averaged 8.2 rebounds a year ago. Griffin was erratic last season, Williams grabbed 8.7 boards in the California junior college league, Blunt and Felder rebounded for Alabama-bound Schea Cotton at Long Beach City. "Kevin Blunt was the MVP of that team," Johnson said. "He's a tough player inside. Griffin can do some things but conditioning was a problem for him. Felder is long, lean and an athletic prospect who can come in and help. Darnell isn't very physical but he can rebound."
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