| |
LOCATION: Toledo, OH
CONFERENCE: Mid-American (West)
LAST SEASON: 19-9 (.679)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 11-7 (1st)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 2/3
NICKNAME: Rockets
COLORS: Midnight Blue & Gold
HOMECOURT: Savage Hall (9,000)
COACH: Stan Joplin (Toledo '79)
record at school 47-35 (3 years)
career record 47-35 (3 years)
|
ASSISTANTS: Tony Jones (Concordia '93)
Monte Mathis (Toledo '91)
Tim Saliers (Aquinas '92)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 16-18-13-15-19
RPI (last 5 years) 123-111-170-147-64
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in NIT first round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
|
Is Toledo a veteran team? Yes. Are the Rockets a young team? Yes. How can that be? "Let's just say we're a young team with experience," coach Stan Joplin said. "We have a lot of players who have played some minutes. But we have quite a few players coming in that will see some essential playing time." The veteran nature of Toledo comes from eight lettermen from last year's 19-9 team that lost to Xavier in the first round of the NIT. Four of those lettermen 6-8 junior forward Greg Stempin, 6-3 sophomore guard Justin Hall, 6-1 senior guard Chad Kamstra and 6-4 junior forward Robierre Cullars logged extensive minutes on Toledo's winningest team since the 1980-81 squad went 21-10. Toledo's youthful look is provided by Joplin's optimism that some of his new players have maturity beyond their ages. "The players we brought in can definitely step in and play," Joplin said.
|
Blue Ribbon Analysis |
|
BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT B INTANGIBLES B+
Toledo fans stormed the court at Savage Hall last season after big victories over eventual NCAA Sweet 16 entry Miami (Ohio), Final Four-bound Ohio State and Xavier. Some long-time followers of the program say the last time that happened was in 1976, when a point guard named Stan Joplin and the Rockets upset Indiana, the defending NCAA champion. The fans might have something to celebrate again this season. "There are a lot of question marks, but we could be a very good basketball team," Joplin said. "We could be better than last year, but our record may not indicate it. Offensively we should be OK, but I don't know about defensively." Toledo lost some key players, but recruited well. The Rockets should battle it out with Ball State once again in a two-team race for the MAC West championship. |
The Rockets lost three seniors from last season: guard Art Norman (12.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg), center Brett Fedak (9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and forward Robert Kizer (5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Center Rickey Strong (4.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 12 games) didn't return for his senior year. Guard Clayton Burch (4.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg) would have been a senior this year, but his playing career was prematurely ended because of a heart ailment. Kizer, Norman and Fedak were the leaders of a defense that allowed only 63.4 points per game and limited opponents to 42 percent field-goal shooting in Toledo's run to the MAC West Division title. Kizer was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year. "We lost our three best defensive players," Joplin said. "They might have been our three toughest players, too. It's going to be hard to replace those guys. I think we'll be fine defensively on the perimeter. We need to find a big guy who can play defense for us. Brett Fedak covered the other team's best big man last year." Toledo shouldn't have any trouble putting points on the board. Stempin (15.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg) was chosen first team All-MAC. He scored in double figures in all but four games, capped by a 23-point, 10-rebound effort against Xavier in the NIT. Joplin has a lot of faith in Stempin. So much that he picked the junior to serve as this year's team captain. "Greg has to accept the responsibility," Joplin said. "He's got to be our leader, both by example and vocally. Right now, he's the one guy who everyone respects on our team. Let's see if he's up to the challenge." Cullars (3.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg) joins Stempin in the frontcourt. The Toledo native sat out the 1997-98 season for academic reasons, then played in 26 games as a sophomore. Joplin sees Cullars filling the role of Kizer as Toledo's defensive stopper. Albert Wilson (1.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg) is a 6-7 sophomore forward who saw action in 25 games last year. Since returning to coach at his alma mater, Joplin has lived by a simple philosophy: You can never have too many good guards. This year's team reflects that thinking. The key to Toledo's backcourt is Hall (11.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.2 assists), who shifts back to his natural shooting-guard spot. Hall was pressed into duty at point guard when Burch was sidelined by his heart problem and acquitted himself well, earning a place on the MAC All-Freshman team. The 6-3 Hall played superbly at times, like when he hit game-winning shots one week apart against Ohio State and Dayton. But he was also inconsistent. "Justin's got enough ability," Joplin said. "He's just got to get mentally stronger and more mature. We'll need him to be more of a leader and take his game up a level. If he improves his outside shooting, that will help. He also needs to take better care of the basketball. He needs to do a better job making others look good." Kamstra (8.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg) already holds Toledo's career record for three-point field goals with 143. He's the team's most dangerous threat from behind the arc. Kamstra didn't shoot for a great three-point percentage, ranking only 11th in the league with 46-of-139 for .331, Joplin said the Rockets have to do a better job of getting Kamstra open looks at the basket. The other returning guards are 5-11 junior Bernard Scott (1.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg) and 6-2 sophomore Sammy Bacino (3.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg in eight games). Joplin brought in four more guards, solidifying the position for the future. Nick Moore, a 6-1 freshman (Redford Catholic Central HS/Detroit) might not have to wait his turn he might be this year's starting point guard. Moore (19.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 8.0 apg) was selected as one of the top five players in Michigan by the Detroit News. "He can shoot from outside. He plays under control. It's great to have a player like him in the program," Joplin said. "We won't have to rely on him all the time because we have Justin Hall and Chad Kamstra to help him on the perimeter." Also competing for minutes in a crowded backcourt is 6-2 junior transfer Rory Jones (Casper JC/Casper, Wyo.). Jones (15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) gives the Rockets some versatility because he can shift down and play small forward. Freshman Javon "Tico" Clark (Cass Tech HS/Detroit) was one of the Detroit Public School League's top scorers (24.3 ppg, 3.3 assists). The 6-0 Clark had a string of consecutive games when he scored 39, 35, 32, 32 and 29 points. He set Cass Tech records for three-pointers in a season (73), single game (nine) and points in a quarter (24). "Tico gives us another outside scoring threat," Joplin said. "He's a pretty good athlete who can get his own shot." Walk-on Brooks Miller, a 6-4 freshman guard (Metamora HS/Evergreen, Ohio) average 23.6 points as a senior. Two freshmen join 6-11, 244-pound junior Craig Rodgers (1.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg) at the center position. Delvar "Baby Shaq" Barrett is a hefty 6-7, 275-pound prep school product (Bridgton Academy/Bridgton, Maine) who averaged 17.0 points and 12.0 rebounds last season. As a high school senior (Detroit Cooley HS/Detroit), his numbers (17.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg) were nearly identical. Barrett acquired his nickname for his impressive low -ost game and his ability to eat up space under the boards. "Delvar's a low-post threat," Joplin said. "He's got a big body, but he moves well. He's a good passer, a good all-around player. He's a Robert Traylor-type of player. He carries his weight well, but he does have to get in better shape." Another big freshman, 6-9, 250-pound A.J. Shellabarger (Celina HS/Celina, Ohio), has the size and potential to play immediately, Joplin said. Shellabarger (15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) helped lead Celina to a No. 1 state ranking for most of his senior season.
 | The 19th edition of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook is on sale now. To order, call 800-828-HOOP (4667), or visit their web site at
http://www.collegebaskets.com
|
| |
Conferences
America East
ACC
Atlantic 10
Big East
Big Sky
Big South
Big Ten
Big 12
Big West
Colonial
Conference USA
Independents
Ivy League
MAAC
Mid-American
Mid-Continent
Mid-Eastern Athletic
MCC
Missouri Valley
Mountain West
Northeast
Ohio Valley
Pac-10
Patriot
SEC
Southern
Southland
Sun Belt
SWAC
TAAC
WAC
West Coast
|
