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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
JEREMY HAYS (6-11, 235 lbs., SR, C, #52, 12.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 1.1 spg, 31.7 minutes, .477 FG, .333 3PT, .771 FG, Boaz HS/Boaz, Ala.) It would be a shame if a player the caliber of Jeremy Hays never played in the NCAA Tournament. This year, he might finally get his chance. The big man has been a vital part of the fortunes of Alabama basketball the last three years. Unfortunately for Hays, those fortunes haven't been too bright. Until Mark Gottfried arrived to shake a lethargic program from its slumber, it didn't seem possible Hays would get to showcase his talent in the Big Dance. Now, the Crimson Tide is on a collision course with the NCAAs, and Hays will lead the way. It's about time the rest of the country learned more about this interesting person who is a study in contrasts. Off the court, he is quiet and laid-back. If he doesn't go to the NBA one day, Hays would love to become a minister. "I'd like to become a youth pastor and work with youth," he said. "God gives me a lot of strength and power and this special opportunity to play, and I think that's a way I could give back." Contrast that with Hays' on-court persona. He is a rugged competitor who hates to lose. He's not afraid to move bodies in pursuit of rebounds or to gain position in the post. "On the court, in competition, you've got to be aggressive," Hays said. "You've got to be physical, or you're going to get pushed around. I'm a quiet, kind guy. I try to be nice to everybody. But when I'm out on the court, you've got to be a little mean." Is Hays a dirty player? Just say he has learned to channel his aggression for the common good. Take the night last February when Alabama had a chance to pull off a homecourt upset of Kentucky. With his team trailing by a point with 25 seconds left, Wildcat guard Wayne Turner raced downcourt, only to be stopped by Hays, who, uh, nudged him a tad. No foul was called and the Tide won. That hate-to-lose thing cropped up earlier in another Alabama upset of an established SEC power. Hays scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a road victory at Arkansas. He had 12 of Alabama's final 16 points. Included in the total was a critical three-pointer that ended a final Razorback rally. Hays has the entire package. Gottfried can count on him for double figures in points and rebounds nearly every night. Hays, who can score in the post or step out past the three-point line, had 12 double-doubles a year ago, 10 against tough SEC competition. He averaged 12.8 ppg and 10.0 rpg in SEC games only. Hays is also a shot blocker; last year he was seventh in the league in that department. He has 127 career blocks and ranks sixth on Alabama's all-time list. "I think Jeremy is a very underrated player," Gottfried said. "But I think he can play at the next level, because he's got size and he can shoot. He's a hard worker and he's really dedicated to improve." SCHEA COTTON (6-5, 215 lbs., SO, SG, #4, 25.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, Long Beach City College, Calif. & St. John Bosco HS/Long Beach, Calif.) The well-traveled Cotton was the jewel of Alabama's recruiting class. After playing for two high schools and being chosen a Parade All-America, Cotton signed with North Carolina State last year. But the NCAA ruled he was ineligible, which meant Cotton had to find another destination. He didn't have to look far, deciding to play for Long Beach City College in his hometown. During a great first season there, Cotton had college coaches beating a path to see him, but they had to get in line behind NBA scouts from eight teams (Milwaukee, Seattle, L.A. Clippers, New Jersey, Houston, Minnesota, Portland and Dallas) who obviously thought Cotton was talented enough to jump to the next level. That attention from the pros would suggest Cotton is a player who might be able to have the same sort of impact on Division I as two celebrated junior college transfers did in their first seasons a year ago. "I'm confident I'll make the same kind of transition that Steve Francis (Maryland) and Chris Porter (Auburn) made, if not better," Cotton said. Gottfried has known Cotton since his days as a UCLA assistant coach. He isn't quite ready to place that kind of pressure on a first-year player. Then again "I've been watching him for a long time," Gottfried said. "We're depending on him to be a real impact player for our team. If he does, he'll be an impact player on this league. You hate to put pressure on a young guy, but he's the kind of player who wants that pressure." Cotton is capable of playing any of the perimeter positions, but Alabama will use him at shooting guard. He is well-equipped for that job. "He's got great quickness and great strength," Gottfried said. "Combine that and he can get past guys and hold them off after he's got them beat. He can post up and he plays up there around the rim. He's got range past the three-point line." Cotton served notice of his ability at City College, scoring 30 or more points 10 times. An injury sidelined him for the team's final 10 games, but he was still chosen a junior-college All-America. Could Cotton have the kind of impact on the SEC that Porter did a year ago? It's possible, but Porter had a stronger supporting cast than Cotton will have in his first season at Alabama. Regardless, it will be nice to finally see Cotton in a Division I uniform. It has been a long odyssey for a player who has signed at a pair of D-I schools (also UCLA) and gone both the prep school and junior college route to reach this point. ROD GRIZZARD (6-8, 186 lbs., FR, SF, #21, 25.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.5 apg, 3.4 spg, 2.4 bpg, Central Park Christian/Birmingham, Ala.) Some recruiting experts thought Marvin Stone of Huntsville, who signed with Kentucky, was the No. 1 high school prospect in Alabama last season. But others thought that distinction belonged to Grizzard. One reason some analysts might not have thought so highly of Grizzard was the fact that he played for a small Christian school against weaker competition. But he impressed scouts with a strong performance in the 1998 Boo Williams Invitational Tournament. Brick Oettinger, the resident Blue Ribbon recruiting expert, witnessed Grizzard's performance at that event. He called Grizzard a "genuine national sleeper." "WHEN USED AT THE WING GUARD (his best position) he brings to the table an array of weapons and the kind of athletic ability few possess," Oettinger said. "A great athlete who reminds us of Scottie Pippen in his ability to finish plays, he has a superior handle, is able to skywalk over defenders for easy shots and sometimes looks unstoppable." Gottfried can't wait to get Grizzard, who was chosen to the Parade 1999 All-America team, and Cotton on the floor together. "Between Rod and Schea, you can't really distinguish who's the 'two' (shooting guard) and who's the 'three' (small forward)," Gottfried said. "They're interchangeable. And Rod can play a little bit at the point. He's a guy who can play different positions for you. He doesn't lock into any one spot. "Rod will find a way to become one of your five. He's just a basketball player." Grizzard is also a winner. Last year, he led Central Park Christian to a 31-0 record and its third straight National Association of Christian Athletes championship. With Cotton and Grizzard at the wings, Alabama will have a combination of size, quickness, shooting and athleticism that few teams in the SEC can match. TERRANCE MEADE (6-2, 180 lbs., FR, PG, #14, 17.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg, Scottsboro HS/Scottsboro, Ala.) If junior Tarik London doesn't win the starting point-guard job, it could well go to Meade, a player Gottfried loves. Gottfried's task will be keeping Meade healthy. Last year as a prep senior, he played in just 21 games. An ankle injury at the beginning of the year forced him to miss some time. Eight games into his return, Meade suffered a slight MCL tear. "He was injured a lot in high school and is kind of an unknown guy," Gottfried said. "Last summer during the July (recruiting) period, he had to get four stitches at camp. It seems like the times people have been there to watch, he's been hurt. "Terrance is probably a little better than people realize. He's a true lead guard. I've told our people he reminds me a lot of (former Alabama guard) Gary Waites because he plays smart and is very dependable. We're expecting a lot out of Terrance." SAM HAGINAS (6-8, 235 lbs., SO, PF, #43, 4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 15.3 minutes, 417 FG, .826 FT, USM-Wright HS/Mobile, Ala.) If Haginas never does another positive thing in his time at Alabama, he earned his scholarship the afternoon of Feb. 6. That's when he helped a seemingly undermanned team playing without leading scorer Brian Williams upset Kentucky with a pair of stunning slam dunks in the closing seconds. Haginas could have been the goat when, with the Tide trailing 58-57, he had a 10-foot jumper thrown back into his face by Kentucky center Jamal Magloire. The ball was headed harmlessly out of bounds, but the Wildcats' Saul Smith inexplicably tried to save it. Smith scooped the ball back toward the court, where it was caught by Haginas. Haginas wasn't to be denied the second time around. When he received Smith's belated Christmas present, he took one dribble and slammed home a left-handed dunk over Scott Padgett. Alabama led, 59-58 with 24 seconds left. "It landed in my lap," Haginas told the Tuscaloosa News. "My reaction was to take it straight to the basket and either score or get fouled. I expected [Padgett] to foul me, but he just stayed back." Kentucky tried a last shot, but Wayne Turner lost the ball after the Tide's Jeremy Hays bumped him. Haginas locked up a 62-58 victory with another dunk and a free throw. Haginas had other contributions as a freshman. He started 10 games. He is not the most gifted player around, but he's got size and toughness and knows how to use it. Haginas scored a career-high 13 points against Alabama State and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds twice, against Georgia and Arkansas. He blocked three shots against LSU. Haginas got some invaluable game experience in August when he toured Japan with a team of SEC All-Stars. The opponent was the Japanese National team. Haginas got to tangle with the Japanese national team's seven-foot center and 6-10 power forward in five games. "Sam's very strong, and he's very tough," Gottfried said. "He's not afraid of anybody. Courage is his middle name. He can really help our team, but he needs to improve offensively. "But when you're lacing up your shoes and figuring out who you want to go to war with, you're glad Sam's on your side."KEY RESERVES TARIK LONDON (6-1, 190 lbs., JR, G, #5, 2.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.6 spg, 20.0 minutes, .378 FG, .308 3PT, .577 FT, Beach HS/Savannah, Ga. ) London's playing time doubled from his freshman year to his sophomore year as he fell into a role as a utility man. He started seven games, but was more valuable coming off the bench in relief of Chauncy Jones. London isn't an offensive threat, but he can run an offense. Last season, he was second on the team in assists. Three times against Northeast Louisiana, Vanderbilt and Auburn he passed for seven assists, matching his career-high. He committed only 58 turnovers in 646 minutes, so London is fairly sure-handed. London only reached double figures once all season, and that was a rare performance. He scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Weber State for his only career double-double. "Tarik London needs to remind me more of Cameron Dollar," said Gottfried, drawing on a comparison from his UCLA days. "He's a guy who's maybe not a great offensive player, but he brings so much to the table. He's tough and very unselfish. And he knows what you're trying to run on the floor." TERRANCE MARTIN (6-3, 176 lbs., JR, G, #20, 3.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.6 apg, 14.7 minutes, .349 FG, .283 3PT, .611 FT, Central Tuscaloosa HS/Tuscaloosa, Ala.) Like fellow junior London, the man called "Doc" played a lot more under Gottfried than he did under Hobbs, even though he was hampered by an injury. Martin suffered a slight tear of the MCL in his right knee during practice on Dec. 20. He had surgery six days later, but managed to get back in action after missing only five games. He earned a couple of starts in the SEC season and put together the game of his life in the Tide's upset of Kentucky, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Martin's problem last season was his shooting for someone who has no value as a playmaker, his shooting percentages are way too low. But he makes up in part for his weakness with strong defense. "Last year I didn't think he'd play much, to be honest," Gottfried said. "But he hung in there. Doc just does everything you want him to do. He's not the most talented guy out there, but he gets the job done. He's got long arms and is a pretty good defender. He's a good guy to have around." ALFRED MOSS (6-8, 210 lbs., SR, C, #40, 1.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 5.7 minutes, .444 FG, .357 FT, Newnan HS/Newnan, Ga.) Could Moss be this year's version of MC Mazique, a guy who comes out of nowhere to become a key role player? It's possible, and Gottfried has the Tide's short-lived appearance in the NIT to thank. In the loss to Wake Forest, Moss, who had played just 61 minutes all season, broke loose for nine points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes of work. "That motivated him," Gottfried said. Moss went immediately to work in the weight room, impressing Alabama's strength coach with his effort and dedication. "He's probably improved as much over the spring and summer as anybody we've got," Gottfried said. "We might see him emerge as a senior. Alfred's a great kid. He's one of those guys you're pulling for." Moss might be able to squeeze in double-figure minutes each game while serving as a backup to Hays and Haginas. Freshmen are his only competition, so Moss' experience could work in his favor.OTHER RETURNEES TRAVIS STINNETT (5-11, 165 lbs., FR redshirt, G, #10, 3.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 11.3 minutes in four appearances, Alcoa HS/Alcoa, Tenn.) Stinnett originally signed with Murray State. When Gottfried left to take the Alabama job, Stinnett wanted no part of Murray. He asked Tevestor Anderson, Gottfried's former assistant and replacement, to release him from his scholarship. After some haggling, the school complied. Stinnett briefly considered Tennessee, which is close to his hometown, but he ultimately followed Gottfried to Alabama. Stinnett's freshman year was basically a bust. He was injured most of his abbreviated first season, finally deciding to apply for a redshirt year in November. Stinnett appeared in just four games. His best effort came against Jacksonville State. In 18 minutes, he scored seven points. Stinnett is a point guard, but it is up for debate whether he can be a major contributor in the SEC.OTHER NEWCOMERS KENNY WALKER (6-9, 214 lbs., FR, F-C, #42, 18.0 ppg, 11.7 rpg, Wolfson HS/Jacksonville, Fla.) Just to show he could recruit outside his home state, Gottfried reached into Florida to pick up this plum. Walker was a Top 50 choice by some recruiting analysts, including PrepStars, which rated him No. 47 in his class. CNN ranked him as the No. 3 power forward in the country. Walker has a chance to earn some serious minutes in the frontcourt. Hays obviously holds down the center position, and sophomore Sam Haginas has to be the frontrunner at power forward. But Walker can back up both spots. "He'll definitely compete for playing time," Gottfried said. "The good news about Kenny Walker is that his offense is ahead of his defense. Most of the time with big guys, they can block a shot and rebound, but their offense needs to come. Kenny brings a good offensive game with him." ERWIN DUDLEY (6-8, 225 lbs., FR, F, #35, 21.3 ppg, 17.4 rpg, 3.4 apg, 3.7 bpg, AC Hatch HS/Uniontown, Ala.) If Dudley can come close to matching the kind of numbers he put up in high school, Alabama will have another double-double threat on its hands, a la Jeremy Hays. Dudley had a double-double in 73 of the 80 high school games in which he played. He reached double figures in scoring in 78 of those games. You could say he was fairly consistent. He even tossed two triple-doubles into the mix (the third double was blocked shots, so he's a defender, too). Dudley is yet another example of how Gottfried has focused Alabama's recruiting on the best in-state players. Dudley was a member of the Alabama Sportswriters' Association's Super Five team, and was also that organization's 3A Player of the Year. Dudley was also chosen first-team All-State by the Birmingham News. D.J. TOWNS (6-2, 185 lbs., FR, G, #11, 22.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.6 apg, Pleasant Grove HS/Pleasant Grove, Ala.) Towns underwent knee surgery in the summer and might not be available until mid-season, if he doesn't choose to redshirt. When healthy, Towns will be a valuable player to have around. He is capable of playing either guard spot, just like his cousin former Arizona All-America Jason Terry, now with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Towns' assist total proves he knows how to set up teammates. And last March, he won the Alabama High School Athletic Association three-point shooting contest. SOLOMON DAVIS (6-6, 210 lbs., FR redshirt, F, #13) Davis, who redshirted last season, is a walk-on. He was a fairly decorated high school player (All-State in Alabama as a senior) and comes from good stock. His father played basketball at Kentucky State and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns. Davis enters a crowded situation at the forward positions. It's doubtful he'll contribute much as a freshman.STARTERS NOT RETURNING BRIAN WILLIAMS (6-1, SG, 17.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 33.0 minutes, .379 FG, .360 3PT, .857 FT) Gottfried vowed to take better advantage of Williams last season, and he did, allowing the gifted scorer to do what he does best. After shaking off a lingering ankle injury, Williams got better as the season progressed, finishing his excellent Alabama career with six straight games of 20 points or more. The streak started when he dumped 29 points on Vanderbilt on Feb. 21. Then Williams scored 25 against Ole Miss, 23 against Arkansas, 29 against Georgia in the SEC Tournament first round, 21 against Auburn in the second round and 26 against Wake Forest in the NIT, his final game at Alabama. In all, Williams scored 20 or more 13 times as a senior, including a career-high 36 points against Weber State. The ankle injury kept Williams sidelined for two games and limited his effectiveness for nearly a month. It was no surprise that when the injury healed, Williams went crazy, averaging 25.8 ppg in his final six contests. Williams wound up as the No. 7 all-time scorer at Alabama with 1,759 points. Had he been able to play for Gottfried all four years, Williams would no doubt have finished even higher on the school's career scoring list. CHRIS ROLLINS (6-5, SF, 10.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.4 spg, 31.1 minutes, .493 FG, .364 3PT, .672 FT) Rollins was one of the stars of Alabama's resurgence last season, performing capably from his small forward spot. He had some big games in his final season, but none bigger than the Tide's second meeting of the year with Louisiana State, when he scored a career-high 30 points (making six of 11 three-pointers) and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in a 72-71 overtime victory. Rollins, a junior college transfer, had some hard luck with injuries while at Alabama, but was playing healthy for the first time last season. He responded by tacking eight points onto his scoring average from the year before. Rollins was the only player to start all 32 games last season. Such a steady player will be missed, but his contributions should be replaced by Cotton and Grizzard. MC MAZIQUE (6-10, PF, 9.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 25.9 minutes, .518 FG, .333 3PT, .714 FT) Mazique was Alabama's best individual success story last year. In his first three seasons, Mazique never averaged more than 2.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg. Under Gottfried, who offered increased playing time, Mazique blossomed. The man who had scored 52 points as a junior scored 296 as a senior, twice notching his career-high of 16 (against Boston University and Northeast Louisiana). Mazique had three double-doubles (he grabbed 17 boards against BU) as he tripled his previous rebound total. It's too bad for Alabama that Mazique didn't redshirt during his otherwise wasted freshman season. But Gottfried has recruited capable replacements. And this year's MC Mazique, formerly little-used senior Alfred Moss, seems ready to have a similar sendoff season. CHAUNCEY JONES (6-1, PG, 5.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.1 spg, 22.9 minutes, .393 FG, .238 3PT, .558 FT) Jones handled the point for most of the season, starting 25 games. A true lead guard, Jones didn't look for his shot all that much, which, considering his three-point percentage, wasn't such a bad idea. His season-high point total of 15 came against 1999 Final Four-bound Ohio State. Jones was much more comfortable setting up his teammates, and did so capably. He passed for a career-high 10 assists against LSU and, although it took him another six games to pile up 10 more assists, he was a steady presence in the lineup during a stretch run in which the Crimson Tide won six of their last eight games to secure an NIT bid.OTHERS NOT RETURNING NEIL ASHBY (6-8, F, 2.2 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 7.4 minutes, .449 FG, .000 FT) Ashby was a gifted athlete who could run, jump and slash to the basket with anyone. But his shooting touch wasn't the greatest (he missed all 11 of the free throws he took last season). Correctly realizing that his playing time, already limited, would be reduced even further with the arrival of Rod Grizzard and Schea Cotton, Ashby decided to head to a place where he could contribute. That turned out to be Chattanooga, where he should excel for the Southern Conference power. That league seldom sees a player who combines Ashby's size and athletic skills. If he polishes up his touch from the free-throw line and can consistently make a jumper, Ashby might dominate. SAM WILLIAMS (6-8, F, 1.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 5.1 minutes, .357 FG, .500 FG) Like Ashby, Williams could take a hint. After playing in just 10 games last season and watching as Gottfried and his staff signed a talented recruiting class, Williams decided he could find more P.T. somewhere else. Williams decided on Auburn-Montgomery, an NAIA school. He should excel there. Williams proved he could compete against a mid-level Division I team when he scored a career-high 10 points (on five of six shooting) against Tennessee Tech last season. That bodes well for his NAIA career.QUESTIONS Youth? The core of this team consists of seven freshmen and two sophomores. Is the Crimson Tide experienced enough to get to the next level? Schea Cotton? Will Cotton have the same sort of impact as a junior college transfer that Auburn's Chris Porter or Maryland's Steve Francis did a year ago? If so, can he resist the temptation of turning pro long enough to help Alabama's rebuilding program come full circle?ANSWERS Cotton and Grizzard! These two newcomers could be a dangerous pair on the perimeter or inside or anywhere they want to be. Coaching! In just four years as a head coach, Gottfried has proven he is already among the best in the business. Jeremy Hays! The big man gives Gottfried one of the country's most dependable centers and a major building block.
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