COLLEGE BASKETBALL : San Diego State Women : Aztecs Are Up Front About Returning to Their Winning Ways

SAN DIEGO —  Imagine if former San Diego State point guard Penny Toler hadn’t transferred to Cal State Long Beach. Imagine if the exciting junior guard--a preseason All-American this season--was penetrating and passing off to the imposing Aztec front line of Chana Perry, Jessica Haynes and Brooke Meadows.

But imagining is all the Aztecs can do, and that poses a problem for Earnest Riggins, SDSU women’s basketball coach.

“We probably match up with most teams in the country on the front line, but we have to get the ball to them,” Riggins said. “The thing we’re really concerned about is the point guard. Right now, it is really up for grabs.”

The play of their guards will greatly determine whether the Aztecs return to their winning ways after two losing seasons. SDSU was 24-6 in 1983-84 and 21-9 in 1984-85 and reached the NCAA regional semifinals both seasons. But SDSU was 14-17 in 1985-86 and 13-16 last season.

“I think we have the nucleus of a good ballclub,” said Riggins, who is entering his fifth season at SDSU. “I think we have our program back on track. We could be as good as the 1983-84 or ‘84-85 teams, but it will depend on how well we synchronize together and how well our guards play.”

Said Meadows: “Last year we had good individuals, but no teamwork. Everyone has to know what each person can do.”

The front line players need to have guards to lead the Aztec running game and get the ball inside.

Riggins says freshman point guard Dee Davis from Fairfax High in Los Angeles holds an edge over fifth-year senior Sheri Edmonds in the battle for point guard, with junior college transfer Vycelka Oristil also being considered. At the shooting guard spot, sophomore Alison Smith is the frontrunner over junior Stephanie Lamar.

None of those players has proven herself like Toler, who left the school for personal reasons after helping the Aztecs win 21 games during her freshman season in 1984-85. Last season, Toler averaged 21.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.1 steals for a Long Beach team that reached the NCAA Final Four. So, while Toler practices with Long Beach, Riggins has spent his preseason admiring the talents of Perry, Haynes and Meadows and trying to come up with a backcourt.

A look at the Aztec front line:

Chana Perry (6-4, junior center)--”I don’t know anyone in the country who can go one-on-one with her,” said Riggins, referring to women’s collegiate basketball.

“She’s the best center in the country,” said Ken Weeks, SDSU assistant coach.

An All-American at Northeast Louisiana where she averaged 18.3 points and 12.5 rebounds and led the Lady Indians to the Final Four as a freshman in 1984-85, Perry returns to the court after transferring to SDSU and redshirting last season.

Perry is a preseason honorable mention All-American whom Riggins plans to build his team around.

“Great ballclubs revolve around the center,” Riggins said. “Chana is such a great player. Chana is to us what Kareem is to the Lakers. Chana could be the leading assist player on the team. She will not take a bad shot. The kid knows the game. Chana is a power player who is strong. She can bring the ball up the floor like a guard and she plays in the paint. She plays both ends of the floor and has great leadership qualities. She makes everyone around her so much better.”

Perry says she is “very eager and ready” to compete again. She has not played a full season since 1984-85. And she has gone through some tough times.

She was put on academic probation three times at Northeast Louisiana. In her sophomore year, the NCAA announced it had found six violations in the recruiting of Perry, who was a high school All-American in Mississippi. The violations were for unethical conduct, automobile transportation, lodging, a recruiting inducement, an improper recruiting contact and an illegal tryout.

The women’s program at Northeast Louisiana was placed on probation for a year and the NCAA ruled that Perry was ineligible to represent the university. Thus, she started anew San Diego State, where she concentrated on academics last year and attended summer school the past two summers.

On the court, Perry practiced with the Aztecs during second semester last year. Last summer, Perry played quite well for the United States team that competed in the World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

“I don’t think she’s lost a beat,” Riggins said. “I think she’s stronger and wiser. If anything, the year layoff helped her. It helped her get her academics together. She’s proved she can do it in the classroom.”

Jessica Haynes (6-0, junior forward)--Haynes led the Aztecs in scoring (14.4), rebounding (10.4), assists (92), steals (94) and blocked shots (35) last season. She was a first team all-PCAA selection and is an honorable mention All-American preseason pick this season.

“Things will be a lot easier than they were my other two years here,” said Haynes, who is the only returning starter other than Meadows. “We have a lot of talent, speed and quickness. We have people like Chana who know the game. People who can complement you.”

The Aztec personnel will enable Riggins to use Haynes more on the wing and at times as a shooting guard.

“She’s better away from the basket.” Riggins said. “But last year we did not have a true center.”

This season, Perry is a true center, which Riggins hopes will enable Haynes to become a true forward.

Brooke Meadows (6-4, junior forward)--Having Perry will also enable Meadows to play more power forward than center. Meadows averaged 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds and was considered one of the team’s most improved players.

A look at the backcourt:

Dee Davis (5-8, freshman point guard)--Riggins anticipates quick development from Davis, who redshirted last season after being named The Times’ West Side Player of the Year as a senior at Fairfax.

“She’s a nice ballhandler and knows the game,” Riggins said. “We’re trying to improve her shot.”

Sheri Edmonds (5-5, senior point guard)--A fifth-year senior with the ability to penetrate defenses, Riggins hoped Edmonds would provide leadership for the Aztecs’ young backcourt. However, Riggins says Davis is a little ahead of Edmonds in their battle for the starting spot.

“The ball is in her court,” Riggins said. “She will have to say she wants it.”

Vycelka Oristil (5-2, junior point guard)--Oristil set school records with 218 assists and 137 steals in leading Merritt Community College in Oakland to a 26-4 record two years ago.

“She has speed and quickness and handles the ball pretty well, but she’s wild,” Riggins said. “She doesn’t make good decisions.”

Alison Smith (5-9, sophomore shooting guard)--Started three games as a freshman and averaged 2.8 points in 26 games. Holder of 26 basketball records at Buchanan High in Missouri and named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri for 1985.

“We know the ability and potential is there,” Riggins said.

Stephanie Lamar (5-10, junior shooting guard)--Averaged 30 points a game and won the community college scoring title while playing for College of the Desert in Palm Desert last season. Riggins describes Lamar as a “tremendous leaper who is progressing, but needs work defensively. She’s challenging Alison for a starting position.”

The Aztecs open the season against Connecticut in the first round of the University of Maine tournament Friday (also playing are Maine and Drexel). SDSU then plays at the University of San Diego Dec. 1 and in the University of Colorado tournament Dec. 3-4 (also playing are Houston, Purdue and Colorado). SDSU plays host to Cal State Northridge Dec. 11 and will be the host team in the Dial Classic Dec. 29-30 (also playing are Texas A&M;, Kansas and the University of Texas El Paso). After hosting Northern Illinois Jan. 2, the Aztecs open PCCA play.

“I wish our schedule was a little harder,” Perry said. “I wish we would play LSU, Louisiana Tech. Some teams in the Top 10.”

Perry, Haynes and Meadows thought the Aztecs should have been ranked in the preseason Top 20, but they weren’t.

Riggins is a lot more guarded in his estimation because of his unproven backcourt.

“I think our guards will have had a true test of their ability by January,” Riggins said. “By then, we’ll be able to make a true accessment of where we are.”