Aztecs, Ross Are on Target : He Hits 1,000 Mark as SDSU Rolls Past St. Francis

By CURT HOLBREICH

Dec. 28, 1988 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO — Tony Ross is one of the original 3-point baby boomers. He came to San Diego State in 1986, the year that college basketball instituted the 3-point field goal.

The rule helped Ross make his reputation in a hurry, and Tuesday night it helped him make Aztec history.

Fittingly, it was a 3-point shot--an arching 21-footer from right of circle--that gave Ross his 1,000th point in college.

The milestone was one of the few touches of showmanship in a 91-72 victory over St. Francis (N.Y.) in front of 1,964 at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The 3-pointer came with 13:12 to play and gave Ross 15 for the game, the exact number he needed to become the 16th Aztec to reach 1,000.

He finished with 20 points (equal to his season high) and 1,005 in his career, tying him with Kim Goetz (1977-79) for 15th on the school scoring list, 14 points behind Leonard Allen.

Ross, a 6-foot 3-inch guard from Portland, Ore., is the third SDSU junior to score 1,000 points. The others were Michael Cage, the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,846 points, and Anthony Watson, second with 1,735 points.

But unlike the 15 players who reached 1,000 before him, Ross has benefited from the 3-year-old, 3-point field goal: Of his 332 career field goals, 222 were 3-pointers. But in the case of sharp-shooting Ross, the extra points probably only hastened the inevitable.

Ross downplayed the significance of the feat but couldn’t help but recognize that it was only proper that his 1,000th point came on a 3-pointer.

“Most definitely,” Ross said with a laugh. “If I have that shot open, I’m going to take it.”

Ross started the season needing only 84 points to reach 1,000. But after starting 46 of 56 games in his first 2 seasons at SDSU, Ross has started only one this season and has had to adjust to the role of sixth man.

“That has been difficult, but that is the job I have,” Ross said. “It’s a change from last year, something I have to get used to.

“It is hard coming off the bench, not knowing how many minutes I’m going to play. But that is the role I have got to play.”

That means there will be some nights when Ross contributes the way he did against St. Francis or against Hardin-Simmons (also 20 points) but others, such as a 3-point night against Texas Tech and a 2-point game against Tennessee, when he is not the offensive factor he has been in the past.

His roll has changed as Coach Jim Brandenburg has worked to make Ross a more complete player, trying to emphasize defense and ball-handling.

“At times, he has come in and giving us a lift,” Brandenburg said. “Other times, the ball hasn’t gone in quite so well.

“Tony realizes that he isn’t going to play 38 minutes a game this year,” Brandenburg said.

Aside from Ross’ bit of history, it was a game that had all the markings of a warmup for Thursday’s meeting with No. 7 North Carolina.

“After about 15 minutes, we lost interest in the game,” Brandenburg said. “Whether we turned our thoughts from St. Francis to North Carolina, it’s hard to say.”

The Aztecs led by as many as 21 late in the first half (36-14), only to let the Terriers creep to within 67-60 with 5:33 to play. SDSU then pulled away for its fifth victory in eight games.

SDSU center Mitch McMullen led all scorers with 21 points. Ross with 20 and Sam Johnson with 16 were the other Aztecs in double figures.

Senior guard Rodney Henry led St. Francis (5-4) with 18 points.

The Aztecs started sluggish, leading only 7-6 in the first five minutes. But SDSU scored the next three baskets to start a 24-3 run that would put the Aztecs comfortably ahead.

The Terriers, who entered the game shooting 43.9% from 3-point range, made only 4 of 17 3-point attempts (23.5%) and shot 41.5% from the field.

Junior forward Steve Mickens, who had made 15 of 28 previous 3-point attempts, missed 7 of his 8 attempts against the Aztecs.

Aztecs Notes

San Diego State officials are expecting a crowd of about 10,000 for Thursday’s home game against North Carolina. . . . The Aztecs continued their troubles as the free-throw line, making 16 of 29 attempts (55.2%). The Aztecs entered the game shooting 61.4% from the line. . . . This was the third of seven consecutive home games for the Aztecs, who do not go on the road until Jan. 12 at Brigham Young.

AZTECS OVER 1,000 San Diego State players with more than 1,000 career points:

Michael Cage (1980-84) 1,846

Anthony Watson (1982-86) 1,735

Tony Pinkins (1954-57) 1,475

Bob Brady (1951-54) 1,389

Steve Copp (1972-75) 1,307

Al Skalecky (1965-68) 1,271

Will Connelly (1974-77) 1,193

Von Jacobsen (1968-71) 1,188

Bernie Finlay (1957-60) 1,110

Eddie Morris (1979-83) 1,089

Danny Newport (1953-56) 1,048