COLLEGE BASKETBALL: 1994-95 PREVIEW : CAL STATE FULLERTON : Interim Coach Likely to Face a Tough Year

Brad Holland had trouble seeing a light at the end of the tunnel at Cal State Fullerton after two seasons as basketball coach. So when the University of San Diego job opened in September, Holland grabbed his bags, which some suspect he had never unpacked, and was on his way.

That left the job to his top assistant, Bob Hawking, hired on an interim basis by new Athletic Director John Easterbrook, who walked in the same day Holland walked out.

And now Hawking finds himself peering into that same dark tunnel, perhaps wondering if there’s anything in there other than an onrushing locomotive.

“I guess every basketball magazine around has picked us to finish last in the Big West Conference, so we know we’re going to have a challenge ahead of us,” Hawking said. The Titans also were picked to finish last by both conference coaches and reporters in separate preseason polls.

Challenge, for certain.

Hawking was Don MacLean’s coach in high school at Simi Valley, but he doesn’t have anyone of MacLean’s ability to build a team around this year at Fullerton.

And the players who do return are from a team that was 8-19, the school’s worst record since the Titans won only four games in the 1981-82 season.

Fullerton’s best player is senior Winston Peterson, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound center. He led the team in scoring, rebounding and shooting last season. Peterson averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot 53.7% from the field. Not bad, although Hawking says he has high expectations for Peterson this season.

Fullerton’s third-leading scorer last season, forward Darren Little, stumbled academically in the spring and was not readmitted in the fall. He averaged 11.7 points and was third on the team in rebounding. And forward Josh King, who showed promise as a freshman, transferred to Rhode Island.

Another returning starter, guard James French, a transfer from Washington who averaged 9.1 points last season, will be a key player as Hawking tries to speed up the offense. French has quickness and his success igniting the fast break could be telling.

More turnovers have followed the faster pace in the preseason.

“To some degree, that goes with developing more of an up-tempo game,” Hawking said.

Hawking hopes the other returning regular, wiry forward David Frigout, will be significantly improved over his first year in American college basketball after transferring from Groupe Pigier University in Evreux, France, last year. The more physical American game made for a difficult adjustment, and he still has problems defensively against forwards who play with power. Frigout has been prone to fouling.

What has pleased Hawking is the greater depth the team has shown.

“We’ve had some really intense battles for the starting positions,” Hawking said. “And I think we’re going to be playing eight to 10 guys on a fairly regular basis.”

It’s likely the Titans will have three guards in the lineup at times as Hawking emphasizes the faster pace. Chuck Overton, a first team All-American at Salt Lake City Community College last season, already has shown he can help. Junior Ali Nayab, sophomore Chris St. Clair and redshirt freshman Chris Dade also figure into the mix at guard. So will senior Danny Robinson if he regains academic eligibility at the start of the new semester.

Senior Fred Amos and redshirt freshman DeVaughn Wright are the other inside players who will play.

Hawking has been particularly pleased with the play of Amos, who has been challenging Peterson for the center spot.

Hawking just shrugs off the negative karma that swirls around the Titans.

The dire predictions don’t seem to unsettle him as the season opener Tuesday against Cal State Northridge, his alma mater, nears.

By March, however, Hawking could either be riding that train out of the tunnel, or just be another Fullerton coach run over by it.

Fullerton Facts and Figures

1994-95 ROSTER

No Player Pos Hgt Wgt Yr Hometown (HS/College) 3 *James French G 6-2 170 Sr Richmond (U. of Washington) 10 Ali Nayab G 5-10 160 Jr San Diego (Southwestern JC) 12 Chris Dade G 6-2 190 F San Diego (El Camino JC) 21 *Danny Robinson G 6-0 170 Sr Baltimore (Sheridan JC) 22 Chuck Overton G 6-3 175 Jr Tucson (Salt Lake City JC) 23 *David Frigout F 6-9 210 Jr Evreux, France (Groupe Pigier) 24 *Chris St. Clair G 6-0 170 So La Habra (Sonora) 31 Andy Hinkle F 6-5 185 Fr Placentia (El Dorado) 32 John Williams F 6-5 190 Fr Rialto (Rialto) 34 *Fred Amos C 6-7 235 Sr Santa Ana (Rancho Santiago) 35 *Winston Peterson C 6-6 235 Sr Fort Worth (San Jacinto JC) 44 DeVaughn Wright C 6-6 215 Fr Santa Ana (Mater Dei)

*Lettermen returning (6)

Coach: Bob Hawking.

Assistants: George Fuller, George Tuttle, Jeff Dunlap.

1993-94 STATISTICS

Player G FGM-FGA Pct. FTM-FTA Pct. Ast Reb Pts Winston Peterson 26 154-287 .537 89-143 .622 0.5 7.5 15.3 Greg Vernon 27 120-260 .462 94-133 .707 2.2 4.3 13.3 Darren Little 26 119-283 .421 32-57 .561 1.0 4.3 11.7 James French 27 73-181 .403 70-91 .769 3.3 2.2 9.1 Josh King 26 55-152 .362 40-53 .755 0.4 3.8 6.7 David Frigout 26 56-116 .483 25-37 .676 0.5 4.1 5.3 Fred Amos 27 38-86 .442 42-79 .532 0.2 3.9 4.4 Chris St. Clair 26 29-99 .293 37-50 .740 1.9 1.9 4.3 Danny Robinson 27 31-81 .383 24-56 .429 3.1 2.3 3.6 Todd Satalowich 1 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0 CSUF Totals 27 675-1545 .437 453-699 .648 13.0 36.1 72.0 Opponents 27 717-1521 .471 469-687 .683 14.1 35.9 76.1

Three-point goals: Vernon 24-78; Litlle 34-95; 30-78; King 24-70; St. Clair 17-59; Robinson 11-34. CSUF 140-414, 33.8%; Opponents 152-423, 35.9%.

1994-95 SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time Nov. 29 CS Northridge 7:35 Dec. 2 Santa Clara 6:00 Dec. 3 Fresno St. 5:30 Dec. 10 at UCLA 5:00 Dec. 17 at Nevada Las Vegas 7:35 Dec. 20 San Diego St. 7:35 Dec. 23 San Francisco 7:35 Dec. 27 at Utah 6:30 Dec. 30 at Loyola Marymount 7:05 Jan. 3 at UC Irvine 7:30 Jan. 11 at New Mexico St. 6:30 Jan. 14 Utah St. 7:35 Jan. 16 Nevada 7:35 Jan. 19 at San Jose St. 7:30 Jan. 21 at Pacific 7:30 Jan. 26 UC Santa Barbara 7:35 Jan. 28 Long Beach St. 7:35 Feb. 2 New Mexico St. 7:35 Feb. 4 Nevada Las Vegas 7:35 Feb. 9 at Nevada 7:30 Feb. 11 at Utah St. 6:05 Feb. 16 Pacific 7:35 Feb. 18 San Jose St. 7:35 Feb. 23 at Long Beach St. 7:30 Feb. 25 at UC Santa Barbara 7:30 Mar. 4 UC Irvine 7:35 Mar. 9 *Big West Tournament

All Times are p.m. and PST *At Nevada Las Vegas

1993-94 RESULTS

W-L, Rec. Opponent Score L, 0-1 Wyoming 80-62 W, 1-1 *Concordia 80-66 L, 1-2 St. Mary’s 78-75 L, 1-3 *Utah 76-73 L, 1-4 Colorado 79-69 L, 1-5 Colorado St. 87-70 L, 1-6 *Northern Iowa 71-57 W, 2-6 *Oklahoma Bapt. 85-71 L, 2-7 *UC Irvine 77-71 L, 2-8 *Nevada Las Vegas 77-66 L, 2-9 *New Mexico St. 77-64 L, 2-10 Utah St. 59-50 W, 3-10 Nevada 74-70 L, 3-11 *San Jose St. 69-63 L, 3-12 *Pacific 76-69 W, 4-12 UC Santa Barbara 66-57 L, 4-13 Long Beach St. 91-69 L, 4-14 Pacific 97-66 L, 4-15 San Jose St. 84-82 W, 5-15 *Nevada 97-72 L, 5-16 *Utah St. 59-52 W, 6-16 Nevada Las Vegas 84-75 L, 6-17 New Mexico St. 85-68 W, 7-17 UC Irvine 101-95 L, 7-18 *Long Beach St. 96-87 W, 8-18 *UC Santa Barbara 79-63 L, 8-19 Nevada 68-64

*Home: 4-9. Away: 4-9. Neutral: 0-1.

Conference: 6-12