Men's basketball making big strides

By: Josh Weaver

Posted: 1/23/08

After a stretch of eight games in three weeks, the SJSU men's basketball team is enjoying a welcomed week off before bouncing back into action on the road Thursday against the University of Idaho Vandals.

After winning five of the eight games in that span, the Spartans hold a 9-8 overall record and sit in sixth place in the Western Athletic Conference at 2-3.

"The last two years we just maintained the program that we adopted," said third-year head coach George Nessman, commenting on the growth and development of the team.

"We delayed the progress of some of the guys we have now. We red-shirted them last year with the hope that they would be ready to go their first year at Div. I, and that's, for the most part, proved to be the case."

Having already doubled - plus one - their win total from a year ago, the Spartans, led by a mixture of returning players and a core of talented first-year players, find themselves right in the thick of things in the WAC.

"We are certainly in the conversation that people have about the WAC," Nessman said.

He said the team isn't where it wants to be yet but recognized the vast improvement over the previous two years.

The Spartans opened the 2007-08 campaign with a victory at the First Shot Exempt Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and have continued their improved play with key wins against cross-town rival Santa Clara University, Fresno State and an overtime triumph over South Dakota State University.

"Since day one over the summer, since we have been working out with each other, we all had the belief that we could come in and make some changes," said 6-foot-9-inch forward Chris Oakes.

Oakes, the team's leading rebounder who averages seven boards per game, is playing in his first season for SJSU after transferring from Pepperdine University last year.

"Coach has started bringing in some guys that are here, that want to play and want to make a change," Oakes said. "We are all buying into the whole system and the beliefs in the program. And it's starting to work for us."

Despite posting the best record through 17 games since the 1999-2000 season, the Spartans have experienced a few bumps along the way, including a 40-point drubbing at the hands of Michigan State and two tough losses to conference opponent University of Hawaii.

The first loss was in overtime 85-79 at the Event Center, spoiling a career-high 29 points from freshman point guard Justin Graham. The second came last week in Hawaii, where the Spartans lost 65-64, losing Graham for four weeks because of a fractured elbow in the process.

Filling in for Graham is last season's starting point guard Jamon Hill, who is accustomed to running the Spartan offense, having started all 30 games a year ago.

"I've been here two years, and coach knows that I know the system well," Hill said, "and he wants me to go out there and lead by example."

Hill said this year's team possesses more weapons and firepower on offense and, overall, is far more talented.

"We all know that we just have to play our role and not try and do too much," Hill said. "When everybody knows their role and does it on the court it helps the team, and we are more successful that way."

Hill scored 14 points in SJSU's win over Fresno State last Thursday, adding seven rebounds and four assists.

"Jamon had a heck of a game for us on Thursday, but Jamon has played a lot for us, so that's not all that surprising," Nessman said.

"That shows you the growth of our program. We have the depth to sustain the loss of our leading scorer."

Nessman said the team's growing confidence is due to its newfound successes, adding that although there is reason to be confident, the team must stay focused on the task at hand and not look ahead to any games.

"We can beat anyone on our schedule, and anyone on our schedule can beat us, and that gives us a perspective that is helping us right now," Nessman said.

"The biggest thing is for everybody to stay positive about our program, stay confident that we are on the right track and keep pushing to try and get better."