Beach Begins Season At San Diego State
49ers and Aztecs Meet On Friday at Cox Arena
November 17, 2003
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| UPCOMING GAMES | | Fri., Nov. 21 at San Diego State, 7:30 pm, Cox Arena, San Diego, CA (KRLA 870 AM) | | Sat., Nov. 29 at Portland, 7:05 pm, Chiles Cener, Portland, OR (KRLA 870 AM) |
| PROBABLE STARTERS | | F-10-Cody Pearson (6-4, 193, jr., 7.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) | | F-30-Kevin Roberts (6-5, 255, Sr., 12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) | | C-5-Marcel Jackson (6-9, 290, Sr., 5.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg) | | G-1-Jibril Hodges (6-2, 179, So., 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) | | G-20-Kevin Houston (5-10,170, Fr., 16.0 ppg, 3.0 apg) | (Stats are 2003 exhibition game averages) |
The Records: Long Beach State kicks off its 2003-04 season on the road as they travel down the 405 Freeway to San Diego to take on San Diego State on Friday evening at 7:35 pm. The Beach then will travel to Portland, OR to take on the University of Portland on Saturday, November 29. The 49ers were 5-22 last season and 4-14 in the Big West Conference, finishing in 10th place. San Diego State was 16-14 last season and 6-8 in the Mountain West Conference, good for a fifth place finish. The Aztecs advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2003.
The Coach: Larry Reynolds (UC Riverside, 1976) is 5-22 (.185) entering his second year at Long Beach State. Reynolds compiled a career mark of 110-35 (.759) in five years as the head coach at Cal State San Bernardino.
The Series: The 49ers trail in their series with San Diego State by a 33-22 count. The two teams met last year in The Pyramid, and the Aztecs came away with a 64-55 win. SDSU has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two schools dating back to the 1980-81 campaign.
49ers Get Past Olympic Club: In its second exhibition game of the season the 49ers prevailed over the Olympic Club, 83-81. Mark Bowens' two free throws with three second left provided the winning points. Kevin Houston had 16 points, four assists and four steals while Jibril Hodges added 15 points and six assists. The 49ers shot 44.6 (25-56) from the field and were 28-43 from the free throw line. LBSU also forced 21 turnovers by the Olympic Club.
Beach Falls To CSUSB: The 49ers dropped an 89-74 decision on Wednesday evening at home to Cal State San Bernardino. Jonathan Levy and Curtis Williams both scored 25 points for the Coyotes. The 49ers led 33-32 at the 6:33 mark, only to see CSUSB out-score the Beach 18-3 the remainder of the half. The 49ers could never recover in the second half. Kevin Houston led the 49ers with 16 points, while Kevin Roberts and Jibril Hodges each had 12. Cody Pearson had 11 points and eight rebounds. The Coyotes shot 12-28 from 3-point range, including 5-8 for Williams, while the 49ers were just 5-20 from long-range.
Last Year Vs. The Aztecs: Mike Mackell had 17 points and Tony Bland 11 as San Diego State defeated the 49ers 64-55 in The Pyramid on Dec. 10. The 49ers led 38-33 at the 16:34 mark in the second half, only to see the Aztecs go on a 20-6 run over the next eight-plus minutes to take a 53-44 lead. The 49ers trailed by just four points, 58-54, with 2:25 left, but scored just one more point the remainder of the contest. Tony Darden led the 49ers with 20 points while Kevin Roberts had 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. LBSU shot just .340 (18-53) from the field and were out-rebounded by the Aztecs 38-30.
Reynolds Announces Two Signees: Head Coach Larry Reynolds announced to signees this week for the 49ers. Inking with the Beach were Damiao Rodrigues (C, 7-3, 275, Laurinburg, NC/Laurinburg Institute) and Gazmine "Jazz" Henderson (G, 6-2, 180, Dallas, TX/Eastfield College). Rodrigues hails from Brazil and is in his second season playing at Laurinburg Institute under Head Coach Rolando DeLaBerrera. Rodrigues, a left-hander, averaged 7.0 points per game last season. "We don't get the opportunity to sign someone with his size very often", said Reynolds. "When we have that opportunity to sign someone of his size, we need to get them into our program. He has good hands and quick feet to go along with his size. He has great potential."
Last year at Eastfield, Henderson averaged 20.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. A first team All-Metro Athletic Conference selection, he also earned first team Region V honors. Henderson shot .790 from the free throw line and .360 from 3-point range. He was named the Freshman of the Year in the Metro Athletic Conference as Eastfield finished the season at 18-12. This season Henderson has been named a pre-season All-American by several publications. Eastfield is currently ranked #9 in the country in the NJCAA Division III poll. Henderson prepped at Spruce High School in Dallas. "Jazz is a tremendous scorer," said Reynolds. "He can play as a combo guard, at either the point guard spot or at the two-guard. We look forward to him adding to our already strong backcourt."
Roberts Ready For Senior Campaign: Senior forward Kevin Roberts (Petaluma) had 12 points and five rebounds on Wednesday vs. CS San Bernardino. He sat out Sunday's game with back spasms, but is ready to go this week. Roberts is coming off a solid season in 2002-03 where he averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds per game. He reached double figures in scoring 19 times and recorded two double-double's, both coming against UC Riverside. With 714 career points, Roberts needs to average 10.6 points per game this season to become just the 14th player in 49er history to reach 1,000 career points. With 101 rebounds and 286 points, Roberts can become just the 10th player in 49er history to record 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. Roberts was named the team's Co-MVP last season.
Antoine Jackson Could Be Ready: Senior Antoine Jackson (San Antonio, TX) broke the small finger on his left hand in early October and is scheduled to be back by this weekend, but he is still day-to-day. He has only been able to work out during conditioning drills since he has been unable to hold a basketball. He missed both exhibition games. Jackson appeared in 23 games last year, starting seven times, and averaged 3.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting .587 (37-63) from the field. His best game of the season came at Pacific where he recorded his only double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Marcel Jackson Earns Starts: Senior Marcel Jackson (Santa Cruz) started in the post in both exhibition games. Wednesday vs. CS San Bernardino he finished with four points and a team-high nine rebounds. Sunday he had six points and six boards in 25 minutes. A big force down low, the 49er coaching staff has been pleased with Jackson's intensity and improved strength. Last year Jackson appeared in 22 games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. His best outing came at Loyola Marymount with nine points and seven rebounds.
Jenkins Is Questionable: Junior forward Chris Jenkins (Albuquerque, NM) hit his first 3-pointer on Wednesday night against CS San Bernardino, but then sprained his right ankle four minutes into the contest and sat out the remainder of the game. He did not suit up and play on Sunday against the Olympic Club and is questionable for the opener at San Diego State. After a disappointing season in 2002-03, where he averaged 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, Jenkins worked hard over the summer and in the fall and has come into camp in the best shape in his career. A solid long-range threat, he shot a school-record .491 (26-53) from long-range in 2001-02.
Pearson Earns His Spot: Junior Cody Pearson (Sherman Oaks) finished with 11 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes Wednesday evening. He was a perfect 5-5 from the field and led the squad with four offensive rebounds. He followed that up with four points and five rebounds vs. the Olympic Club. Last year Pearson averaged 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, appearing in 26 games with eight starts. An enthusiastic player on the court, Pearson will be the 49ers defensive "stopper" this year. He also is one of the team's better rebounders. In Big West Conference games last year he averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. One of his best outings came in the 49ers home win over CS Fullerton when he finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Bowens Back: Sophomore Mark Bowens (Peoria, AZ) is back in a 49er uniform and on the court after missing last season due to injury. Bowens injured his left knee in October, 2002 and had to miss the entire season. Wednesday night vs. CSUSB, Bowens played 10 minutes and finished with two points and one assist. On Sunday he played 16 minutes, finishing with seven points, four rebounds and two assists. He will be splitting time at the point guard spot with freshman Kevin Houston.
Hodges At The Two Guard Spot: Sophomore Jibril Hodges (Park Forest, IL) played out of position last year, serving as the point guard the last half of the season. This year though, Hodges will be able to move back to his natural position as shooting guard. Wednesday night he finished with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists. On Sunday he had 15 points, six assists and three steals in 31 minutes. A Big West Conference All-Freshman Team selection last year, Hodges averaged 6.0 points and 2.1 assists per game. In league outings those totals rose to 7.9 points and 2.8 assists per game. A starter the final 11 games of the season, Hodges hit double digits in scoring five times, including a career-high 19 points in the 49ers 68-67 win over conference champion UC Santa Barbara at The Pyramid.
Alex Graham Ready To Go: Sophomore center Alex Graham (Redlands) is ready to go for the 2003-04 campaign. Wednesday evening Graham played 10 minutes and finished with five rebounds, two assists and one point. Sunday vs. the Olympic Club he had seven points and five boards in 15 minutes. Last season Graham appeared in 19 games, averaging 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. He had eight points in 16 minutes at Gonzaga and in the finale at UC Irvine, his lone start of the year, he had four points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes of action.
Pattillo Makes His Mark: Sophomore walk-on Ulric Pattillo (Harbor City) earned a spot on the 49er squad this season again due to a strong off-season. Pattillo scored two points in two minutes on Wednesday night vs. CS San Bernardino. Sunday he played eight minutes, finishing with three points, one rebound and one steal. He appeared in 11 games last season, and finished with a total of two points and five rebounds.
Houston A Spark Plug: True freshman Kevin Houston (Highland) will be a handful for opponents to stop this season. Wednesday night the 5-10 point guard came off the bench to score a team-high 16 points, while adding three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes. Houston was 2-5 from 3-point range on the evening. On Sunday, in his first start, he finished with 16 points, four assists and four steals, going 3-4 from 3-point range. At San Gorgonio High School, Houston averaged 20.0 points and 9.0 assists per game last year, earning first team All-CIF honors.
Darby Sees First Action: Sophomore Louis Darby (Panorama City) saw his first action in a 49er uniform on Wednesday and finished with four points in 17 minutes. Sunday he had nine points, four rebounds and two assists against the Olympic Club. Darby sat out last year as a non-qualifier, but has been a pleasant surprise in the fall. He averaged 21.0 points and 6.0 assists per game his senior year at Sylmar High School where he was selected as the MVP of the Valley Mission League.
Travon Free Learning The Ropes: True freshman Travon Free (Compton) played just five minutes on Wednesday night in his first collegiate game. Free finished with two points and one rebound. Sunday he played 19 minutes, finishing with nine points and two rebounds, both on the offensive glass. A talented prep player out of Dominguez High School, where he averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game his senior season, Free will see considerable playing time as the season progresses.
Lucian Graham Looks Good: True freshman Lucian Graham (Houston, TX) will see plenty of action this year for the 49ers. On Wednesday, Graham finished with five points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes of court time. Sunday he had seven points and two rebounds, but fouled out of the contest. Graham prepped at Westbury Christian High School and spent last season at Fort Union Military Academy in Fort Union, VA. Didn't see much action last year due to an injury, but as a senior he averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game and was named All-State and first team All-City.
First Collegiate Game: In Wednesday's exhibition opener vs. CS San Bernardino there were four players who were playing in their first collegiate game. Louis Darby, Lucian Graham, Kevin Houston and Travon Free all saw action as a collegian that night.
More Offense In 2003-04? Last year the 49ers averaged just 63.4 points per game, a mark which ranked eighth in the Big West Conference. Through the first two exhibition games the 49ers have averaged 78.5 points per outing (+15.1).
Rebounding Up As Well: Last year the 49ers averaged 30.4 rebounds per game to rank dead-last, tenth, in the Big West. In the first two exhibition games the 49ers averaged 41.0 rebounds per game (+10.6), including an averaged of 14.0 offensive rebounds per game.
Listen To The Radio: The 49ers can be heard all season-long on the internet, while the road games will be aired on KRLA (870 AM). All home games can be heard via the internet at www.longbeachstate.com. Road games can also be heard on the internet at www.krla.com. Check the 49er website (www.longbeachstate.com) for correct times.
2003-04 Schedule & Results (0-0 / 0-0 Big West)
| Nov. 21 | at San Diego State | 7:35 pm | | Nov. 29 | at Portland | 7:05 pm | | Dec. 3 | CS Stanislaus | 7:35 pm | | Dec. 6 | at Pepperdine (TV: FSW2) | 7:35 pm | | Dec. 9 | at Minnesota (TV: ESPN+) | 5:05 pm | | Dec. 20 | Southern Utah | 7:35 pm | | Dec. 23 | Loyola Marymount | 7:35 pm | | Dec. 27 | at Sacramento State | 7:05 pm | | Dec. 30 | Colgate | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 3 | *UC Santa Barbara | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 5 | *Cal Poly (TV: FSW2) | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 8 | *at Pacific | 7:05 pm | | Jan. 10 | *at CS Northridge | 7:05 pm | | Jan. 15 | *CS Fullerton | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 17 | *UC Riverside | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 24 | *UC Irvine | 7:35 pm | | Jan. 29 | *at Idaho | 7:05 pm | | Jan. 31 | *at Utah State | 6:05 pm | | Feb. 5 | *CS Northridge (TV: KVMD) | 7:05 pm | | Feb. 7 | *Pacific | 7:35 pm | | Feb. 12 | *at UC Riverside | 7:10 pm | | Feb. 14 | *at CS Fullerton | 7:05 pm | | Feb. 18 | *at UC Irvine (TV: KVMD) | 7:05 pm | | Feb. 26 | *Utah State | 7:35 pm | | Feb. 28 | *Idaho (TV: FSW2) | 5:05 pm | | Mar. 4 | *at Cal Poly | 7:05 pm | | Mar. 6 | *at UC Santa Barbara | 7:05 pm | | Mar. 10-13 | at Big West Tournament | tba |
# Exhibition Game
* Big West Conference Game |
