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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
MATT SANTANGELO (6-1, 173 lbs., SR, PG, #13, 12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.3 apg, 32.0 minutes, .375 FG, .381 3PT, .775 FT, Central Catholic HS/Portland, Ore.) Hall's play over the last two seasons left Santangelo playing a kind of hybrid guard position. He tallied a team-high 184 assists and was the team's second-leading scorer, so clearly Monson's little experiment worked out well. In fact, Santangelo, too, was selected to the All-WCC first team (for the second straight season). With Hall gone, Santangelo will settle into the point guard spot full-time, but he is not your father's point guard. He's a sweet shooter who likes to fill it up from the outside and, with just 298 more points, he'll be in third place on the school's career scoring list. Then again, with 112 assists, Santangelo will unseat John Stockton at the top of that category. Perhaps most encouraging, despite watching his offensive numbers fall last season, Santangelo came up big in important games, dispatching Santa Clara in the WCC title tilt with 37 points and then following up in the NCAA Tournament with 14 points and eight assists against Minnesota, 22 points, six boards and six assists against Stanford, and 11 points and seven assists against Florida. UConn finally figured out a way to stop him, holding him to a pair of points and two dishes before moving on to the Final Four. RICHIE FRAHM (6-5, 203 lbs., SR, SG, #24, 14.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, .437 FG, .429 3PT, .810 FT, Battle Ground HS/Battle Ground, Wash.) The fourth 'Zag to earn All-Conference first-team honors, Frahm was the team's leading scorer last season and will be called on to ease Santangelo's load this year. Frahm enjoyed a breakout season, using his large frame to create openings and sting nets with what Monson believed was as pure a shot as owned by anyone in the country. His game has improved each season, giving Few reason to hope that his backcourt will be as strong this year as it was last. Frahm is a flat-out scorer; during one seven-game stretch, he hit 45 of 80 field-goal attempts, including an impressive 22 of 36 from beyond the art. Against Memphis, he tied a school record with eight treys. With Santangelo running the halfcourt offense, he should get plenty of good looks this year. CASEY CALVARY (6-8, 214 lbs., JR, PF, #31, 9.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 24.0 minutes, .658 FG, .457 3PT, .542 FT, Bellarmine Prep/Tacoma, Wash.) An All-Conference honorable mention, Calvary thrilled Gonzaga crowds with highlight-film dunks, but more significantly led the squad in field-goal shooting, rebounding and blocked shots. He really picked up his game over his freshman season, developing a nice long-range touch to complement his fierce play in the paint. Indeed, Monson had been concerned about his inside players heading into the season, but needn't have worried. Calvary's tip basket of Hall's miss sent Gonzaga into the Elite Eight, and he was named to the NCAA Tournament All-West Region team. He should prove to be a rock in the frontcourt for Few this year. AXEL DENCH (6-11, 243 lbs., #30, SR, C, 6.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 16.0 minutes, .489 FG, .353 3PT, .692 FT, Carey Grammar/Melbourne, Australia) A year after starting, Dench spent last season coming off the bench and contributing nicely. He improved his offensive game and was an all-around solid presence. However, Dench will need to pick it up now. He's 6-11 and the starting center, so it would be nice to increase his scoring and imperative to increase his rebounding. Calvary hits the boards and defends with abandon; Dench needs to take a page from that playbook. MIKE NILSON (6-5, 216 lbs., #25, SR, SF, 2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 16.0 minutes, .485 FG, .421 3PT, .714 FT, Shorecrest HS/Seattle, Wash.) Nilson's is the least secure spot in the starting lineup once again. He started two of the Bulldogs' first four games a year ago, then came off the bench to eat minutes in the final 31 games. Nilson has a nice outside shot and defends well, tallying 42 steals as a reserve.KEY RESERVES RYAN FLOYD (6-1, 185 lbs., SR, G, #15, 4.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 13.0 minutes, .404 FG, .407 3PT, .750 FT, Sprague-Harrington HS/Harrington, Wash.) He didn't see a ton of time, but Floyd was a solid reserve whose outside shot made opponents play him honestly. He helped to stretch the defense, and should do the same again this season. MARK SPINK (6-8, 192 lbs., JR, F, #23, 2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 8.0 minutes, .596 FG, .700 FT, Sehome HS/Bellingham, Wash.) Gonzaga had a lot of unsung heroes a season ago, and Spink was one of the most important of them. He really stepped up last year and did a lot of crucial grunt work in addition to shooting the ball very well from the floor. Spink also plays very sticky interior defense, which helped neutralize opponents' athleticism. ZACH GOURDE (6-8, 236 lbs., FR redshirt, F, #32, 19.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 bpg in 1997-88, Prairie HS/Vancouver, Wash.) Gourde, a talented post-up scorer, brings size to the frontcourt to go along with a year of practicing in the Bulldogs' system. Gourde's ability to get the ball with his back to the hoop, turn and score will be a major asset.OTHER RETURNEES None.OTHER NEWCOMERS JAY SHERRELL (6-8, 220 lbs., FR, F, #34, 14.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, Bethel HS/Spanaway, Wash.) The MVP of the South Puget Sound League, Sherrell may nonetheless wind up redshirting this season. He helped lead his team to a 19-1 record and the Washington State AAAA Tournament, but there may be too many bodies in front of him to make a dent with the 'Zags. GERMAYNE FORBES (6-1, 182 lbs., FR, #11, 23.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, 4.0 spg, Henny Compton HS/London, England) Santangelo's understudy will be the English native Forbes, who will get to learn from a master. He put up nice numbers in England, but unless he progresses much more quickly than anticipated, Forbes will spend a lot of time watching and learning. MATT KINCAID (6-0, 180 lbs., FR redshirt, G, #10, 12.0 ppg in 1997-98, Hanford HS/Richland, Wash.) After making the team as a walk-on, Kincaid sat out last season as a redshirt and doesn't appear to figure very highly into Gonzaga's plans this year. JIMMY TRICCO (6-5, 180 lbs., FR, G, #22, 12.5 ppg, 5.5 apg, Brophy HS/Phoenix, Ariz.) Like Sherrell, Tricco could wind up redshirting this season. His team won 30 games and advanced to the state quarterfinals.STARTERS NOT RETURNING QUENTIN HALL (5-8, PG, 11.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg, 31.0 minutes, .460 FG, .362 3PT, .779 FT) The Bulldogs played a two-man point last year, and Hall was the floor general responsible for cranking up the running game. He gave Gonzaga a perimeter presence who was also unafraid of plunging into traffic before kicking it back out. For his efforts he was selected to the All-WCC first team. Hall brought leadership and skill to the 'Zags, and he won't be replaced easily. JEREMY EATON (6-11, C, 11.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 24.0 minutes, .531 FG, .702 FT) One of four double-figure scorers, Eaton was an unflashy, reliable big man who could shoot, score and even pass a little bit. Like Hall, he was an All-WCC first-team pick whose loss leaves Gonzaga with a hole to fill a six-foot, 11-inch hole.OTHERS NOT RETURNING MIKE LEASURE (6-7, F, 2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 9.0 minutes, .507 FG, .424 3PT, 1.000 FT) Appearing in all 35 games, and starting one of them, Leasure proved to be a valuable role player, especially when opponents were successful in slowing down Gonzaga's running game and forcing it into the halfcourt. He didn't score a whole lot, but made the most of his minutes, particularly on defense and in the trenches, where his 231-pound bulk was a factor.QUESTIONS Depth? The Bulldogs of last year were such a balanced lot, they went 10 deep every single night literally. With two All-Conference starters and a key reserve gone, Gonzaga may have to adjust to a shorter bench. The new guy? Mark Few has never been a head coach before, and he certainly didn't expect to land the job this year, mere months after his boss signed a 10-year contract. It will bear watching to see whether this career assistant is sufficiently prepared for the job and has what it takes. Letdown? Last year was magic. Make no mistake, the 'Zags earned all the accolades that came their way, but in their heart of hearts, even their most ardent fans would have to confess that last season was the most pleasant of surprises. A return to earth would not be unheard of.ANSWERS The system! This team has been through quite a few coaches given its success in the 1990s, and all it does is keep winning. By hiring Few, Gonzaga gets a guy who knows the program, knows the school and knows the kind of kid who wants to spend four years there. An All-WCC backcourt! Starting guards Matt Santangelo and Richie Frahm are the real deal. Their talents complement each other and set the table for the whole Bulldog offense. Check your ego at the door! This is a team filled with guys who chip in wherever and however necessary. Gonzaga had no superstar last season. Instead, it spread the scoring around and put the team before the individual. It reaped the benefits with a superior season against very, very talented foes.
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