Ready To Break Through
Aug 21, 2002 | Men's Basketball
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MANHATTAN, Kan. - No quick fixes. No outlandish promises. Just steady progress and improvement.
It's a formula that has served Jim Wooldridge well through the years. And like a geometric proof, it should come as no surprise that it's beginning to work at Kansas State.
Wooldridge has never been about the latest fad. Instead he has opted for the tried and true, sticking with the triangle offense and a hard-nosed brand of man-to-man defense, secure in the knowledge that in the end, winning often comes down to who's willing to work the hardest.
When Wooldridge took over at Kansas State prior to 2000-01, the Wildcats were coming off their most disappointing season in over 50 years - a 9-19 campaign that saw K-State finish in the Big 12 Conference's cellar. The goal was simple: Make the 'Cats competitive.
Since then, Wooldridge has improved K-State's win total by two each season. Last year he placed the Wildcats on the cusp of an upper division finish in the Big 12.
Mission No. 1 accomplished.
Now comes the next phase of Wooldridge's plan: Building on that foundation and returning a once storied program to national prominence.
In other words, breaking through in the Big 12.
The 'Cats came close last year, posting a 13-16 overall record, including a 6-10 mark in Big 12 Conference play, and tying for seventh place in a league that sent its top six teams to the NCAA Tournament.
K-State also won its opening-round Big 12 Conference Tournament game for the second straight year, then gave Final Four participant Oklahoma all it wanted in the quarterfinals before falling to the No. 4-ranked Sooners.
Kansas State returns seven letterwinners and three starters for its 100th season of intercollegiate basketball. To the mix, the Wildcats have added a recruiting class that Hoop Scoop magazine ranked as the nation's 11th best and includes three highly-touted junior college guards, a power forward out of the Oklahoma high-school ranks that just may turn out to be one of the most significant signings of the last decade at Kansas State, and a hard-working walk-on.
Wooldridge acknowledges that the challenge at hand for his staff is to get this new talent integrated into his system as soon as possible, especially in the backcourt, which will be sporting a new look this season after the graduation of second team All-Big 12 guard and K-State's leading scorer from a year ago, Larry Reid.
| "We have a lot of players who have the ability to contribute, and if we can get them to work together toward a common goal we can be a good ballclub." Head Coach Jim Wooldridge |
"Like every year, the key component to any team is the returning players and what kind of season they have and what kind of leadership they provide," Wooldridge said. "Blending new players into the program who are going to be cast into major roles from day one will also be a big key for us if this team is to reach its full potential."
Though Wooldridge's K-State squads have shown an incredible propensity for improvement over the course of a season, they have also been plagued by slow starts.
"No one was happy with our start last season," Wooldridge said. "If we had played more consistently in November and December, we could have put ourselves in a much better position to reach the postseason. But I think both the players and staff have learned from it. And if this team plays up to its potential, with the quality of players we have returning in the program, I believe we have a good shot at challenging for a postseason berth."
The Frontcourt
Kansas State's frontcourt returns virtually intact from a year ago and is bursting with experience. Five of the seven veterans up front are seniors and all five possess starting experience.
The group is led by senior post Pervis Pasco, a Big 12 all-newcomer selection in 2001-02 . The lone Wildcat to start all 29 games a year ago, Pasco averaged 12.1 points and 8.4 boards as a junior and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top five in field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots during the regular season. K-State's main force on the blocks, he registered 21 double-digit scoring games and pulled down double figures in rebounds 11 times.
"Pervis was our most consistent player a year ago," said Wooldridge. "He is a legitimate Big 12 rebounder and we are going to be relying on him a great deal. His is one of the players who needs to have a good year in order for us to have a good year as a team."
Senior Matt Siebrandt turned his game up a notch over the last half of the season and looks to carry that momentum into 2002-03. Siebrandt, who has drawn the starting assignment at power forward for the 'Cats in 45 of 58 games since arriving at K-State, averaged 7.9 points as a junior. However, he was much more effective down the stretch, reaching double figures in 13 of K-State's final 20 games for a 9.6 ppg average over that span. Siebrandt also grew stronger on the glass as the season wore on, averaging 5.2 rebounds over the final six games compared to his 3.8 rpg season average.
"Matt has had a lot of experience and playing time in the program over the past two years," said Wooldridge. "He is one of the players we will look to early for leadership and stability."
K-State's coaching staff will also be looking for increased production from Quentin Buchanan and Gilson DeJesus. Two very different players, the duo shared the small forward position for most of last season and will battle with highly touted Janerio Spurlock for playing time in 2002-03.
Buchanan is K-State's only three-year letterwinner and is considered one of the Big 12's top wing defenders. DeJesus, who can also play the shooting guard position, is thought to be the Wildcats' top returning three-point threat and will be relied upon to help stretch opposing defenses.
"Both Quentin and Gilson had some moments last season where they really played well," said Wooldridge. "What we need from them this season is a little more consistency."
Spurlock, one of 2001's most coveted junior college transfers, gave Wildcat fans a glimpse of the type of impact he brings to the floor early last year, averaging 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds before going down with a fractured right patella (kneecap) in game No. 7 at Northwestern. A slasher who also possesses three-point range, he is expected to also log plenty of minutes at small forward.
"Janerio is a shooter who can also extend a defense," said Wooldridge. "He is also a solid rebounder, and I think he is very hungry to play. I think he feels like he missed a real opportunity a year ago."
Sophomores Travis Canby and Marcelo Da Barossa both gained valuable experience during 2001-02 and figure to only get better with time. Both players are expected to once again serve in reserve roles on the interior but are also being counted on to contribute.
The Wildcat coaching staff will also take a long hard look at freshman Marcus Hayden. A consensus top-100 player and the Oklahoma 6A Player of the Year in 2001-02, Hayden can play both forward positions and possesses surprising athletic ability for his 6-7 size.
"I really believe Marcus is one of those unique guys that can come in and play at this level as a freshman," said Wooldridge. "He is a great competitor with good size and athletic ability. He's a guy that we are going to be counting on, even though he is a freshman."
The Backcourt
Kansas State's guard package will have a completely revamped look for 2002-03, as a trio of highly regarded junior-college transfers take over in the backcourt.
Point guard Frank Richards and shooting guards Jarrett Hart and Tim Ellis were each ranked among the top 10 players at their respective positions by various recruiting services, helping to place K-State's 2002 recruiting class among the nation's elite.
It is a group that the K-State coaching staff believes has the potential to be very strong defensively, on the glass, and in transition, while at the same time packing a potent offensive punch.
The most immediately noticeable trait of the players compared to last year's backcourt is their size. Richards, at 6-2, is the smallest of the bunch, with Hart and Ellis checking in a 6-4 and 6-3, respectively.
"This backcourt will be a complete contrast to last year's," Wooldridge acknowledges. "It will be much more physical and we are going to have to play to their strengths."
Which means stepping up the tempo on defense, and allowing the guards to slash to the basket more often on offense with the intent of creating increased opportunities from the free-throw line.
Richards, one of the nation's most coveted point-guard prospects while at Olney Central Community College in Illinois, draws the toughest assignment and will be asked to replace one of the Big 12's most underrated players in Reid. Richards originally signed with Ohio University out of high school and is considered to be a scorer with a reputation as an excellent ball distributor.
A versatile player who can step in at either guard position or at small forward, Hart also signed with a Division I program out of high school, spending his freshman year at Oklahoma. The most decorated junior-college recruit in the class, he earned NJCAA third team All-America honors following a stellar sophomore campaign at Arkansas-Fort Smith that saw him score nearly 20 points per game.
The most physical player of the bunch is Ellis. A shooting guard with a reputation for mixing it up inside, he is a scorer (16.1 ppg) who also possesses the added dimension of a being a true Windex man, pulling down an average of 6.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore and leading Southern Idaho on the boards 19 times during his two seasons in Twin Falls.
The fourth member of the backcourt rotation is Seth Elliot. A 6-3 walk-on from Cowley County College, he is expected to provide depth at both guard positions and is a product of Derby, Kan.
The Schedule
A trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, eight non-conference games in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum and visits by Final Four participants Kansas and Oklahoma highlight Kansas State's 2002-03 schedule.
"I am excited about our schedule," said Wooldridge. "It provides us with some road tests early on and with a new backcourt, I believe we need to face that in order to prepare for Big 12 competition. There are also some intriguing home matchups. Ultimately, our goal with the non-conference schedule was to instill some confidence in this team as it begins to mesh early in the season, while at the same time preparing it for the Big 12."
After a pair of exhibition games Nov. 7 and 13, the Wildcats tip off the regular season with a trip to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, for three games at the Paradise Jam, Nov. 22-26.
The 'Cats close out the opening month of the season with their regular-season home opener Nov. 30 vs. Northwestern, one of three non-conference opponents back on K-State's schedule from a year ago.
A busy December has the Wildcats in action seven times, including a junket to Wichita State (Dec. 14) and a home date with Oregon State (Dec. 22) of the Pac-10.
St. Louis ushers in 2003 for K-State as the 'Cats host the Billikens on Jan. 2. Kansas State concludes its preconference docket Jan. 6 vs. Central Florida in Bramlage.
Kansas State's Big 12 Conference opener is Jan. 11 at home vs. Texas Tech. In addition to Bobby Knight's Red Raiders, Big 12 South schools Oklahoma (Feb. 1) and Baylor (Feb. 19) will also visit Bramlage during 2002-03, with the 'Cats heading south to meet Texas A&M (Jan. 25), Oklahoma State (Feb. 5) and Texas (March 4).
The 2003 Big 12 Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 13-16 in Dallas. The four-day event will be held at the American Airlines Center, home to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and site of the 2002 NCAA Men's First/Second Rounds. It is the first time the Big 12 Tournament will be held in any venue other than Kansas City's Kemper Arena.
The Outlook
Developing team chemistry early will be key for Kansas State. Playing in the rugged Big 12, K-State can ill afford another slow start if the Wildcats expect to make their first postseason appearance since the 1999 NIT.
The good news for K-State fans is that many believe Wooldridge and his staff have assembled the deepest talent pool of his short tenure. Still, success will be a team effort.
"We feel very strongly that the team should be greater than the sum of its parts," Wooldridge said. "We have a lot of players who have the ability to contribute, and if we can get them to work together toward a common goal we can be a good ballclub. Like all teams, we have to stay away from injuries, but our biggest challenge will be to get this group to blend together."
