Friday, February 5, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
College Basketball
Strong rebounder helps Iowa State
The Associated Press
AMES, Iowa — Basketball is often a hit-and-miss affair for Iowa State's Steve Johnson.
Johnson will hit when a team-mate misses
That is happening with increas
because Johnson has turned into a relentless offensive rebounder, a Dennis Rodman minus the antics and colorful hair.
"C o a c h stresses to me a lot to try to go every time on the offensive glass because a lot of nights
our shots won't fall for us and that's going to be our best offense — the offensive rebound," Johnson said.
"So I just try to get angles to the basket so I can go get offensive rebounds," he said.
He has gotten plenty lately. During one stretch, Johnson posted double-figure rebounding totals in three straight games. He's averaging 7.3 per game, and his 68 offensive rebounds are 19 more than anyone else on the team.
Those rebounds are helping Johnson's offensive game, which never really has taken off in his two-plus seasons with the Cyclones.
"You get an offensive rebound, you get an easy putback," Johnson said. "That's two points there — however you can get it."
Still, he says, it's not just jumping.
At 6-fette-4, Johnson battles players who are much taller. But he has long arms and big hands, has developed a keen sense of timing and is an outstanding jumper. Johnson has been dunking since the seventh grade and has a 38-inch vertical lean.
“It's reading the flight of the ball and getting to it quicker,” Johnson said. “You can't outjump a lot of them, but you can be quicker to the basketball.”
Coach Larry Eustachy said there
"We spend a lot of time on rebounding — we emphasize it a lot," Eustachy said. "So he's taken what we talked about and put it into the game."
was no secret behind Johnson's rebounding, only hard work.
Former coach Tim Floyd also
Former coach stressed rebounding. It just didn't result in a lot of rebounds for Johnson in the games. He averaged 1.7 rebounds
as a top reserve his freshman year and 3.7 as a starter last season.
"I've still got a lot of improvement that I can make in my rebounding game, but I've gotten a lot better," Johnson said. "Earlier in the season, I had to think about how I had to do this or that. Now, from repetition, you just do it. It's automatic, just go."
Johnson also is becoming a little more offensive minded. In high school, he was the No. 2 scorer in Mississippi history with 3,435 points. He averaged 27 points a game as a senior, yet has never
scored more than 17 in a game at Iowa State.
One reason is that Iowa State has been primarily a half-court offensive team during his stay. Johnson is best in the open court where he can use his speed and athleticism, dunking on fast breaks or after stealing the ball.
"I've got to be more aggressive," said Johnson, whose 8.3 scoring average is the best of his career at Iowa State. "My team doesn't look for me a lot to score, but I think I should look a little more whenever I have an opening or get somebody else open for an assist."
Johnson said he worked on his jump shot last summer, and Eustachy would like to see him work even more when this season ends. If Johnson were a threat from 15 to 18 feet, there's no telling what kind of offensive player he could become, especially with the double-teaming that Marcus Fizer gets inside.
"When they're doubling down on Marcus, that leaves a lot of perimeter players open," Johnson said. "You've just got to step up and hit the shot."
Basketball future prods Evans to return to team
The Associated Press
WICHITA — After a week of turmoil and indecision, basketball star Maurice Evans has returned to his Wichita State team.
"If I want to continue my future in basketball, I can't be labeled as a quitter." Evans told reporters following Wednesday's practice.
Evans walked out of practice Jan. 26, had not attended practice since then and missed two games — both Wichita State losses.
Coach Randy Smithson said there would be no penalties, and Evans would play in Thursday's game against Evansville.
Evans had complained that the Wichita State basketball program demeans and isolates its players and said several other players were thinking of quitting as well.
Athletic officials said after a team meeting Monday that concerns were widespread among team members but had not reached a mutinous level.
"I think we all have suffered long enough," Smithson said. "It hasn't been any fun for any one of us, and we are just happy the team has gotten to this point and they are together. I think all these kinds of things have helped pull this team together, and we are ready to move on."
Smithson said Evans wanted to come back, and the university wanted him back.
"Like Coach said, we are not going to hold anything against one another," Evans said. "We are going to go out and work together and try to make this team for the best."
"I never kicked him off, he never quit and the door was always open," Smithson said. "We never expected to lose Maurice, and we've always made him a four-year commitment. As far as I know, he has made us one."
Wichita State (9-12 overall), 3-8 Missouri Valley Conference) has lost its last two games without Evans, its leading scorer.
On several occasions this season, Evans, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard/forward, was the No.1 scoreer
WSU
Wichita State University
in NCAA Division I ranks. He averages 23 points and 4.4 rebounds a game.
The news of Evans' return was welcomed by university officials and fans alike.
Tom Devin, a major university contributor and Shocker booster, said he was pleased with Evans' decision to come back.
"Both people — coach Smithson and Evans — can grow from it," Devin said.
Meanwhile, an internal investigation continues. University president Don Beggs appointed Ted Ayres, the university's chief attorney, to look into the players' concerns.
Ayres said Wednesday he expected to complete that job this week.
One of the key people who convinced Evans to return to the team was a man who recently had had a falling out with Smithson.
Kerry Rosenboom, Wichita State's strength coach, met with Evans late Tuesday and counseled him to return to the Shockers. Evans also discussed his decision with his parents, George and Cathy Evans.
Rosenboom said that Evans was as good a person as he ever had met, and he just needed someone to talk to.
Rosenboom said he had heard rumors and talked on Wichita sports radio that he had instigated Evans' absence. Rosenboom said that was untrue, that the rumors have hurt his reputation and that he may look for work elsewhere.
Evans said, "It's great to have feedback from anyone, especially someone you can trust and someone who's so valuable to the program."
Smithson and Rosenboom were involved in miscommunication that recently drove the two apart, Smithson said. Neither would elaborate.
Pittsburgh loses its leading scorer to stress injury
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh University's basketball team, already shaken this season by a player arrest and coach Ralph Willard's resignation, will be without its leading scorer. Vontego Cummings, for at least one game and possibly longer.
Cummings has a stress-related back injury that will keep him on the sidelines for tomorrow's game against No. 9 St. John's and, likely, Monday's game at Seton Hall.
The Panthers, 11-10, 2-8 in the Big East, hope the 6-foot 5 Cummings can return for their Feb. 11 game at Rutgers, but it depends how he responds to rest and treatment
Willard said Cummings had played in pain for several weeks and was so sore following Tuesday's 76-58 loss at Georgetown that the senior guard was crying in the locker room.
Willard initially suspected Cummings had a stress fracture in his back, which could have sidelined Cummings indefinitely.
But a CAT scan performed Wednesday determined that Cummings had a stress reaction in his back, an injury not as serious as a fracture.
Cummins scored eight of his 10 points in the first half of the Georgetown game but was noticeably bothered by his injury in the second half.
Considered by NBA scouts to be a likely first-round draft choice, Cummings has clearly been off his game in recent weeks. His slump has coincided with Pittsburgh's string of 10 losses in its last 15 games. The Panthers started 8-0.
"I think the reason we're losing these games is me." Cummings said after the Georgetown game. "Something is wrong with my back. I don't know what it is. I'm good for the first half, but in the second half, I'm no good. I have to help my team more. If I can't, I shouldn't play."
Cummings' scoring average has fallen to 16.6 overall and 13.8 in the Big East, and he is shooting 42.8 percent.
He has played up to his early-season form only once in recent weeks, a 31-point performance in an 86-65 loss at Villanova on Jan. 19. Hours before that game, Pittsburgh freshman guard Fred Primus was arrested on theft charges for stealing $2,200 worth of jewelry and was thrown off the team.
Willard resigned Monday, after athletic director Steve Pederson could not assure him of returning next season. Pederson is looking for a successor, and former St. John's coach Fran Fraschilla might be interested. Fraschilla was fired last spring and is scouting this season for the New York Knicks.
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