Doug Hesse/KANSAN
Missouri's Melvin Booker tries to steal the ball from Kansas' senior center Greg Ostertag. Kansas managed a 67-63 victory at Missouri last year. Booker is one of seven seniors whom coach Norm Stewart will looks to for leadership, but he is not ruling out the two sophomore and four freshman on the team.
Seven returning seniors give Tigers experience, leadership
By Mark Button
Kansan sportswriter
The Missouri Tigers, defending Big Eight Conference tournament champions, have an apprenticeship program this season.
Coach Norm Stewart has seven seniors who will be teaching the way for two juniors, two sophomores — including junior college transfer Julian Winfield — and four freshmen who will eventually take their places.
In fact, if the seniors don't prove to be good mentors, the youngsters may move up sooner than expected.
"Our new guys are talented," Stewart said. "The seniors are going to have to work hard to hold their positions."
Senior center Chris Heller said that the seniors would be able to provide the leadership that Stewart talked about.
"We've been together a long time," Heller said. "We all know our strengths and weaknesses. We know if one guy is down, somebody will pick up the slack. We've come to rely on each other."
Speaking of relying, Stewart said that if he could get Heller to play consistently, he would rely heavily on him.
Heller had some big games last year, particularly in the conference tournament at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Kan., where he was named the tournament's most valuable player. Specifically, in the semifinal game against Iowa State, he scored 20 points on nine of 13 shots, grabbing seven rebounds.
Stewart said jokingly that he was going to try to hypnotize Heller before each game.
"For every game I'm going to tell him, 'You're in Kansas City, you're in Kansas City — Kemper Arena.'"
Heller said he knew the seriousness that the joke represented.
"I need to work on staying consistent," he said. "I need to get where I consistently doing something every night."
In addition to Heller, the Tigers will need to receive senior
Missouri
Last Year: 1914
Big Eight Finish: 5-9, seventh place
Head Coach: Norm Stewart
Record At Missouri: 515-264 (26 years)
Strength: Experience. Seven seniors from last year's conference tournament champion team return to the Tigers, including four starters. Leading Missouri this year will be guards Melvin Booker and Mark Atkins and possibly forward Jevon Crudup. Expect contributions from guard Lamont Frazier and center Chris Heller, also seniors.
Weaknesses: Consistency and health. Heller and Frazier spent time injured last season, and sophomore transfer Julian Winfield hasn't fully recovered from his knee surgery in December.
KANSAN
leadership from guards Melvin Booker, Mark Atkins and Lamont Frazier.
Booker is the returning point guard, and Stewart said he wanted Booker to shoot more. Booker averaged 18 points when he played the off-guard spot, which shoots more, and only six points when he ran the point.
Senior forward Jevon Crudup, who had been suspended from the team for the semester because of criminal charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, may find his way back on the team after the season starts, pending the outcome of a trial today, Stewart said.
Stewart said that if Crudup is allowed to play and has improved his offensive game as much as he has his defense, he will be a true force in the league.
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November 17, 1993 University Daily Kansan • COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW