By Just two years ago, the Long Beach State men’s basketball team finished with a dreadful 10-20 record and seemed to have a program that was going nowhere.
Then last year, head coach Larry Reynolds decided to change the look of the team and had his squad play a high-tempo style of basketball, which resembled the Phoenix Suns.
Reynolds’ gamble worked, and LBSU finished just nine points away from winning the Big West and going to the NCAA Tournament.
Now this year, ESPN, the Big West coaches and the media have all predicted the 49ers to win the conference this year.
Tonight, LBSU will begin its 2006-2007 campaign when it meet Air Force at Stanford in the first round of the Collegiate Basketball Experience Classic.
“Last year we accomplished a lot, but this year we want to take it a step further,” Reynolds said. “Winning the conference is a viable goal for us.”
LBSU led the nation in scoring last year, racking up 83.3 points per game. The 49ers shouldn’t have a problem scoring points this season either.
Senior shooting guard Aaron Nixon was the leading scorer for the team last year (14.3 ppg) and with his backcourt partner, point guard Kejuan Johnson (11.5 ppg), they should make for one of the most potent guard combos in the conference.
The Long Beach State Sports Information Department has taken it one step further, as they are promoting Nixon and Johnson as the top backcourt on the West Coast.
“As a coach this is the best backcourt I have had,” Reynolds said. “There are teams in the Midwest and on the East Coast who have very good backcourts, but we have a good one too.”
If LBSU does win the conference this year, it might hinge not on the offense, but the 49ers defense, which gave up 76.8 ppg last year and ranked second to last in the Big West.
“We’re going to give up a lot of points because of our style of play, which allows our opponents to have a lot of possessions,” Reynolds said. “But we have made a vow to get better at the defensive end this year.”
