By snoadmin
Women: Yes
At the end of last season’s run to the Big West Conference Tournament semifinal, I believed that this young Long Beach State women’s basketball team had a lot of momentum entering this coming season, especially with all five starters returning. Two different identities emerged from the 2006-07 season: a 7-22 regular season team lacking experience and consistency, and a 2-1 conference tournament team full of competitiveness and poise. This is the regular season, and that is how the team is treating it. Great teams take every game seriously and expect to win all the time. LBSU’s expression on the court does not match that type of intensity. One could say that this team still needs another year to grow into a more experienced unit, but that was what last season was for. This season is supposed to answer all the questions that have surrounded this team: Are they good enough to go to the NCAA Tournament? Can this team win the Big West? It’s not that LBSU cannot win the Big West; The 49ers have either squandered leads or nearly overcame large deficits in a number of games this season. They definitely were in position to beat Arizona on Sunday and should have stayed the better team against Fresno State if not for that second-half collapse. What is missing from this team is the fire in their bellies. LBSU does not have the competitive edge in most of its games, and that is what lowers expectations, even in home games.
Men: No
Does anyone see Aaron Nixon, Kejuan Johnson, Sterling Byrd, Kevin Houston and Dominique Ricks on the court this season? They were the starters from last season’s 24-8 team that went all the way to the NCAA Tournament. I definitely don’t see former men’s basketball head coach Larry Reynolds, who was let go at the end of last season. A new starting lineup coupled with a new coach spells rebuilding in more ways than you can count. Nobody is at the top of the mountain for long, and nobody expected the Long Beach State men’s basketball team to come back strong despite having losing 83 percent of its scoring force to graduation. Only one consistent starter on this season’s team, junior guard Artis Gant, saw time in 2006-07, but not enough of it (9.7 minutes per game in 26 games). Most LBSU fans expected the men’s basketball team to follow up on that 24-8 season, but those who watch basketball for more than its fast breaks and crossovers will know that while this 24-8 team was dominating others in the Big West Conference, teams like UC Santa Barbara (9-1 this season) and CS Northridge (6-2 this season) were rebuilding. At 2-6, it’s not surprising that wins will be hard to come by for this team. Despite the presence of renowned head coach Dan Monson, players that are new to one another just don’t become one unit overnight; it may take an entire season for this team to realize where it stands in terms of competing in the conference.
