The Michigan Daily - TIPOFF "
8-.b TMJpiigan Daily.- TIWF F 1096 -*Thuria, Nqvppkber 16 , 99
4, N4 W, . I - 11-1 11 , I 1 11 . i I I
Brent
Michael
Spartans to begin Izzo era
First-year coach faces difficult task of replacing Heathcote and
one of nation's finest backcourts* By Paul Barger
Michigan
AU-Big Ten Team Kiwane Garris, Illinois Kiwane Garris, Illinois KIWANE GARRIS, ILLINOIS Kiwane Garris, Illinois
(Player of the Year in ALL CAPS) Maurice Taylor, Michigan MAURICE TAYLOR, MICHIGAN Maurice Taylor, Michigan Maurice Taylor, Michigan
BRIAN EVANS, INDIANA Quinton Brooks, Michigan State Jess Settles, Iowa JESS SETTLES, IOWA
Jess Settles, Iowa Jess Settles, Iowa Brian Evans, Indiana Brian Evans, Indiana
Chris Kingsbury, Iowa Brian Evans, Indiana Chris Kingsbury, Iowa Andre Woolridge Iowa
Big Ten Champion
All-American Team
(Player of the Year in ALL CAPS)
Indiana
Irndiana
Iowa
Iowa
I
TIM DUNCAN, WAKE FOREST
Kerry Kitties, Villanova
Erik Dampier, Miss. State
Marcus Camby, Massachusetts
Allen Iverson, Georgetown
Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
MARCUS CAMBY, MASS.
Kerry Kitties, Villanova
Ryan Minor, Oklahoma
RAY ALLEN, CONNECTICUT
Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
Kerry Kittles, Villanova
Walter McCarty, Kentucky
Jacque Vaughn, Kansas
Jerod Haase, Kansas
Brevin Knight, Stanford
Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
KERRY KITTLES, VILLANOVA
Tony Delk, Kentucky
Ryan Minor, Oklahoma
Iowa
Villanova
Stanford
KENTUCKY
All eyes are on East Lansing this year
as life without Jud Heathcote begins.
Longtime assistant Tom Izzo has been
handed the reigns, after being groomed
for several years to replace the legendary
Heathcote.
The Spartans lost their tremendous
backcourt to the NBA and the two holes
will be difficult for Izzo to fill.
Many observers felt that the combi-
nation of Shawn Respert (25.6 points per
game) and Eric Snow (10.8 points per
game, 7.8 assists per game) made Michi-
gan State's backcourt the nation's finest
a year ago.
"In the same day, I talked to Respert,
Snow and Heathcote," Izzo said. "I sure
wish I had two of those three back. I'm
sure you can figure out which ones."
Ray Weathers will play the point for
Izzo after getting some much needed ex-
perience with the Big Ten All-Star team
last summer. He averaged 3.5 ppg in a
limited role in 1994-95.
The other guard spot will likely be
filled by sophomore Thomas Kelley.
Kelley missed most of his freshman
campaign with a stress fracture in his
foot.
Much of the guard play will be by
committee, with Steve Nicodemus, An-
thony Mull, Mike Respert and David
challenge in the league.
The 6-9 Feick averaged 9.9 rebounds
per game and 10.0 ppg last season.
However, it is junior Jon
Garavaglia who may hold the key to
Izzo's first season. Garavaglia was
highly recruited out of Southgate
Aquinas High School, but has yet to
live up to the hype. In his second sea-
son, he did manage 7.6 points per
game and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Izzo hopes that this year, the forward
will pick up his game and become a
leader for the Spartans.
"Garavaglia is a kid who I think
could be the next great player," Izzo said.
The top newcomer for Michigan
State is 6-8 Antonio Smith from Flint.
Smith is listed as a forward, but the Spar-
tan coaching staff thinks he can lend a
hand to the depleted backcourt.
Izzo will have a difficult initiation
into the ranks of head coaches. Michigan
State's nonconference schedule is brutal,
including games with North Carolina,
Arkansas and Louisville. This should
help the team in preparation for the up-
coming Big Ten wars.
The Spartans missed their chance for
a conference title last season, but may
still contend in the league if their guard
play comes around.
'Izzo
I
Final Four
(National Champion in ALL CAPS)
Kansas
Villanova
GEORGETOWN
Virginia
Kansas
KENTUCKY
Massachusetts
Georgetown
KANSAS
Kentucky
Connecticut
Georgetown
S'&ris RECORDS
Michigan against ... Illnois: 64-64
Ball State: 7-0 Indiana: 47-79
Cleveland State: 5-0 Iowa:70-45
Davidson: 1-3 LSU: 0-0
DePaul: 0-0 Michigan State: 83-56
Deroit: 17-4 Minnesota: 67-51
Duke: 4-12 Northwestern: 84-47
Ohio State: 62-74
Penn State: 4-2
Purdue: 51-65
St. Francis: 0-0
UNLV: 0-1
Washington: 2-3
Wisconsin: 80-44
Michigan toycarhy trio of walk-ons
DeKuiper, Oliver and Szyndlar make the cut * By Brent McIntosh
Hart all expected to see some action.
Unfortunately for Izzo, the six guards
combined for less than eight points per
game last year.
"We do not have that go-to guy that
we are famous for," Izzo said. "The
problem with losing both guards is that
they were not only our best players, they
were our best kids, our best leaders. We
lost the whole package.".
Izzo is letting his hopes ride on his
frontcourt. Forward Quinton Brooks, the
team's top returning scorer, and center
Jamie Feick, last season's top rebounder,
must have big years if the Spartans are to
s:
<'
0075 74P1:
- 9Sp U z L
3o3 T~rRairy
(W 1 74t"s Hw
9IPIQ...
F,
?ie
Np
it.joeu
Ghs2n
A *E e $A~
S
p'
It's every gym rat's dream.
Every day you lace up the shoes
and go head-to-head with the big
names.
You shoot the trey over Jerod Ward.
- You steal the rock from Maurice Taylor.
You take it up against Robert Traylor.
Of course, more than half the time it
gets smacked into the mezzanine or
quashed back in your face.
The life of a walk-on.
Michigan has three this year. Two
are freshmen; the other is a senior. They
have taken very different paths to the
Michigan roster.
South Alabama and Miami (Fla.)
both offered Ron Oliver scholarships,
but the 6-0 freshman guard from Little
Rock, Ark., had other ideas.
As he scored 18 points per game his
senior year, he was also talking to
Michigan's coaches. Once in Ann Arbor,
he tried out and earned himself a uni-
form.
thing different about being a college
player.
"The first time on the court is un-
real," he said after his debut against Sibe-
rian of Cheremhkovo.
The third walk-on is Ryan DeKuiper,
a 6-2 senior guard who spent two years
as a manager for the Wolverines. The
Fremont native spent his freshman year
as captain of the Hope College junior
varsity.
The transition from being a Flying
Dutchman to a manager to a Wolverine
hasn't been lost on DeKuiper.
"Obviously the level of competition
here is a lot higher, and some of the
places you to go and some of the people
you get to meet are of the celebrity vari-
ety at this level - but it's still just play-
ing," he said. "Playing basketball at
Hope or playing here, it's still just play-
ing.
"Obviously there's a lot more glam-
our here, but less playing time."
Unlike former Michigan walk-on
and eventual captain Freddie Hunter,
most walk-ons harbor little hope of influ-
encing games. All the same, they'd like
to get a few minutes.
"I don't plan to just sit there for four
years," Oliver said. "I hope I do some-
thing, contribute a little bit."
Oliver's fellow rookie, 6-7 forward
Eric Szyndlar, averaged 14.3 points
and nine rebounds as a senior at
Belleville, but he said there's some-
":s
{ .
SERVICE
Detroit Metro Airport
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti 971-2573
..Ask about our
3" Windsor Casino
$ 3.00/person shutt
one way with coupon No expiration date.
Reservation equired.
Ann Arbor y Detroit Metro ( as t. VO a"n 1Jn g n oi
@rA&
320OSouth StateSt.-Ann Arbor
WXAWEABOVE DE$O DM 4
.
s
44 a . r r , _ j cs r - _:
V
.*'*'* *4 * 4