University of Santa Clara - Redwood Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

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E E his year there were a lot of young people forced to play and mature ,... but I never felt threatened by a younger player, a lotta things weren't clear to younger players about the system. They looked to Steve tKenilvortJ and me for understanding - they just needed someone to look up to, says Kenny Mulkey while scanning basketball proof sheets A for a good 8 xl0 . He can't wait for graduation and is proud that his family will watch him 'lwalk up on that stage and get my diploma - after four years! As one of only two YDUNG WILLING AND ABL by Christina Pehl seniors leaving the team, Kenny also thinks the younger players on the team do pretty well... something to build on this year. Freshman Mitch Burley had 23 points in the win against San Francisco State, center Dan Weiss had 19 points against Pepperdine, and lens Cordon had 18 points in the San Close State game and led the team in blocked points. Cordon was a key force in the upset victory over Loyola. Despite Weiss' points in the Pepperdine game, the team lost 64-60. However Pepperdine was ranked 20th in the nation at the time and finished first in the West Coast Athletic Conference CWCACJ, while Santa Clara ended-up fifth with a 7-7 record. Chris Lane, a sophomore starter, was also a key player on the team this year. Overall this year and last year I looked up to them. They have a lot to teach, said Lane about his senior teammates. At one point the team was l-5 in the WCAC - a sharp contrast to last season when the team went on to the Nfl' tNational Invitational 'I'ournamentJ. But Mulkey attributes the comeback to the period when we were losing and not really knowing why .5 it I mwlf ,X , J 5 fx . . N si if Pl, M K txjt QT X. . xvqgl N, X 3 rflfr M' E we were losing. Everyone hung in there and had a lot of pride. It helped us in the Pepperdine and Loyola games. At other schools, says Lane, it's not possible to be so close. As freshmen we did a lot together and became good friends. Youth hurt us in the beginning, but at the end of the season, when we played Pepperdine, we matured and I think we'll have a better attitude going into next year. Itls good our team is so young - some guys don't get enough experience until theirjunior year. Pushing above a determined defense, freshman lens Cordon aims for the backboard. Spirited players cheer on their teammates during SCU's first clash with rival USF in three years. The Bronco victory was fed by camaraderie among the men. A drive down the center gives Ken Mulkey a chance to score two. One of only two seniors on the squad, Mulkey was an inspiration to his teammates. Young, Willing, and Able

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sit in an office, across from the battle-weary face of Coach Carroll Williams, a face that has endured years of coaching here at SCU. The face shows concern, is optimistic, yet realistic. The record, after all, is 9-l-1, and speaks for itself...or does it? You can't equate performance and personality with winning, said Williams. because these are really good kids. You have to keep it all in perspective. What's this? Perspective? C'mon. This is intercollegiate athletics in the 80's - land of corruption and win at all costs. just what kind of program do you run? Well, because of the academic standards here, we don't get the great athletes. We want the kids who are ready to compete, work hard and improve. We try to get During a home court win, Dan Weiss successfully wards oft' two poaching defenders. He went on to rack-up 19 points, It rebounds, and a career high of 4 assists. PCINTS FOR THE FUTURE by Steve Oddo ,.....- the best out of each player. so it depends on how badly the kids want it. I look up to see two NIT basketballs from 1984 and H185 on the shelf above the coach's desk. There will not be a 1986 addition. The talent has graduated. so it's back to the basics for Coach Williams. I don't know if we've used that different an approach this year. as we'vekjust tried not to be as complicated as we were in the past with our more experienced players. This has meant a return to the fundamentals of basketball. Numerous basketball theory books stand on Williams's desk, his frequently-blown whistle in a curl next to the phone. We've dropped back to teaching the fundamentals, but, then we've always done that. We just haven't gotten that technical beyond that point. The results have not been all that encouraging. We've had some disappointing losses this year. Davis on the road. St. Mary's at homeg teams we felt we should have beaten. lt's much harder to bounce back from a loss. You have to recharge your batteries each day. Ah, morale - so essential to a successful campaign. But, according to Williams, it hasn't suffered in spite of the losing. Is this because Santa Clara athletics is based on a student-athlete concept with emphasis on both parts? Our kids study on the roadg other schools' lstudentsl don't. In the last six years only one player hasn't graduated. Considering the road trips and the missed classes, I'm proud of that. But that still doesn't ease the pain of losing. liven in this rebuilding year there's still pressure to win. The pressure is self-imposed by the coaching staff. Trying to get kids to perform to the level of expectancy, ready to play the game. Ourjob is to get them prepared. But at 9-14, how prepared can that be? Ask any West Coast WCAC coach and they will tell you - we are a very tough team to play against. Play smart, play hard. Play harder than the other team. then there's a better chance to win. Afterwards you shake hands if you lose: feel happy if you win - but keep it all in perspective. Ellen Namkoong . A IN mf SI f .15 ,I 4 .:. .ni - , . . . 5. pgs MEN'S BASKETBALL f 2 5 0 Sports