Wide lane has narrow appeal

Sporting News, The, May 19, 2003 by Mike DeCourcy

Ike Diogu is not worried. When you stand 6-8, weigh 242 pounds and own the most overwhelming low-post game of anyone who has yet to exhaust or renounce his college eligibility, you do not worry easily. You figure to get your points even if the NCAA men's basketball rules committee stretches the 3-second lane from sideline to sideline.

So I'll do the worrying for Arizona State's young star, and for Connecticut's Emeka Okafor, Texas' James Thomas and a legion of other developing post players. Mostly, I'll worry about the game now that the rules committee blindly has recommended adopting the trapezoidal lane used in international play, which expands the key from 12 feet across the baseline to 19 feet, 8 inches.

The related recommendation to move back the 3-point line to 20 feet, 6 inches has gotten most of the attention, but that would have a minimal effect. The widening of the lane is much more significant, and the only good news is it still might not pass. The NCAA's championships/competition cabinet has to approve the change, and its members may exercise the common sense the rules committee abandoned.

Cabinet member John Suarez, the athletic director at Long Island, is intrigued by the proposal but predicts it will be "a close vote." Cincinnati athletic director Bob Goin, another voting member, calls it a hard sell and is opposed.

It's hard to imagine why the rules committee would move toward drastic change after an NCAA Tournament that created such brilliant entertainment.

Final Four teams averaged 82.1 points in New Orleans. The winning teams in the last seven tournament games averaged 82.7 points. Offense is not dead in this sport.

A myth about college basketball is few teams rely on low-post scorers. Nearly all of the top teams get a substantial number of their points by entering the ball to a player on the block and allowing him to make a move or take advantage of defensive reaction, such as a double-team.

There aren't many 7-foot centers, but there are power forward-sized standouts--such as Duke's Shelden Williams, Oklahoma's Kevin Bookout, Pittsburgh's Chevon Troutman and Gonzaga's Ronny Turiaf--who do most of their damage close to the goal. With a wider lane, these players wouldn't be able to set up long enough in a threatening post position because of the 3-second count.

How would teams score without generating these kinds of points? The rules committee claims there would be more space for players to drive the ball.

But as long as coaches teach help defenders to step in and draw charges--and officials reward this tactic and the dubious acting frequently involved--driving to the goal will not provide consistent offense.

In moving for this change, the rules committee rejected the wishes of Division I coaches. In an official NCAA survey, nearly 72 percent of coaches were against expanding the lane. Many would have to rearrange offensive and defensive schemes to account for it, and they would be forced to retrain their players.

Widening the lane would change the look of basketball at all NCAA levels and likely would spread to high schools. That would mean reconfiguring nearly every court in the country at considerable cost.

How is this good for the game? Oh, yeah: Officials like it. They voted in favor of the change. So we're going to trust people who don't know the difference between a charge and a block to know the difference between invention and destruction? Not me. I'm banking on the NCAA's championships cabinet. When its members meet next month, they can rescue the game from this tyranny.

Got a question about your favorite team? Send it to Mike DeCourcy and look for his answer in his online mailbag at http://www.sportingnews. com/voices/mike_decourcy.

SPEED READ

* Michigan's 2004 tournament ban and four years of scholarship restrictions closes the case that had hung over the program since March 1996. But coach Tommy Amaker and his players won't be free from NCAA sanctions until 2008. Players who will be freshmen then were 1 when Chris Webber enrolled at UM.

INSIDE DISH

Notre Dame's reputation for developing transfers into standouts (Ryan Humphrey, Dan Miller) helped lure former Arizona PF Dennis Latimore. Latimore has an excellent body (6-8, 254) and decent skills but needs to show more desire; his departure from the Wildcats when they still were pursuing the 2003 NCAA championship is troubling.... Oklahoma reserve PG Blake Johnston, who scored 15 points in the Sooners' first-round win in the NCAA Tournament, will leave the team but remain in school. Johnston's experience could have come in handy because starting PG Quannas White has exhausted his eligibility.... Xavier SG Romain Sato chose to remain for his senior season instead of entering the NBA draft. Scouts told Sato he needs to develop his ballhandling and creative skills to become a NBA first-round selection. ... PF Olu Ibikunle surprisingly deflected interest from Oklahoma State, Marquette, Cincinnati and a late charge from Oregon to choose Texas Christian. Assistant Rick Callahan was a key, and he has conquered tough challenges before--getting guys to play at Penn State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.... PF Shavlik Randolph had ankle problems as a senior in high school, and he wasn't healthy as a freshman at Duke last season. Randolph was bothered by hip pain that led to surgery last week. Rehabilitation is expected to last more than three months.... Fordham still is searching for a replacement for coach Bob Hill. Maryland assistant Jimmy Pastos and Villanova assistant Fred Hill have expressed interest. The Rams are expected to contact former NBA and St. Joseph's coach Jim Lynam and Wagner coach Betook Whittenburg.--M.D.