TSN's top 25: … and 25 other polls, lists and must-know items to get you ready for the 2002-03 college basketball season

Sporting News, The, Nov 11, 2002 by Mike DeCourcy, Matt Hayes, Kyle Veltrop, Bob Holt, Bruce Pascoe

My favorite college points guards

BY CHRIS THOMAS
Notre Dame sophomore point guard

1. Jason Gardner, Arizona. He's a fellow Indianapolis boy, so I've been a big fan of his for a long time. We've played together a lot. I think the first time was when he was in eighth grade and I was in sixth. He has made so many clutch plays and won so many big games.

2. T.J. Ford, Texas. We were roommates at Michael Jordan's camp this summer. I've been playing AAU ball against him since I was 12 or 13. He impresses me a lot because when he isn't distributing and doing big things, his team struggles. He was successful in becoming his team's best player in a short amount of time, and that's not an easy thing to do.

3. Mo Williams, Alabama. We were in Greenville, S.C., last year for the NCAA Tournament, and he showed what he can do in the first round (33 points, 10 rebounds, six assists). He's known more for his playmaking, but when he turns it on, he can score whenever he wants.

4. Cedric Bozeman, UCLA. His freshman year was tough because he hurt his knee, but he should have a great year. I like his height (6-6). He's real smooth.

5. Aaron Miles, Kansas. I first saw him play at the Nike Camp my senior year in high school. I like the way he carries himself. He doesn't talk a lot; he's real soft-spoken. But he has a presence about him where everyone knows he's the leader. He always has a good attitude, and he can lead any team.

Three steps to shooting the perfect jumper

BY JASON KAPONO
UCLA senior forward

After countless hours in the gym over the years, I have developed the proper mechanics for shooting jump shots. Here is the checklist I go through when I analyze my jumper during postgame film sessions:

1. Shot preparation, You must be prepared to shoot at all times. You need to provide a target by having your palms face the passer, and you should be behind the ball when you receive it. Your feet should always be squared to the basket with your shooting-hand foot slightly in front of the other. This keeps you balanced.

2. Shot mechanics. Your elbow should form an "L." You should catch the ball where you want to start your shot. From there, the shot only progresses upward. This eliminates any negative motion and allows for a quicker, more efficient shot. Your non-shooting hand is a guide hand and should form a "T" with your shooting hand. There should be space between your index and middle fingers on your shooting hand, thus creating proper ball position. The ball should rest on your fingertips--and not touch your palm.

3. The shot. Your shot starts with your legs and finishes with a full-elbow extension. Make sure you flex your legs enough because that is the foundation of your shot. You should concentrate on snapping the wrist and making sure your ball rotation has backspin. Find a comfort zone for yourself and repeat the same mechanics. Shooting is perfected by repetition.

My favorite bands

BY LUKE WALTON
Arizona senior forward (and son of Grateful Dead
groupie Bill Walton)

1. Pink Floyd. I like to chill and kick back with them.

2. Bruce Springsteen. I saw him in concert, and he just had so much energy.

3. Rolling Stones. There is no better rock 'n' roll show--no matter how old they are.

4. Tupac Shakur. I don't own his CDs, but my teammates have them all.

5. Grateful Dead. Occasionally, I'll put one of their CDs on in the locker room and the guys are like, "What the heck is this? It makes me want to go to sleep."

Honorable mention: Santana, Eminem, Lenny Kravitz.

The Elite Eight teams of the past 20 seasons

BY MIKE DECOURCY

8. Arkansas 1994. The Razorbacks didn't have a tough tournament game until the final, when wing Scotty Thurman made his memorable 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and Duke, Clint McDaniel and Corey Beck were as tough as any NCAA backcourt.

7. Indiana 1987. Even with the Big Ten sending six teams to the NCAAs, IU lost just three regular-season league games. It squeezed through tournament wins against LSU and Syracuse in the regional and national finals, respectively, but delivered a defining performance with a comfortable semifinal dismissal of 37-1 UNLV.

6. Duke 2001. One of the most offensively gifted teams ever to claim an NCAA title. Two Blue Devils were named national player of the year that season: forward Shane Battier (consensus) and guard Jason Williams (National Association of Basketball Coaches).

5. UNLV 1991. If the Rebels had won the national title, they would have been fairly easy picks for No. 1 on this list. The starting five featuring Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon was so talented that when coach Jerry Tarkanian substituted, UNLV looked like a car riding a few miles with one of those space-saving spares.

4. UCLA 1995. This team won the national title game by double digits with a second-string point guard and only two made 3-pointers. The Bruins' emphasis on athleticism and pressure defense presaged a change in the way the game would be played in the ensuing decade.

3. Georgetown 1984. The Hoyas held 29-4 Kentucky to 11 points in the second half of their national semifinal. Patrick Ewing was at the height of his powers and forward Michael Graham at the height of his glowering.