The games begin/ Air Force hopes to reach new heights

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Nov 13, 2001 by Tim Mimick

Four of the Air Force basketball starters are back from last season. The coach returned, too.

Now it's time to notice some other numbers.

Zero winning seasons since 1977-78.

Never closer than four games below .500 for any conference season.

"I see what we can be," Air Force second-year coach Joe Scott said. "We're so much ahead of where we were last year. Last February, we were playing really well. Now, will we come out right from the start of this season and play like we did last February?

"Maybe we're afraid to be good. Boy, it requires work."

The Mountain West Conference preseason poll, which pinned Air Force for last place again, reflected the amount of work required.

When the team begins its season today against Yale in the Guardians Classic, Scott will have an experienced starting five to build off an 8-21 record last season.

The best of the group might be sophomore 6-foot-6 forward Joel Gerlach. He slashes to the basket on graceful drives that begin at the 3-point line. He leaps around taller opponents.

He downplayed any thoughts of a 20-point, 10-rebound average.

"I don't see the need for it from me," Gerlach said. "We have a lot of scorers on this team. If I have the opportunity (with enough shots and playing time), then I'd do it."

If Gerlach doesn't become the best, junior center/forward Tom Bellairs likely will attain that distinction. The 6-7, 230-pounder loves the action under the backboards.

The problem with both Bellairs and Gerlach is that they are depended upon for so much defending, screening and rebounding they are almost always in foul trouble.

"I don't care about most numbers for Gerlach, but if he's averaging 10 rebounds then I know the wins will be coming," Scott said. "Bellairs has to do it right from the start for us. We can't wait six games before we believe that he can do it."

The starting backcourt remains senior Lamoni Yazzie and junior Vernard Jenkins. Yazzie, the team captain, provides the 3-point threat and academy-record 88 percent free-throw shooting. Jenkins commands the team as the point guard. Despite shooting 36 percent from the field, he's started 51 games over the past two seasons.

The other starter will be sophomore forward Robert Todd. His academy-record 45.7 percentage on 3-pointers led the Mountain West last season. He scored in double figures 13 times. However, he missed the final eight games to concentrate on his studies.

The missing starter from last year is forward Jarvis Croff, the two-time team MVP who graduated. Croff led the team last season in scoring at 13 points per game after a team-high 17.3 as a junior.

Scott said Croff's scoring duties can be divided among several players. Perhaps even freshman guard Tim Keller will be a double- figure scorer. He flashed his shooting stroke in the first exhibition game when he scored five points in overtime for a victory.

With David Peterson, Tysen Pina and Jarrett Hess, Air Force has three tall bodies to throw into the lane when Gerlach or Bellairs must sit.

When in need of more shooting off the bench besides Keller, sophomores A.J. Kuhle and Donny Legans love to launch from outside the 3-point line.

Freshman Dan Stock might be the substitute point guard who will allow Jenkins to cut down from his team-leading 37.1 minutes per game.

"I felt comfortable right from the start listening to coach Scott," Jenkins said. "Yeah, he yells a lot, but you just have to listen to what he says. He's telling us what to do. He's telling me to be the extension of him on the floor."

All the Air Force players understand why they're picked for last in the Mountain West. They know they weren't the rave of recruiters from Top 25 schools. They don't see the NBA as an option. Through hard work, they seek to wreck more talented teams.

None of them talked about the Mountain West championship. They looked to more plausible goals, like a .500 record.

"I think we're there on paper," Bellairs said. "Now we have to do it right. It's the mentality of expecting to win. We still need to improve there."

- Tim Mimick may be reached at 636-0365 or tmim@gazette.com

SEASON OPENER: Air Force vs. Yale

WHEN: 4:35 p.m. today.

WHERE: Hearnes Center (13,300 seats) in Columbia, Mo.

TV: None.

RADIO: KVOR-AM (740) with Jim Arthur on play-by-play.

COACHES: Joe Scott is in his second season as the Air Force coach with an 8-21 record during 2000-01. Yale is coached by James Jones, who is in his third season with a 17-37 career mark. Yale was 10-17 last season.

SERIES: This is the first meeting of these schools.

WHAT: The inaugural Guardians Classic.

WHO ELSE: Missouri is the host team and Tennessee-Martin fills out the four-team regional in the 16-team national preseason tournament. They play at 7:05 p.m. today. The first-round losers will meet at 4:35 p.m. Wednesday, while the winners will play at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday for the right to reach the national semifinals next week at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. Other host teams are Alabama, Iowa and Memphis. Other teams are Boston University, Loyola Marymount, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Mississippi Valley State, New Orleans, Old Dominion, Sacramento State, Samford and Wofford.