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Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009

New basketball chapter begins at Stanislaus State

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TURLOCK -- Larry Reynolds has a mental diary filled with memories of bringing teams into the Cal State Stanislaus gym, and only a few of the tales are positive.

Even as a four-time California Collegiate Athletic Association coach of the year in his five seasons at Cal State San Bernardino, he dreaded the trip to Turlock. It usually came after his team played a tough Friday night game in Bakersfield, so there was the physical toll.

And then there were those darned yellow lights.

"This was a tough place to play," said Reynolds, who makes his Warrior coaching debut tonight when Cal Maritime visits for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

"It's unfortunate that they've changed out the yellow lights because that was a great homecourt advantage. We always felt like we were playing in a fog and it looked like everybody was moving really slow."

A few wins for the Warriors this season and who knows -- perhaps the yellow lights will return to bathe opposing players in vintage hues of seasickness. In that effort, Cal Maritime is a great launching point.

The first two games on the schedule have been placed to produce wins while giving Reynolds a chance to evaluate the talent on his roster. Cal Maritime is an NAIA school based in Vallejo that won the national collegiate sailing championship earlier this month.

On Friday, the Warriors play host to American Sports University of San Bernardino, a three-year-old NAIA member that allegedly exists. The school, based in a former newspaper building, has a sports Web site but no roster, schedule or scores from past seasons.

In all, Stanislaus plays five non-conference games -- all against NAIA foes. The other 22 games on the schedule are in the CCAA, giving the Warriors more than enough competition to prove their mettle.

The schedule has another quirk. After Friday's game, the Warriors won't return to the bright white lights of their home court until the second day of next year. During that time away they'll have five road games -- three non-conference and their conference opening weekend Dec. 4-5 at CSU Monterey Bay and San Francisco State.

"The schedule is not all bad for this team," Reynolds said. "We need the challenge and the experience and we need to grow up on the road a little bit to see what we're like. When you're on the road, things can be a little more regimented and that can keep you more focused for the games. At home there are a lot of distractions."

Reynolds is talking from experience, and has brought a history of on-court success to Stanislaus.

His five-year run at San Bernardino (1997-2002) produced a 110-35 record and ended with four straight NCAA Division II postseason berths.

Two of his teams reached the Elite Eight. His five years at Long Beach State (2002-07) concluded with a Big West Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.

Grab a roster on the way into tonight's game, since only three players from last year's team (Matt Ibewiro, Casey Cutts and Marvin Cotton) return.

This year's squad will be led by Chad Johnson, a 6-feet, 3-inch senior guard from Antioch via Eastern New Mexico. Ibewiro and Cutts will see significant time, as will Dwight Jones, a slashing guard from Moorpark College, and Frank Monge, an intriguing 6-11, 235-pound center from Puerto Rico via Ohlone College.

The starting lineup, Reynolds said, will be a work in progress, perhaps through all of December.

"I don't know that it matters at this point because it will evolve three or four times between now and December 4 and more important is the evolution between now and mid-January," Reynolds said. "We have some players who are going to have to play big roles for us.

"The rest of the guys are going to have to see what the CCAA is all about, then learn, grow and mature. Hopefully our guys stay with it because this league is a marathon."

So by the time the Warriors get back home in early January, they should have a pretty good idea of whether they'll be able to hold their own in CCAA play and whether Warrior Arena once again will become a tough place for visiting teams.

"You try to tell teams that this isn't an easy place to play," Reynolds said. "First, it's not an easy place to get to from any of the other schools. That's something that can work in our favor in the fact that you have to take vans or buses to get here.

"If we can get things going and the fans like the way we play, people will come out and support us."

Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or 578-2300.