News Scrapbook 1982-1984

THE TRIBUNE NOV 2 5 1983

Friday, November 25, 1983

Whitmarsh-led U D five hosts St. Thomas in season opener . - ·san Diego Notepad Hy Bill Finley, , 1atf Wrher reinforced hlS ranks with seven new recruits. On ov. 2&, 1982, Mike Whitmarsh hoped only to be- •·we've improved every year we've been in Division I, com tarter at th Univ rsity of San Diego. and that's our goal again," Brovelli said. "It's realistic, I Today h I on the verge of becoming a star, which think We have some pretty good players, and they seem xpl ms why Whitmarsh - and USD - are o eagerly to play pretty well together. Right now, we're trying to aw 1ting a ba ketball se on that will finally begin to- coordinate our experienced players with our new players, night in lcala Park. and it will take some time to get thmgs where we want The Torer will meet St. Thomas College at 7:30, and them. By midseason, though, we have a chance to be OK.' th player to watch will be Whitmarsh, the 6-foot-7 for- Predictably, Brovelli is comforted by the presence of ward out of Monte Vista High nd Grossmont College. Whitmarsh. In hi la t six tarts a year ago, Whitmarsh averaged 26 ''He's one of the most complete players I've ever had poin a game. When th W t Coa t Athletic Conference here," the coach said. "He defends, he can score, be can nnoun d Its all-stars at ason's end, h became the pass He set a league record for steals in a single game first U D player ever named to the first team. Now he last season. He's a total basketball player, believe me. As waits h mor se n, and Whitmarsh 1s anxious to a newcomer to our program, I think he was a little reluc- be m. tant to take charge at the begmning of last year. When he USD's _other forward tonight will be Anthony Reuss, a 6-foot-7 Junior out of Christian High in El Cajon. Reu.ss had 13 points and 14 rebounds against the Australians. Sophomore Mario Coronado (6-9) will open at center, with John Prunty (6-0) and Mark Bostic (6-4) at guard. Tonight's game also will serve as the college debut for 6-11 freshman Scott Thompson. "He's going to improve every time he plays," Brovelli said. "He's gomg to be an excellent player someday, but I'm not going to ruin him by putting too much pressure on him now. All I want him to do as a freshman is to have fun and enjoy playmg basketball." Mesa College transfer Al Moscatel (6-3), Santa Monica CC transfer Chris Carr (6-4) and Dave Mciver (6-8) will probably be USD's key reserves. St. Thomas is an NAIA school in St. Paul, Minn. The Toms visited USD a year ago and led at halftime before bowmg in the closing minutes. They finished 14-12 and are 0-1 as they await tonight's visit to the Sports Center. USD will entertain Army tomorrow night and Long Beach State Monday night before journeying to Texas Tech next week. It will be interesting to see if Whitmarsh can pick up l where he left off in March. In last weeks exhibition game against the Australian national team. he scored 27 pomts, gathered six rebounds and doled out five assists. Eager Toreros launch season vs. St. Thomas Buoyed by a 68-58 victory over the touring Australia Boomers in an exhibition opener last week, the Uni• versity of San Diego Toreros launch their collegiate season against tiny St. Thomas of St. Paul, Minn., to- night at 7:30 in Alcala Park.

And it will be with some expectation that coach Jim Brovelli watches this inaugural because he believes he has a genuine star in Mike Whitmarsh, 6-7 former Monte Vista High forward who was tantamount to a walk-on at the hilltop school a couple of seasons ago. "When he first came here, Whitmarsh only hoped to become a starter," said Brovelli."Now he has achieved star status and we expecl to build around him for the entire season." Whitmarsh reached the apex a year ago when, in his last six starts, he averaged 26 points a game. And he also became the first USD player in history to be named to the West Coast Athletic Conference all-star team. It will be interesting to see if Whitmarsh can pick up where he left off in March. "We have a chance to be a pretty good team," said Whitmarsh. "We're not ready for North Carolina yet, but we may be later on." USD's other forward will be Anthony Reuss, a 6-7 junior from Christian High in El Cajon. Sophomore Mario Coronado (6-9) will open at center, with John Prunty (6-0) and Mark Bostic (6-4) playing the guards. St. Thomas is an NAIA school and played the Toreros to a close game last year, losing in the final minutes.

Significantly, his performance spurred USD past the Aussies 68-58. This was the same Australian team that defeated USC and Cal on its California tour. "We have a chance to be a pretty good team," Whit- marsh said. "We're not ready for North Carolina yet, I'm not saying that. But if we grow and come together the way I think we can, there's no reason we can't take a run at the championship of our conference." USD has yet to post a .500 season since joining the WCAC five years ago. The Toreros are progressively coming closer, though. They finished 5-7 in the WCAC and 12-14 overall last season, and Coach Jim Brovelli has reason to believe they will finally become a winning team this year. "In the last six games last year, I think our people started to realize they were capable of winning the kind of games we'd always lost before," Brovelli said. "It's one thtng to give a good team a close game. It's ~uch, much tougher to win it, and we finally started wmnmg some of those games last year." USD won four of its last six starts, despite playing four of those games on the road. Forward Robbie Roberts and guard Rich Davis were the only two seniors on the team, and Brovelli has since

' Wh n you finally get it oing, the way we did at the nd of la t year, you want to play some games." Whit- m· h ubmitted yesterday. ''It's kind of discouraging to r finally t rt playing well and have the season end on you hk that I want d 1t to k ep on going, right through the um "---------~~---~-

finally did, though, he was exceptional. And we became a ~pr'.:e~tty~good~~te~a~m:.'_' --~-~-~---~~

U D Develops the Groundwork for a Successful Program

By TIM GlL.LMA '. 7'1mes, taff Writer SA

such as Prunty, USD has earned enough respect in big-time basketball to recruit potentially great players. As Prunty 1s soon to be accepted into the world of business, USD is achieving leg1timacy in its fifth season in Division I and the West Coast Athletic Conference "The identity we were lacking when we first went • Division I is here now," said Brovelli. beginning his 10th season as head coach. "People know now we are a maJOr college basketball team that has to be reckoned with.' USD has had to bolster its roster with junior college players. Although Brovelh added three JC Plea&e see TOREROS, Page 8

T e only thmg that stands between him and a lucrative Job in San Diego IS pas•ing the Certified Public Accountants exam mMay. "But l'm not going to start studying for 1t until after March 8," Prunty said. The date coincides with USD's-final basketball game. "Basketball has always been my number one prionty. I've always done everything I could to be the best player I could. I managed my ume wel: enough so I could do well in school." The 6-0 Prunty 1s pnmarily concerned about USD's sea. on opener Friday night at the Sports Center against SL Thomas College of Minnesota Because Brovelli has had enough good players

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n D1 go Coach Jim Brovelh needed

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Brovelh n d good stud nts to remain eligible und r U D's exacting ac dem1c standards. But he I o n ds athletes, uch as Iirunty, devoted to playing b k tball m D1v1 10n I and committed to USO for rour ye Prunty, a s nlor with a 3 73 grade average. has b com a tarting guard. But he also 1s bemg r crulted by m ny of the nation's b1gg st accounting firm . II already has a job offer from one and may get a couple mor m the next f w weeks.

THE TRIBUNE ' NOV 2 6 1981

LOS ANGELES TIMES NOV 2 6 1983

NOV 2 3 1983

Toreros open with a flourish

USD Rolls By St. Thomas College, 94-59

The veterans such as Whitmarsh, plus .the six new players, should give the team a punch it hasn't had since moving from Divmon II to Division I for the 1979-80 season. "We are going to be a little quicker as a team this year," Brovelli said. "We will be able to extend our defense a little. We will be able to pick up at full-court. When we extended before we were always more vulnerable to the easy basket. We are also a better open court team. which will get us a few easy baskets." Besides Whitmarsh and Prunty, the starters Friday are expected to be 6-9 sophomore center Mario Coronado, 6-7 junior forward Anthony Reuss and 6-3 iumor guard Mark Bostic, who transferred from Central Arizona College. Reuss had 14 points and 13 rebounds against the Australian team. Bostic is very quick and scored 17.8 points per game at Central Arizona last year. He scored 19 points against the Australian team. Bostic is the brother of Keith Bostic. who played football for the University of Michigan in their hometown, Ann Arbor, and now plays for the Houston Oilers. But the big hope for the future is the 6-11 Thompson, who will not start . . . yet. "He has an excellent set of hands and he can score," B ovelli said. "He is going to be an excellent player for us.'·

Continued from Pa1e 1 players this season, he also got four bona-fide Division I rre hmen b ause the team's image has improved. The fre hmen are 6-8 forward Steve Krallman, 6-7 forward Nils Madden, 5-10 guard Enc Musselman and 6-11 center Scott Thompson. "You now can estabhsh that foundation of four-year people," Brovelli said, while he sat in his office overlooking the basketball floor at the USD Sports C nter. The team went from a 2-14 league record In 1979-80 to 5-7 I st ea.son Just ask nonconference rival San Diego SUlte about how much USD has improved. Last year, the Aztecs edged the Torcros, 47-45, in the fi!1al minute of play. USD has a reputation for bemg competitive. USO was 12- 14 overall last season, but four of those Jo ses were by three points or less Prunty thinks those clo e losses can be reversed this season with the help or returning 6-7 senior forward Mike Whitmarsh, who made all- WCAC last season and set a conference record for steals. "Th 1s the be L team that I have played on in my four years," Prunty said. "Having a player hke Mike is a big help. We always had to work so hard Just to get close. If we can play at a level Mike was at last year (when USD won four of its last six games), we can get over the hump and win.'' Whitmarsh averaged 26.8 points in his last six games, besides playmg sound defense and sparking the team. He scored r, pomts in the Toreros' 68-58 exhibition win over the Austrahan National team a week ago. The Australian ·at1onal team earher beat a weak C, 57-54. "Beyond mid. season he performed as well as or better than anyone in the conference," Brovelli said. "He scored well and broke the league record in steals. He plays the complete game. He gives the ball off to the open man, he can make the free throws and he boards for us.'' Whitmarsh. who transferred from Grossmont College before last season, said his fmal year could be his best. "I feel less pressure this year," Whitmarsh said. "Now\ I know I can do it. Before last season I wasn't sure I' could play at this level. We are really starting to come together as a team. We can beat anybody in this league."

By TIMGILLMAN, Times Staff Writer SAN DIEGO-University of San J?iego basketball coach Jim Brovelli is certain or two thmgs after Friday night's season opener against SL Thomas College or Minnesota. First USD routed the visitors, 94-59. Second, fans won't beat down the door to see this kind of a matchup. The Toreros played before a crowd of about 250 at the Sports Center. "You just never know what will happen in a game like this" Brovelli said. "Last year, SL Thomas was ahe3:d at halftime. (USD won, 79-54.) I think they are a little tired after traveling. They lost to Grand Canyon College in overtime Tuesday.'' . . But Brovelli didn't seem the least bit uncertain, substituting regularly after his team had taken a 32-14 lead with eight minutes left in the half. USD led 48-28 at intermission. All-West Coast Athletic Conference forward Mike Whitmarsh had 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 19minutes. Freshman center Scott Thompson, the biggest man on the floor at 6-11, was eight or 13 from the field and had

17 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes. Junior guard Mark Boslic, who had three fastbreak slam dunks, scored 14. • ... Center Mike Randall led St. Thomas, a NAIA division II team, with 16. Brovelli said that the Toreros were uneven on defense. "We'll have to improve our defense. There were spurts when the played well defensively. But we'll have to play 40 minutes of good defense each game to be competitive in the conference," he said. USD plays Army at 7,30 p.m. tonight at the Sports Center. It will be the season opener for the Cadets, which finished last season at 11-18. "I got a report on them from a couple guys I know in the East," Brovelli said. "Although it is from seeing them last year, it's the'same team, with the same coach and all the starters returning. The Cadets are led by 6-4 junior guard Randy Cozzens. who averaged 16.7 points per game last season and center Kenny Schwartz, a 6-7 sophomore who averaged 14.1 points last season. USD breezes in debut 94-59 By Rich Feuerstein, Special to the Union Twenty-five colleges coveted Scott Thomps

By Barry Bloom Tnbune Sportswriter

There's one thing you can say for St. Thomas College's Division II basketball team - at least it lasted longer than Marvis Frazier did last night. Not much longer. "It was our first game," said Jim Brovelli, the coach of University of San Diego's Division I team after last night's season-opening 94-59 blowout at the USO Sports Center. "Until you play, it's hard to get a feel for any- thing. Did it prepare us for our next few games? It's hard to say." The Toreros didn't have a hard time coping with the visitors from St. Paul. They ran the Tommies out of the gym by 18 points before t~e evening was even 12 mm- utes old in front of a crowd estimated at 400. But tonight, they must come back strong against a highly touted A~y team that visits San Diego two days before Long Beach State. And because of yes- terday's Army-Navy foot- ball game played in Pasa- dena, the local school is ex- pecting nearly 3,000 Cadets to invade their cozy gym.

Toreros Have Little Trouble in Victory Over Army, 87-57 By TIMGILLMAN, Times Staff WriteT' SAN DIEGO-Saturday was bench night again for the University of San Diego basketball team at the Sports Center. T Each member of the USD team played as the oreros beatArmY, S7-57. All the Toreros also played Friday night when USD dismantled St. Thomas College of Minnesota, 94-59. d USD took the lead for good on a basket ~Y f,orwar Anthony Reuss six minutes_ into Saturday mght s game and Jed, 51-23, five minutes into the second half. If this keeps up, USD Coach Jim Brovelb _may_ get complaints from his starters, due to lack of playing time. For example, All-West Coast Athletic Conference forward Mike Whitmarsh only played 33 minutes. but had 18 points 12 rebounds and 9 assists. The other starting forw~d, Reuss, played 29 minutes but had 13 points and five rebounds. 7 Guard Al Moscatel, coming off the bench, had 1 points in 22 minutes and 6-11 freshman cei:iter Scott Thompson also played well, filling in for starting center I said "Al came off the bench (in the first half) and hit a couple shots that helped loosen up their zone defense. Scott Thompson is playing with grea~ enthusiasm and when we get him the ball he can score. The team from West Point, New York was tougtrand · scrappy but just didn't have the he1ght-1ts tallest player is 6-7-to play with the Toreros (2-0). USD has seven players at 6-7 or taller. The game was also the first of the year for the Cade~, who finished 11-18 last year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Army and USO both use control offenses, but besides the height advantage, USD also proved quicker and sharper, with guard Mark Bostic (10 pomts l getting numerous fast break dunks. , USD led, 37-20. at halftime, behind Moscatel s 11 po~:·Toreros didn't pull away from Army until the last five minutes of the first half, when Army f?ule started taking a toll In free throws. In the last five minutes, USD went from a 22-18 advantage to its eventual halftime lead and nine of those last 15 point.e came at the foul hne. Army was led by 6-7 center Kenny Schwartz, who had 18 points. f h The Toreros will get. their first solid test o t e Mario Coronado. h " B 11' "We are getting great play from ou_r benc ' rov~

"It's going to be tough for us but l think these kids win come back strong," said Brovelli, who was most pleased by the game-high 17-point performance of 6- 11 freshman center Scott Thompson. "This is a hard weekend to draw fans anyway. It's Thanksgiving and nobody is on campus. But l can't worry about things like at- tendance. I have enough to do just worrying about being a coach." Last night, Brovelli had enough to do just to keep his team awake in a game that was a sure advertisement for implementation of the technical knockout in col- lege basketball. It was a TKO at the 9:38 mark of the second half when USD led by 30 points. AU-West Coast Athletic Association Mike Whi- temarsh added 16 points. He was the Toreros' leading scorer last season. "Let's just say you can't decide a whole season over a game like this," said sen- ior forward Dave Mciver, one of just seven upper- classmen on the 15-player USD roster. "You never know bow a game is going to turn out," said Brovelli, now in his 10th year as USD's coach. "Last year, they came in here and were ahead at halftime (USO eventually won). This year they looked tired."

DAILY CALIFORNIAN NOV 2 9 1983

USO LOSES/ Former Monte Vista High ancr Grossmont College standout Mike Whitmarsh scored 29 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out five assists Monday night against Long Beach State, but it wasn't enough. The visiting 49ers beat the Univer- sity of San Diego, 73-65 in overtime. Whitmarsh was U-of-19 from the field. The Toreros are 2-1.

BLADE TRIBUNE NOV 2 9 1983

SA DIEGO (UPI> - Ricky Smith scored 21 points to lead Long Beach State to a 73-65 overtime win over the University of San Diego Monday night ll!ike Whitmarsh's free throw with 40 seconds to play in regulation forced the game into overtime al 59-59 after Long Beach State's Greg Allen had given the 49ers a 59-58 lead with I :O:l to play with four points and a steal in less than a minute. The 49ers, 1-1, scored eight of the first nme overtime points to break open the game USO i. now 2-1. Whitmarsh finished with 29 pomts to lead all scorers:/i Craig Lack had I.\ for the 49ers. / I -------------'

•

The second half started with Thompson on the bench , once again. But when St. Thomas whittled the lead to 17 points with 15:40 to go, Thompson re-entered the _contest. He and senior forward Mike Whitmarsh combmed for eight points to lead USD on a 13-2 spurt. With 12 minutes to go USD led 64-36. The game was over. Whitmarsh, USD's leading scorer an_d an all-conference selection last year, finished with 16 pomts.

1983-84 season when they host Cal State Long Beach at ' 7 30 pm Monday at the Sports Center. The Forty Niner~ l~at, 65-59, to UCLA on Saturday night. Last year, Long Beach beat USD, 87-62, al Long Beach.