1983_04 Insight April 1983

              Insight
SPORTS FEATURES
April 13, 1983
Bulldog freshmen celebrate NIT title
Two weeks ago tonight, Mario
Marvin Carter and Charlie
Smith danced and hugged their way
into the minds of college basketball
fans.
Sure, it was a talented group of
seven upperclassmen who led CSUF
to its win over DePaul in the National
Invitation Tournament championship
game.
But it was tbe Bulldog bench—and, prominently, the trio of
freshmen celebrants — the Madison
Square Garden television cameras
focused on.
Tbey hadn't even played in the
game, but tbe smiling faces of Ellis,
Carter and Smith told tbe story to the
TV audience. The closing seconds
were a mere formality; CSUF had
clinched, quite possibly, its biggest
"Everyone understands that it's
not just the guys out there on the floor
who won that championship," said
center Mark Gustin, whose 157
minutes of court-time were the most
played by any of the five freshmen.
"The guys on the bench are important, too. Everyone is all striving for
this ultimate goal. It has to give you a
warm feeling."
Guard Jevon Nixon, the team's
only non-scholarship player, realized
the value of the experience.
"Hey, it was a plus for all of us to
just get to play on the NIT championship team."
There's no animosity here. The
freshmen said they recognized the
special stride their older teammates
hit, helping carry CSUF on its late-
season rush.
"I'm not saying I'm not disappointed that I couldn't contribute
more," said Carter. "But I learned,
and I look up to the players who are
playing. Hopefully, when I get an op
portunity to perform on the court, I
will perform."
For Carter, Ellis and Smith, watching their team play DePaul could
have been a painful experience. The
Blue Demons' lineup was laden with
freshmen and sophomores, many of
whom native Chicagoans Carter and
Smith had played against. And Ellis
had played with DePaul freshman
starter Kevin Holmes in Los Angeles.
"It came across my mind that
DePaul had a younger lineup," Carter
admitted. "Fortunately enough for
them, they're winning.
"But now Charlie and I, we're going to have something to say this summer when we go back home to all
those people in Chicago."
Ellis said be talked to Holmes
before the game.
"He's happy, and I'm happy,"
said the CSUF guard.
Both San Joaquin Valley native
Gustin and city-wise Carter thought
New York was an exciting dty.
"When we first got there, we landed at John F. Kennedy Airport. It all
seemed like a new country," Gustin
said. "Later to come was the
buildings, the people, the lifestyle — I
have never experienced anything like
it."
"Being able to play in the 'Big Apple' is always going to be with me,"
said Carter. "And Madison Square
Garden — it was the greatest place
I've ever visited in all my years."
The freshmen said they hope tbe
NIT title will help bring the Bulldogs
into the college basketball limdight.
And, they want to be a part of that
rise.
"We've got to keep this thing going," said Ellis. "People are starting
to realize what Fresno State is. I want
to help us keep climbing."
"I'm glad I won this championship," said Gustin. "But now I want to
develop so that I can contribute to the
program."
Photo by Gary K
Freshmen Mario Ellis (leftLSttd Marvin Carter rejoice with fellow Bulldogs following the teams upset victory over DePaul In the NIT finals.
Bennettrblazes trail to Bulldog diamond success
^\
FREDGILDNER
Insight reporter
As tbey pitch, hit, field, throw and
hustle their way through tbe 1983
season, tbe Bulldogs follow the trail
blazed before them by their coach and
tbe players be tutored in the fine
points of the national pastime. These
men won league championships and
succeeded in the pros. They played
with enthusiasm and intensity, and
the 1983 'Dogs are no exception.
"All of them are outstanding
players in their own right," remarked
Bennett. "Some of them have had an
opportunity because of the situation
they're thrtisrin' to be better than
others.
"Our catcher, Emery Phillips, is
a .300 hitter now, batting clean-up for
us, and doing a solid Job defensively.
Second .baseman Greg Funk has
played second three years for us after
starting his career here at short. He's
approaching a lot of the school's hitting records.
"We have one of the truly outstanding shortstops in the country in Joey
Xavier — a heads-up defensive
player and a good hitter. Our third
baseman, Randy Asador, has been
consistent all season long. He has cut
down on his strikeouts this season and
hits with power.
"Art Holland (left fidd) has 10
homers this year. He hit five of those
in the Nevada-Las Vegas Desert
Classic Tournament and also drove in
17 runs. »——,.
"Our centerfielder, Eric Fox, is
probably the fastest player we've
ever had in our program. Eric came
in as a right-handed hitter and we've
made him a switch-hitter. He's an exciting player to watch because he gets
on base and makes things happen.
And he's been getting on a lot lately
because he's hitting about .400.
"Our pitching staff is solid again
this season. Rob Emerson and Kurt
Walker have given us good performances. John Hoover was doing well
until he hurt his arm, but came back
and pitched a good game against USC
in the Best of the West Classic.
"Vince Barger is a ldt-handed
sophomore. He pitched a great game
in the Best of the West also and was
named to the all-tournament team.
"And Bob Jacobsen has been an
outstanding reliever. He's been able
to put out the fire (every time he's
come in." r
A potential conflict could exist
betweei (he football and baseball
coaches over Eric Fox — the fleet-
footed centerfielder who doubles as a
defensive back in the fall. But fortunately for all concerned, a mutual
understanding is followed by both
sides.
"JimSweeneyis the first (head)
football coach we've had at Fresno
State who really backs up what he
says concerning two-sport playerSi"
affirmed Bennett. "I'm happy to say
that everything we'lalked over (concerning two-sport players) has happened with Jim Sweeney.
"He's a hundred percent backer
of our baseball program, and we're a
hundred percent backer of his football
program. We're grateful they
recruited a really good two-sport
athlete. We hope that we helped a little, but they did most of tbe recruiting
on Eric Fox. >
"And we have no conflict at all
with Eric. He plays football during
football season and we don't touch
him, then baseball during baseball
season, Jim comes out and roots him
on and so does Jon Anabo and all the
other football coaches. There's a real
goad working relationship with tbe
football people and baseball people."
The CSUF baseball team will soon
have a facility to match the calibre of
the program that has cranked out 17
league championships.
Beginning fast August, Bennett
and the DugotlfTJlub (the booster club
for Bulldog Baseball) began a $1.6
million fund-raising drive for a
3,600-seat baseball stadium. Thanks
to tremendous community support
from businessmen, the Bulldog Foundation and the Associated Students of
CSUF, the stadium will become a
reality in eight months. The new
facility will feature theater-type seats
similiar to those in the red section of
the football stadium, with 500 seats
allocated for students.
J[I was really pleased with the
$50,rjoo contribution aude by the
Senate on behalf of thestudents," he
beamed. "Those seats' are now
guaranteed for students forever. It
was great to ha ve thern share a part of
the stadium's construction as well."
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