USD Men's Basketball 2002-2003

Page 13 production this year. Last season he appeared in 27 contests and netted a personal– best 11 points in team's home victory over Portland. The 6-10 Hegarty saw qual– ity minutes last season and proved he will push Jason Keep for playing time this season at the center position. Sophomore Nick Lewis, an athletic 6-1 0 forward– center, also returns after sitting out with Keep a year ago due to a hip injury. THE TORERO NEWCOMERS - Holland has added two Junior College recruits and two quality freshmen that will compete for playing time right away this season. Junior wing Lawrence Maroney was a highly recruited JC scorer out of Erie CC in Buffalo, New York. USD beat out the likes of Massachussetts, Georgetown, Louisville and Illinois. Maroney, an all-around player, led his team with averages of 15.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.7 assists and 3.6 steals. Maroney's teammate, 6-9 forward Abdou Sane also joins the team - Sane led the league in blocked shots both seasons and averaged a double-doub le (IO ppg/ 11 rpg) at the JC National Tourney his freshman year. The freshman class includes Derek Stockalper, a 6-4 shooting guard from nearby Carlsbad HS, and Travis Smith, a 6-3 guard out of Santa Margarita HS . A two-time Avocado League Player of the Year, this past season Stockalper was named the CIF Division I Player of the Year after averaging 23 ppg and 11 rpg. Smith, who gives the Toreros another big backcourt guard to go with McGrain, averaged 14 ppg, 7 rpg and 7 assists hi s senior campaign.

TORERO OUTLOOK

USD also got the services of Illinois transfer Brett Melton , a 6-5 shooting guard, who will sit out this season but will have two years with the Torero program. THE TORERO WALK-ONS - Holland will have the services of three walk-on players this season. Jun– ior guard Brad Lechtenberg (Grossmont Co ll ege), who redshirted last season, is back along with sophomore guard Joey Nevin (San Francisco, CA). Freshman Alex Nieto, a 6-4 guard/forward from nearby Ramona,joins the club for the 2002-2003 season. TOUGH SCHEDULE ON SLATE - Once again the Toreros will have their plate full with some tough teams

scheduled during the nonconference. The road schedule pits USD at UCLA (Nov. 26), at the Purdue Tournament (Dec. 6-7), at BYU (Dec. 11 ), at Nevada (Dec. 28), at Southern Methodist (Jan. 2) and at San Diego State (Jan. 8). After opening the season at home with Nevada on November 23rd, the home schedule will be high– lighted with Utah on December 23rd. West Coast Conference play gets underway at home with Santa Clara on Jan. 11th, however, five of the next seven WCC games are on the road, includ–

ing dates with Pepperdine (Jan. 18th) and Gonzaga (Feb. I). wee TOURNEY AT JCP AGAIN - Conference Basketball Championships, March 6- 10. Final 2001-2002 West Coast Conference Standings Team #16Gonzaga

For the third straight year, the Toreros will play host to the West Coast

wee 13-1 13-1

Overall 29-4 22-9

Pepperdine Santa Clara San Francisco San Diego SaintMary's LoyolaMarymount Portland

8-6 8-6 7-7

13-15 13-15 16-13

3-11 2-12 2-12 wee 1st Team -Andre Laws wee Honorable Mention - Jason Blair

9-20 9-20 6-24

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