Lapp-mass era kicks off tonight
By Eric Soderstrom
Collegian Staff
For the last 235 days, life in Amherst has been rather undemanding for Steve Lappas. Sure, there’s that whole blending into a new setting process, the building relationships with his new players routine and the recruiting kids for next season procedure. But there’s one thing he just hasn’t been expected to do.
And that’s win a basketball game that matters.
On March 26, 2001, Lappas was introduced by athletic director Bob Marcum as the 19th head coach of the Massachusetts men’s basketball team. Since then, the only games his Minutemen have played were ones against Greek national teams and work-for-hire exhibition-only squads.
But the honeymoon is now over.
Tonight the Lappas era officially begins in the Valley as Arkansas-Little Rock comes to the Mullins Center for a 7 p.m. regular season opener.
“Twenty years ago I was married and I went on and had a great honeymoon, and when that honeymoon ended, boy, it was terrible, I felt so bad,” said Lappas in jest Wednesday afternoon at the UMass weekly Sports Luncheon. “I think I’m going to feel a lot worse this Friday night when my honeymoon ends.”
UMass won both of its Nov. 4 and Nov. 12 exhibition games by a combined score of 170-117, but the victories came against teams made up of former college players way past their time.
“I’ve been very, very happy with ours kids so far in the way they played in our two exhibition games,” said Lappas, whose first game in the Mullins Center tonight will also be UMass’ 100th in that building. “But you have to take into account in all exhibition games just how good the other team you played was. I don’t think either team was very good – not really in good condition, not really guarding us that hard.
“It’s going to be completely different Friday night. We’re playing against a very well coached team.”
Coach Porter Moser’s Arkansas-Little Rock team also swept its exhibition slate, and enters 2001-02 looking to improve on its 18-11 record from last season, the 19th largest single-season turnaround in NCAA history. Two years ago, the Trojans went 4-24.
Last year, Little Rock won most of its games playing major time in the half court set, a style Lappas expects to see tonight. He said he has also prepared his team for the 1-3-1 defense which the Trojans, made up of only one senior, should throw on the table.
“We’re certainly very concerned,” said Lappas, whose schedule is ranked as the 17th-toughest by CollegeRPI.com. “They’re a very good team. They play very well together and they play hard.”
UMass will definitely look to run the ball on Little Rock and will most likely play man-to-man defense for the majority. With the ball, Lappas’ motion offense will be in effect.
“With so many new, young players on the team, playing a game like this (against Massachusetts) on the road will be a huge test,” said Moser in a released statement. “And UMass is a nationally-recognized program.”
Freshman Kyle Wilson will start at point guard for the Minutemen and senior Shannon Crooks will join him the backcourt. Sophomore Willie Jenkins will get his first career start at small forward (a position that Lappas says is up for grabs), while junior Micah Brand and senior Kitwana Rhymer will fill out down low. Freshman Anthony Anderson will probably be the sixth man off the bench and will see a lot of time with Wilson and Crooks. Seniors Ronell Blizzard, Eric Williams and sophomore Raheim Lamb should also see some action.
Senior Jackie Rogers remains questionable with a hamstring problem, and there have been rumors that he might sit out this season as a medical redshirt.
“If it’s going to be a nagging thing, then yeah, [we’ll redshirt him],” said Lappas of his power forward. “I don’t envision that right now, but I’m not going to rule it out.”
