The sound of squeaking shoes and basketballs bouncing on the Gold Mine’s hardwood meant only one thing Friday — the start of the Long Beach State men’s basketball season.
This year, the 49ers are looking to avenge a 64-56 upset loss at the hands of UC Santa Barbara in last year’s Big West Conference championship game, which cost them a bid into the NCAA Tournament.
The Beach, which finished 22-10 overall and 14-2 in conference play last season, returns four starters: reigning Big West Player of the Year Casper Ware, senior forwards Eugene Phelps and T.J. Robinson and guard Larry Anderson.
One of the challenges facing the ‘Niners this season is replacing guard Greg Plater, who graduated last year. Plater ranked fourth on the team in scoring (11.8 points per game) and first in 3-pointers made (97) last season.
Head coach Dan Monson is still uncertain about who he plans to have as his fifth starter, but said that the preseason will allow him time to mold his bench and figure out who he trusts inserting into his rotation.
“You always come into the year hopeful that when you have 13 guys on scholarship that they can all contribute,” Monson said. “Last year, we got down to seven or eight guys that we really trusted.
“That process starts today, as far as trusting guys, and seeing who exactly can come off that bench.”
Forwards Nick Shepherd, who redshirted last season, and Edis Dervisevic should provide the ‘Niners with the spark they need.
And, Ware said he feels good about the look of the bench, which he expects to play a vital role this season.
“Our bench is looking good; I expect big things out of them,” he said. “We had a good recruiting class, so I don’t expect anything less than any other good team’s bench.”
This year’s recruiting class includes the following players:
G Michael Caffey, Freshman, 6-0, Corona, Calif. (Centennial High)
F Gatete Djuma, Freshman, 6-9, Salt Lake City, Utah (West HS)
G/F James Ennis, Junior, 6-7, Ventura, Calif. (Ventura HS/Oxnard College/Ventura College)
G/F Kris Gulley, Sophomore, 6-7, Dallas, Texas (James Madison HS/Independence Community College)
G Shaquille Hunter, Freshman, 6-2, Villa Park, Calif. (Villa Park HS)
F Dan Jennings, Redshirt Junior, 6-8, Staten Island, N.Y. (St. Thomas More School/West Virginia)
G Peter Pappageorge, Junior, 6-1, Burlingame, Calif. (Burlingame HS/Canada College)
Ware, who became the first player in Big West history to be named the conference’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, led the 49ers, averaging 17.2 points and 4.4 assists per game. He needs just 42 steals and 77 assists to become LBSU’s career leader in both categories.
But he isn’t the only asset on the 49ers‘ lineup.
Senior guard Anderson is a two-time first-team All-Big West selection and ranks among the league’s active career leaders in eight of nine categories. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game as a junior.
Senior forward Robinson, a first-team All-Big West pick in 2010 and a second-team selection last year, is back and can become the first player in Big West history to average double-digit rebounds in three straight seasons.
Senior forward Phelps is among the Big West’s active career leaders in rebounds, blocks and scoring. Phelps averaged 9.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last year.
Monson is known for challenging his teams with difficult preseason schedules, but the one facing his squad this season may be the toughest yet.
The Beach will play on the road against six teams who were ranked in the top 25 last season, including Pittsburgh, San Diego State, Kansas, Louisville, North Carolina and Xavier.
Monson said that if the 49ers want to be considered an elite team, they need to be able to compete at the same caliber.
“In the past with other team’s (I’ve coached), especially Gonzaga, had success playing hard schedules,” he said. “I think for us to elevate our program to the next level, we have to play the teams from that level.”
Ware feels that the team, specifically the 49ers’ four starters, are ready to take on the challenging slew of games.
“I think our [starters] have been prepared for this since we were freshman,” he said. “We’ve been playing tough schedules since I got here, all the mental stuff is there, we just have to put the X’s and O’s together.”
For The Beach, the road to redemption has begun. A solid core of starters, some upstart guys coming off the bench, and a few newcomers make the ‘Niners the team to beat in the Big West.
The 49ers will open up the season at the Walter Pyramid against Idaho on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2:05 p.m.
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