NCAA BASKETBALLL TOURNAMENT : GRAND MASTERS : Pete Newell and John Wooden Take an Expert Look at Teams in Final Four

Pete Newell is a confidant and close friend of Bob Knight. They room together at some tournaments, discuss coaching philosophies over the telephone when they’re apart and have even collaborated on a basketball textbook.

So it would seem only natural to assume that Newell, a longtime teacher-observer of the game, would be inclined toward Knight’s team in any matchup.

But Newell also admires the coaching skills of Jerry Tarkanian of Nevada Las Vegas. And although he didn’t predict the outcome of the Indiana-UNLV NCAA semifinal game Saturday at New Orleans, he indicated that the Rebels’ innovative style, taking full advantage of the three-point shot, is troublesome for any team.

John Wooden, the former UCLA coach who has won more NCAA championships (10) than Knight, Dean Smith, Henry Iba and the late Adolph Rupp combined, is also favorably impressed by Tarkanian and his Rebels.

Tarkanian, himself, is sort of a Rebel with a cause, considering all of his problems with the NCAA Establishment over the years.

But his coaching ability is seldom questioned.

“UNLV and Indiana are both well coached, but they do different things,” Newell said. “Jerry’s team is one of the best-conditioned I’ve seen in a long time. They keep the pressure on you for 40 minutes and their strength is their defense.

“I like to watch their practices. Jerry teaches. He’s no ball thrower. They don’t do a lot of things but what they do, they do real well.

“All season long he has believed in the three-point shot, and his players believe in it and they haven’t wavered.”

Wooden believes that UNLV should be favored because it has been No. 1 in the national rankings longer than any other team this season.

“First of all, I think Jerry Tarkanian is an outstanding coach. He is one of the few coaches I’ve ever known who has changed his style of play completely,” Wooden said. “He changed from a successful style at junior college and Cal State Long Beach and when he first went to Vegas.

“He used a 1-2-2 zone on defense and a ball-control offense--and he won and won and won.

“Suddenly, he changes everything. He now has a pressing man-to-man defense and a fast-break offense, and this year he’s relying on three-point shots. They probably wouldn’t have made the Final Four, nor would Providence, if it hadn’t been for the three-point rule.

“His teams have always been fundamentally sound. And because of the fact he has five seniors, all of whom will graduate, I think he may have more stability than he ever had before, putting him in a position to win several consecutive sudden-death games against quality opponents.

“I don’t think you can do that if you have much of your team made up of transfer students from four-year schools who have had problems one way or another.”

However, Wooden reasons--and he should know--that Tarkanian’s zeal to win his first NCAA championship may work against him.

“Probably no one has more desire to win the NCAA championship than Jerry and that can sometimes backfire,” Wooden said. “I felt I wanted that first title (in 1964) so much that sometimes I had my players overworked and too high emotionally--which I’ve never tried to do. But I subconsciously did that until we won the first one.

“You want every one, but not as much as that first one, and because of that I don’t think I ever overworked them again.”

Wooden said that Knight, who has won two NCAA titles, may also want to prove something.

“Knight is generally considered by everyone to be one of the outstanding coaches in the country. There is no doubt about it,” Wooden said. “But he may be trying to live up to it, too. He has the type of personality to be in the limelight, and his team’s style is different. However, I don’t think he’ll be a better tournament coach than Tarkanian. I think you’re either a coach, or you’re not a coach.”

Wooden said that Indiana is a more physical team than UNLV and is, of course, talented.

“I think Vegas is more of a finesse-type team,” Wooden said. “I personally have always preferred finesse over brute strength, although Indiana has a little of both.”

Newell said that Indiana will have a defensive problem with UNLV while trying to cover the court. “They stand out there and pepper you with three-point shots,” he said. “But if you spread out too much, (forward) Armon Gilliam will kill you inside.”

Newell pointed out that Wyoming covered UNLV’s three-point shooters, but Gilliam then went inside to get 38 points.

Iowa played the shooters loosely, he said, and the strategy worked in the first half when UNLV couldn’t hit its three-point shots.

But the Rebels quickly made up a 16-point halftime deficit in the second half by making seven three-point shots in a 34-8 run.

“With Vegas it’s a question of how you want to die,” Newell said. “Jerry has said time and again that his players have the green light to shoot, regardless. That is so important in coaching. You don’t give lip service to something, then back off when it’s crunch time.”

Newell said that UNLV presents a unique defensive problem because the players seldom run the lanes to the basket on a fast break. Instead, they veer out past the three-point line.

“It’s a hard shot to defend,” Newell said. “In basketball, you’re a victim of habit. Coaches want to instill proper habits. One of the things in defending the fast break is the tandem defense. One guy checks the ball and the guy behind him goes to whatever side the ball is on.

“Now, that’s a conventional break where the wingmen are slicing to the hoop. So you get into tandem, but no one from Vegas is coming from the wing. They’re veering out, and (guard) Mark Wade hits them with the ball. So the shooters are sitting out there all by themselves. And the other defensive guy is in the paint waiting for someone to run the lane--and no one is running it.

“That’s what makes Vegas so difficult to play--their unorthodox transition game. I think Indiana would prefer to play a half-court game, keep the score in the 70s, or 60s. I know that’s what I’d want to do.”

Indiana doesn’t have as many effective three-point shooters as UNLV, but the Hoosiers do have guard Steve Alford, who has made 52% of his three-point shots.

Said Wooden: “Alford isn’t fast, but he’s quick and smart. He reminds me so much of Gail Goodrich, who didn’t have great speed but was always able to get his shot off quickly.”

Both Newell and Wooden lean toward Syracuse beating Providence in the other semifinal game, although both also are cognizant that the three-point shooting Friars are on a roll.

Wooden favors Syracuse because it beat Providence twice in the regular season.

“Providence has an advantage because it is an underdog, but I’d much rather play someone I’ve beaten twice than someone that has beaten me twice,” he said.

“However, I’m very impressed in watching Providence and its trapping, pressing style. (Coach) Rick Pitino has definitely utilized the three-point rule because of the players he has to shoot out there--just as Jerry has at Vegas.”

Newell said that Providence will have a problem dealing with Rony Seikaly, Syracuse’s 6-10, 240-pound center.

“Syracuse beat North Carolina inside and Carolina is a powerful club inside,” Newell said. “You just have to respect Syracuse’s inside game.

“On the other hand. Providence is on a roll. When a team gets hot and believes they can’t lose, they’re hard to put away. Logic says Syracuse, and I’d have to go with them because they’re stronger inside. How many miracles can you perform?”