THE COLLEGES : Chapman Gets Back to Business : Team Puts Aside Wilson’s Plans as Season Approaches

On Oct. 5, Chapman College basketball Coach Kevin Wilson gave each player a copy of a letter he had sent that day to Jim Doti, the school’s president. It announced Wilson’s resignation, effective the end of the season.

The players reacted somberly.

“Some of them sat on the floor with the letter on their laps,” Wilson said. “Others were prone, face down on the floor. It shocked them.”

Wilson will leave Chapman when his contract expires in August to pursue “other opportunities.” He reached the decision during the summer, but kept it to himself until October.

The players might have been shocked at first, but 6 weeks later, it’s business as usual. After all, they had to prepare for their season, which begins tonight at 8 against Pomona-Pitzer at the Hutton Sports Center.

“At first it was an adverse situation. There was a certain amount of disruption,” Wilson said. “But I think it pulled us together. It’s not even a topic now.”

So the Panthers have rebounded from their early-season turmoil.

Now the question is: Can they rebound in any other way? Such as during a game.

Chapman has three starters returning from last season’s team that finished 16-11. None are taller than 6-feet 5 1/2-inches.

There are five other returning lettermen. Of course, none are taller than 6-5 1/2.

But Chapman picked up three transfers and brought in two freshmen. Of course, none are taller than 6-5 1/2.

“We don’t really have what you call an inside player,” said Wilson, who is 92-80 in 6 years at Chapman. “We have a lot of guards and wings. But at this level (Division II), you don’t see a lot of 6-8, 6-9, 6-10 players.”

And at Chapman, you don’t see any.

Mike Minier, Matt Honikel and Mark Hilton are all listed at 6-5 1/2. Only Minier played extensively last season. He started 16 games and averaged 5.3 points.

Minier, a sophomore from Mission Viejo High School, plays a wing position and is mainly an outside threat. The inside game will be left up to Hilton, Russ Ortega (6-5) and Rog Middleton (6-4), a transfer from the University of Utah who become eligible Dec. 22.

Ortega, a senior, started all 27 games, averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds. He is also the team’s best defensive player.

Hilton, a senior, played in 24 games last season, but scored little--1.7 points per game--and rebounded even less--1.1 per game.

Middleton was first-team All-Southern Section as a forward at Tustin in 1986 and signed with Utah, where he was moved to the backcourt.

Middleton, who was redshirted at Utah, transferred to Chapman last December. He made 12 of 13 shots during Chapman’s annual Cardinal and Gray scrimmage last week.

Wilson plans to put Middleton in the starting lineup the day he becomes eligible.

“Rog is a good inside player, no matter how much he wants to to be a wing,” Wilson said. “He’s 6-4, but plays like he’s 6-7. He’ll do well inside. So will Ortega and Hilton.

“But with no true post player, we’ll need to shoot and pass well.”

The Panthers have people--or at least one person--who can pass. Point guard Bryan Richetto led the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. in assists last season (6.3) as a freshman. He was named second-team All-CCAA.

“Of all the people I’ve coached, Bryan has the best vision on the court,” Wilson said.

And he’ll have plenty of people to assist.

“We don’t have one or two guys who will score a lot of points,” Wilson said. “What we need is seven of eight guys scoring. I think we have that capability.”