Grades in for Men’s Basketball Team

It’s beginning to look like he hoped it would from the start. The intense defense, consistent shooting, unselfish play, clutch shots--the Long Beach State men’s basketball team is doing it all.

It took awhile, but Long Beach State Coach Seth Greenberg believes this bunch has turned a corner. A two-game trip to Northern California inspired Greenberg’s excitement about the 49ers . . . finally.

“For the first time, we really played together,” Greenberg said. “We played so unselfish, and I looked down the bench and the guys were rooting everyone on. This just means so much for our team.”

Long Beach State (10-7, 5-3 in the Big West Conference) rallied for victories over San Jose State and Pacific.

Long Beach State reaches the halfway point of its conference schedule tonight against Cal State Fullerton, so it seems like a good time for report cards.

Here are the 49ers’ grades midway through the Big West season.

Guards--”James Cotton will be an NBA player.” That quote came from New Mexico State Coach Neil McCarthy, and it seemed somewhat curious because McCarthy said it after Cotton missed 18 of 23 shots in a 76-63 Long Beach loss at Las Cruces on Jan. 22.

But McCarthy sees what many other Big West observers do. Cotton leads the Big West in scoring with an average of 20.9 points. Despite his rough night in Las Cruces, Cotton is 10th in the conference in field-goal shooting at 44.3% and fifth in three-point shooting at 40.9%.

Cotton scored a career-high 30 points, making 11 of 17 shots in a 76-63 victory last Thursday at San Jose. He had 23 points and nine rebounds in an 83-77 victory Saturday at Pacific.

A tireless worker, Cotton has turned himself into a good player and has the potential and desire to become great. He is smart and a solid defender.

He can break down defenders with his dribble, as evidenced by how often he shoots free throws. Cotton, fourth in the conference in free-throw shooting at 76.1%, has attempted and made more free throws (102 of 134) than anyone in the top 10.

Cotton must continue to improve his ballhandling, and he occasionally shoots too many three-pointers from NBA range. But he is only a sophomore and has an incredible up side.

With all due respect to Raimonds Miglinieks and Brian Keefe of UC Irvine, Cotton and point guard Rasul Salahuddin give Long Beach State the Big West’s best starting backcourt. Salahuddin averages 12.5 points, leads the conference in steals at 2.8 and is fourth in assists at 4.8.

He also leads the conference in an unofficial statistic: Dunks that demoralize opponents. The high-leaping Salahuddin is most dangerous with the ball and the shot clock winding down. He sparked Long Beach State in these situations against San Jose and Pacific with ferocious dunks through the lane.

A converted shooting guard, Salahuddin has committed 64 turnovers. That number is way too high for someone who handles the ball as much as Salahuddin, but his overall game makes him a big plus. Grade: A-minus

Forwards--Simply put, Juaquin Hawkins is the 49ers’ linchpin. Hawkins, who has already graduated, is admired by his teammates for his dedication and is a calming force on the court.

The 49ers’ 1-3-1 zone isn’t much without Hawkins at the front. He sacrifices his body each game, taking charges and diving over and into tables for loose balls.

He is second to Salahuddin in the Big West, averaging 2.1 steals. Hawkins has improved on offense, and sometimes seems frustrated that he’s not a bigger part of it. But as long as Hawkins fulfills his role, Long Beach State will compete.

Sophomore Akeli Jackson averages 11.4 points and is fourth in the conference at 8.2 rebounds. The scary thing, several conference coaches said, is Jackson does it mostly on raw talent.

If the coaches are correct, Jackson will soon become the Big West’s best forward. Maturity wasn’t among his strengths last season but he’s improving. Grade: B-plus

Center--Oh, where have you gone, Joe McNaull?

This is the 49ers’ least productive area by far. Greenberg rotates a three-headed trio of Gerry Branner, Marcus Johnson and Brian Yankelevitz.

Branner and Yankelevitz are forwards playing out of position. Branner tries hard, but his biggest contribution is that he gives Greenberg another five fouls to work with.

The stout Yankelevitz is among the 49ers’ best passers. He can score on the interior and had the best game of the group with 11 points and 10 rebounds in an 80-73 victory over Utah State Jan. 18.

Johnson is the 49ers’ best center. He is second on the team in rebounding at 5.5 and provides a defensive presence that Branner and Yankelevitz can’t.

However, Greenberg suspended Johnson two games because of a violation of team policy. Johnson’s on-court demeanor is eccentric at best, but Long Beach State needs him. Grade: C-minus

Bench--Eric Brown has played well since returning from a five-game suspension. His outside shooting will be important during the Big West tournament in Reno.

Jamie Davis has been OK as a backup point guard, but why hasn’t Brandon Titus contributed more? The 49ers’ best lineup includes Johnson. Grade: C-plus

Coaches--Greenberg works hard. His passion for his job has helped him deal with the recent death of his father.

But his commitment is a strength and a weakness. He often says he should let his assistants do more. Greenberg admits he is not an easy person to work for, but assistant coaches Clyde Vaughan, Matt Hart and Jason Levy work well with him. Grade: B

49er Notes

Two New Mexico State students are demanding a public apology from Greenberg, alleging he slandered them and violated their civil rights by having security officers remove them from the Jan. 22 game. The students, Charles Sallee and Craig Sullivan, were escorted out after Greenberg complained to game officials that a group of students sitting near the 49er bench had yelled racial slurs at his players. Greenberg identified the students he said were involved. Sallee, the son of New Mexico State professor and athletic council member Alvin Sallee, has denied making or hearing any racial remarks.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.