Madness on the horizon

It appears March Madness will come two months early in the Big

West Conference. The crazy conference action starts in January, when

there will most likely be some upsets, but surely the pure essence of

men’s college basketball will be displayed.

The Big West Conference held its Media Day Wednesday at the Irvine

Marriott, where the 10 coaches discussed and explained the method to

the Big West madness.

“There is no favorite,” Cal State Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell

said. “But if I had to pick one, I would say UC Santa Barbara.”

Most coaches said Santa Barbara, which won the Big West Conference

Tournament, is the team to beat. In fact, the Gauchos were picked No.

1 in both the Coaches’ Poll and the Media Poll Wednesday. Utah State

and UC Irvine, which shared the Big West regular-season title last

year, were picked 2 and 3 in both polls.

The Pilot voted Santa Barbara No. 1, UCI 2 and Utah State 3. But,

any of the Big Three can actually be designated as the top team, and

after them there are four more teams that have the capability of

surprising, including Northridge and University of the Pacific,

selected 4 and 5 in both polls, and Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly

San Luis Obispo.

The Gauchos are No. 1 because they feature four returning

starters. However, Santa Barbara Coach Bob Williams said the Gauchos

will have some difficulty this season, because they will have to

adjust to the loss of senior Bray Skultety, a 6-foot-6 rebounding

machine who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Skultety, a

substitute last year, was looking to crack the starting lineup

because of his rapid improvement. His rebounding role would have made

life easier for Santa Barbara’s shooters.

Here’s some more information gathered from Wednesday.

* Among Santa Barbara’s returning starters, senior forward Mark

Hull and junior wingman Branduinn Fullove, were selected to the

Preseason Media All-Conference Team.

* UCI Coach Pat Douglass said he will not redshirt any players

this season, which gives the green light to the Anteaters’ only true

freshman Mike Efevberha (pronounced E-fee-brah), who has displayed

his ability to penetrate and create his own shot during the

preseason. Efevberha, the 6-5, 195-pound freshman guard who has drawn

comparisons to Jerry Green, should see plenty of action Saturday

night, when the ‘Eaters open their season with an exhibition game at

Cal State Bakersfield.

UCI also has talent in the post, as 7-0 center Adam Parada, a

junior, is on the verge of a breakout season. Parada was voted to the

Preseason All-Conference team. In addition to Parada, 6-5 senior

guard Jordan Harris is on the comeback trail from a PCL injury

suffered four months ago. He returned to the court last week, and

could be ready for the nonconference season, perhaps as early as the

Oklahoma Tournament Nov. 22-23, when the Anteaters start with

Oklahoma, ranked No. 3 in the nation in the USA Today/ESPN Poll.

* Cal Poly’s Varnie Dennis, Utah State’s Desmond Penigar and Cal

State Fullerton’s Pape Sow were selected on the Preseason

All-Conference Team. Penigar could be the next in line to become the

Big West Player of the Year, which has been awarded to former UCI

standout Jerry Green the past two years. Parada will also contend for

that honor.

Riverside’s Vili Morton would have most likely been on the

preseason team, but he will redshirt the season and prepare for next

year when the Highlanders will be able to compete in postseason play.

* Utah State Coach Stew Morrill said he would miss playing in

the Big West when the Aggies’ time is up. Utah State is scheduled to

move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2005. He said he would miss the

rivalries.

“Irvine has become our natural rivalry because of the close

games,” Morrill said. “The UCSB games have been real good. Fullerton

whooped on us last year, and they’re going to be better this year.