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Expect the unexpected Harrick hopes to discover new stars at new school
Posted: Thursday October 14, 1999 06:11 PM
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- After watching the Boston Red Sox advance to the playoffs with unlikely heroes like Trot Nixon, Brian Daubach and Troy O'Leary, Georgia basketball coach Jim Harrick is hoping he too can discover some unexpected stars. Harrick gets on the floor for the first time with his new Georgia team when preseason practice starts Saturday. "It's been difficult to get a read on our team," he said. "If you watch all that is going on with the Red Sox, you say, 'Whoever heard of those guys?' On the other hand, I don't see anybody on our team like [Pedro] Martinez or [Nomar] Garciaparra out there either." Last year, Harrick was watching the Red Sox from Rhode Island, where freshman phenom Lamar Odom helped the Rams to a 20-13 record. Meanwhile, Georgia started 11-4 under Ron Jirsa but limped home with a 15-15 record. First-round losses in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and the NIT ended the two-year tenure of Jirsa, who could never duplicate the magic of his mentor and predecessor, Tubby Smith. Harrick inherits little. Only one starter -- sophomore guard D.A. Layne -- returns, and he may have to learn to play the point as Harrick looks for a good blend. "I think our perimeter will not be bad," said Harrick. "D.A. is a good player, and I am optimistic about Adrian Jones. And the J.C. guys will help us inside. They are better than the guys we had." It might have been different if forward Jumaine Jones had not bolted early for the NBA. Guards Michael Chadwick, Ray Harrison and G.G. Smith and forward Jon Nordin exhausted their eligibility. Not much is left. "This will be a new experience for me," said Harrick, whose teams have won 20 or more games in 10 straight seasons. "It's been a long, long time since I had a team that is ranked where we are now. But I like our attitude. We have a great group of young guys. They are much improved in terms of strength, but I am worried about our team quickness." Layne was a unanimous choice to the SEC's all-freshman team, averaging 12.7 points a game while shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line. But he slumped on his second trip through the league. Adrian Jones showed promise as a freshman under Smith, averaging 6.9 points a game on an NCAA tournament team. But three broken bones in his feet have interrupted his progress. Sophomore Shaun Fields will also play guard, but look for freshman Ezra Williams to have an immediate impact. He was a highly sought scorer from Marietta, where he led his team to the state championship. The new power inside will come from two junior college additions. Shaun Coleman (6-foot-7, 215 pounds) led Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College to consecutive national championships. He led the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.8). Anthony Evans (6-7, 240) led Neosho County (Kan.) Community College with 23.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Joining the newcomers inside will be 6-8 Badi Oliver, the team's only senior, and 7-1 Robb Dryden. Oliver has started 18 games the last two years, but his numbers are unimpressive. Dryden scored 22 points last year against Texas, but it took him 22 more games to score his next 22 points. "Robb feels he can hold his ground on the block better than last year," said Harrick. "He's heavier, and I hope it helps his stamina. And Badi is a sounder player than I thought." Georgia will open the season at North Carolina State's new arena Nov. 19.
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