Reeling Aztecs host Rebels next

Steve Carp

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

HONOLULU -- Fred Trenkle is driving a car down the mountain and he has no brakes.

The San Diego State coach is in an almost helpless position as his struggling Aztecs, frustrated by five straight defeats and decimated by the loss of two key performers, are facing the very real possibility of not qualifying for next month's Western Athletic Conference tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"Right now, every night's a strugggle for us," said Trenkle, who has a day to get ready for UNLV Saturday at the San Diego Sports Arena after his team temporarily stopped its slide Thursday with an 83-67 win over Air Force. "We've got to do things a little better, make some adjustments and keep playing hard.

"That's the one thing I can guarantee you. We'll always play hard."

But hard isn't always enough. The Aztecs weren't real deep to begin with and when 6-foot-8 junior center Tye Fields became academically ineligible a week ago and 6-5 junior guard Jacobi Thompson was suspended for a violation of team rules, it put additional pressure on the remaining players to produce.

Fields and Thompson combined for 13 points and seven rebounds in San Diego State's 79-59 loss to UNLV on Jan. 9 at the Thomas & Mack. Neither will play in Saturday's rematch.

"It's a snowball effect," Trenkle said of the defections within the ranks. "You've got 60 minutes for two guys who were playing 10. Then you've got to give 10 to two guys who weren't playing at all. It definitely tests your depth.

"Then you've got to deal with the chemistry factor, how it affects your team. It's not fun and it's not easy. But you've got to play the cards dealt you."

San Diego State is battling San Jose State for the sixth and final spot in the Pacific Division standings which gives the recipient a trip to Las Vegas next month. The Aztecs have a 1 1/2- game lead over the Spartans, who lost to Fresno State Thursday. San Diego State is 4-6 while San Jose is 2-7.