Loyola Marymount’s Bradley in first season

Steve Carp

Thursday, Nov. 13, 1997 | 9:04 a.m.

Charles Bradley inherits three starters from a team that won just seven games a year ago but knows the situation could be worse. So the first-year coach at Loyola Marymount won't complain.

He has some size to work with. And a half-dozen of his players have Division I experience.

He wants his players to enjoy the game while they learn together. And the Lions, who will help UNLV tip off its 40th season of basketball Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, already are learning.

"We've got to get back to competing night in and night out," Bradley said. "It's all about learning and repetition. It's about doing the small things well.

"Loyola Marymount has been successful in the past. We're just trying to get a jump start."

Bradley is not promising a return to the days of running and gunning under Paul Westhead during the late 1980s. But the Lions will attempt to play more up-tempo under Bradley, who came to LMU from Division II Metro State where he posted a 37-43 record the past three seasons.

"We're looking to be a transition and fast-breaking team," he said. "We're in the process of recruiting those kind of players."

Bradley enjoyed an All-American career at Wyoming and played three years in the NBA before retiring to get into coaching. He returned to his alma mater as an assistant under Jim Brandenberg and followed Brandenberg when he went to San Diego State.

Curiously, Bradley did not seek the Cowboys' coaching vacancy last spring when Joby Wright was fired. Clemson assistant Larry Shyatt wound up getting the job.

"I never contacted them and they didn't contact me," he said. "But I'm very happy to be at Loyola Marymount. It's a great opportunity."

Bradley said as much as he'd like to turn things around quickly, he knows that patience is the key to prolonged success. But LMU has a shot to improve quickly in the West Coast Conference. The Lions finished dead last a year ago, going 3-11 in conference play which cost John Olive his job.

"Everything is on schedule," Bradley said. "We're learning every day. We're hoping someone else steps up and delivers each night instead of depending on one or two players."

Hoop du jour

* CEREMONY DATE SET: It's official. UNLV will honor Reggie Theus and Glen Gondrezick on Saturday, Dec. 27, when the Rebels host UCLA at the Thomas & Mack Center. School officials confirmed the Dec. 27 date when Theus' No. 23 and Gondrezick's No. 25 are hoisted to the rafters, joining Larry Johnson (4), Stacey Augmon (32), Sidney Green (21) and Jerry Tarkanian (2) as the school's retired uniform numbers. The ceremonies will probably take place prior to the game, which is being televised live nationally on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ... After missing practice Tuesday with sore ribs, freshman center Kaspars Kambala returned to the floor Wednesday at the North Gym and is expected to start Saturday vs. Loyola Marymount. ... Nothing new on the Ali Kaba front. NCAA officials are still waiting for paperwork from Kaba's native Liberia before he can be cleared for competition. Coach Bill Bayno wasn't counting on having Kaba's services Saturday. "Who knows?" Bayno said with a hint of frustration about when Kaba will be able to play.

* ABOUT THE LIONS: Though there has been a lot of turnover, UNLV fans may remember Kenny Hotopp, Loyola Marymount's 6-10 forward from the 1995 game which the Lions won 70-67, handing Bill Bayno the first loss of his head coaching career. Hotopp scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Senior forward Ben Ammerman also played against the Rebels that night at Gersten Pavilion and scored 12 points. Junior guard Tim Kennedy had six points off the bench. The lone Rebel to play in that game was junior Grant Rice, who had one rebound in five minutes. ... LMU dropped both of its exhibition games, losing to the California All-Stars 114-105 and to Next Level Sports 92-78.