Columnist Ron Kantowski: Rebels’ backcourt could use a Rick Mount clone

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1999 | 10:22 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's notes column appears Tuesday and Thursday. Reach him at ron@vegas.com or 259-4088.

No review of the replay was required, only a recollection of college basketball history.

The best call of the weekend was by the Raycom broadcast crew in Charlotte, remarking that UNLV off guard Danny Brotherson is the spitting image of former Purdue sniper Rick Mount.

Given Brotherson wasn't even a twinkle in his parents' eyes when Mount was shooting out the gym lights in the late 1960s, chances are the Rebels' scrappy "2" guard has never even heard of Mount.

But if he could shoot like him -- and that isn't to say that Brotherson doesn't bring a lot to the table -- the Rebel coaches could tell Trevor Diggs to take a deep breath once in a while before launching another brick in the wall.

Diggs has taken 32 more shots than Kaspars Kambala but is hitting only 33 percent from the field. While 1-for-3 is good in baseball (great if you're a Chicago Cub) you'd like your best shooter hitting a little better than Mark Grace.

But without another bona fide outside threat (at least until Lou Kelly becomes eligible at the semester break), Rebels fans should get used to Diggs having the green light, regardless of how bad he's shooting.

* NOT-SO-GOLDEN RULE: It took the NCAA basketball coaches just one season to abolish the rule by which the defense received possession if it forced a jump- ball situation. But the option to decline free throws and instead take the ball out of bounds after 10 common fouls are committed will be lucky to still be on the books when conference play begins in January.

When presented with the choice, nobody has been shooting free throws. Even if you have Rick Barry on the line, most coaches say the percentage play is to retain possession and milk more clock rather than risk a miss.

This might be the worst rule since the ACC set the 3-point line inside the top of the key back in the 1980s.

One new rule -- or at least a "point of emphasis" -- I like is officials whistling defenders who hand check or otherwise impede a player moving without the ball.

Perhaps that was the reason Princeton got all those backdoor baskets against the Rebels Friday night.

* DREAM WEAVER: Who would have thought that Jim Weaver, who during his reign as UNLV athletic director was more despised around here than the price of a beer at a yuppie bar, would be the source of a pull-out quote in this week's Sports Illustrated?

Weaver must be living right. Because after leaving here and enduring a less-than-pleasant stint at Western Michigan (his decision to fire longtime WMU football coach Al Molde did not sit well in Kalamazoo) Weaver wound up on his feet as athletic director at Virgina Tech, of all places.

That Virginia Tech.

"We intend to stay a top program for many years," says Weaver (in oversized letters) in a cover story on the Hokies' sudden rise to college football prominence in the current SI.

During his stay here, Weaver treated most in the local media well, usually erring on the side of political correctness. That's why if he's enjoying a hearty laugh at the expense of those who ushered him to the door, he'd never admit it.

* COKIN IS IT: Congratulations to local radio personality/sports handicapper Dave Cokin. Outside of the ghosts of Bear Bryant and George Wallace, he was the only one I know of who predicted that Alabama not only would cover a sizeable spread against Florida last weekend, but that the Tide would win outright.

Alabama, which beat Florida 40-39 in overtime earlier this year, had no such difficulty in the SEC title game, cruising 34-7.

That's two wins over Florida in two months, so you've got to hand it to embattled 'Bama coach Mike DuBose. The last guy who handled the Gators that easily might have been Tarzan.

* HEART OF GLASS: Add Sports Illustrated to the list of media types who thought Orlin Norris was looking for an easy way out of his fight with Mike Tyson when he feigned -- er, complained -- of a knee injury after Tyson hit him after the bell here in October.

In a Scorecard item in the current issue, SI referred to Norris as Orlin "Glass Knee" Norris.

* HUMBLE PIE: If you asked me to choose sides between the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association on the issue of treatment of rodeo stock, I'd probably side with the PETA folks.

After all, I don't think my dog would like me twisting his head around like Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" or tying his legs together so he can't move any more than a steer or calf would.

That said, high marks to Brandy DeJongh, the Miss Rodeo America queen, for the classy way she reacted after being hit in the face by pie-tossing PETA zealots during a demonstration/publicity stunt (it worked) here Saturday night.

"It's a special day for me, and I'm not going to let it bother me," the 21-year-old DeJongh said after taking a cream puff in the kisser. "I just washed it off, and I'm glad it tasted good. Everybody has a right to their own opinion."

* AROUND THE HORN: Last Friday's scare against Western Michigan in the MAC title game notwithstanding, this is one year the Las Vegas Bowl folks probably wish they still were contracted to invite the MAC champion. That would mean we'd be seeing undefeated, highly entertaining and 11th-ranked Marshall as one of the particulars a week from Saturday. ... Another year, another Las Vegan running the basketball show at Texas Christian from the point guard position. With Western High's Prince Fowler having used up his eligibility, Durango's Thomas McTyer has stepped into the breach out front for Billy Tubbs. ... And speaking of local kids manning the point, Kevin Gaines, a true freshman at Michigan by way of Las Vegas' Clark High, is also doing that in the Big Ten. Whereas sometimes it's hard to keep local kids at home, the Rebels could certainly use McTyer, Gain es or Georgetown's Demetrius Hunter, another true freshman with oodles of potential, to give Mark Dickel a blow this season. ... Bishop Gorman's Nate Hunte rton had a monster game in Army's 19-9 loss to Navy Saturday, and was featured in one of the one-on-one interviews that CBS used to hype college football's most endearing rivalry (as if it needed it). The camera also was trained on Hunterton, the Army middle linebacker and defensive captain, after the game when the emotional cadets sang the Army alma Mater. ... If the new summertime rodeo that will end the PRCA's proposed winter tour winds up in Las Veags, the traditional Helldorado Rodeo may as well hang up its spurs.