Rebels miss Kambala’s presence

Steve Addy

Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001 | 10:13 a.m.

WHAT: UNLV (3-3) at Loyola Marymount (5-3)

WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Gersten Pavilion

TV: KFBT Gold 33/Cable 6

RADIO: KBAD 920-AM

Kaspars Kambala exhausted his UNLV eligibility last season, and the team he left behind is having trouble overcoming his absence.

Though the Latvian center wasn't especially popular among teammates, his skills on the court bailed out the Rebels countless times in four seasons.

Particularly in the halfcourt offense, where UNLV is struggling mightily at the moment, his scoring ability gave the Rebels an obvious first option and a reliable safety valve. When Kambala planted himself on the block, it was no mystery where the first pass should go.

On the outside chance he passed the ball back outside, the rest of the Rebels knew where to spot up, even if the ball eventually made it back inside. It was a pedestrian offense, sure enough, but with a purpose.

Scuffling along at 3-3 under new coach Charlie Spoonhour, UNLV's offense seems even more leaden this season, but there's no purpose. Without Kambala to be the touchstone, the Rebels are often baffled about how to run a productive halfcourt set.

Considering that their transition offense has been spotty as well -- turnovers galore -- the Rebels have little to rely on when the ball is in their hands. Above all, that is why they've fallen back to .500 heading into Saturday's game at Loyola Marymount.

Spoonhour preaches motion and ball movement, and he has repeatedly demanded his guards work harder to feed the low post. Failing that, he wants them to penetrate and dish, presumably to someone who is open and can shoot.

Instead, there's been too much stand-still dribbling, followed by a quick shot from 17 feet. Players often appear to break off assignments and free-lance at the first sign of defensive pressure. Such improvisations don't consistently succeed against good teams.

"When we try to run plays, we do pretty well, because we know where to go," Spoonhour said. "But when teams take certain things away from us, the easy thing is to just give up on the (play) entirely and take a chance.

"Now, there's nothing wrong with trying to make a play, as long as it is something positive, something that takes you closer to the basket. But a lot of times, we take shots that we shouldn't, dribble where we shouldn't or try to make a hard pass.

"There is freedom in our offense, but we need to use it wisely and be more judicious."

Other times, the shot clock dwindles to 10 seconds and the Rebels are still pounding the ball at the top of the circle, no closer to a good shot than when they crossed midcourt. The rush to avoid a 35-second violation usually ends in a low-percentage jumper or turnover.

At least Spoonhour isn't alone in acknowledging the problems. Heck, his players see the film. They know what is going wrong, though it remains to be seen if they're able or willing to make the necessary fixes.

"I figured it would be take some growing pains, because we have new personnel," senior guard Vince Booker said. "But now we need to buckle down.

"Before, when in doubt, we would dump it into (Kambala). Now, we have to figure out what to do first, and if that doesn't work, what we're going to do second.

"We have to find out when and where guys' shots are going to come from, where it is best for Dalron (Johnson) to have the ball and where it's best for Marcus (Banks) to penetrate. I think we'll work those things out."

Though bugged by the recurring mistakes, Spoonhour said he isn't surprised. His teams are usually slower to come along offensively.

"It happens every year. Some teams get it faster than others," he said. "I haven't seen anything I didn't expect. I think guys are trying to learn. But you never know when the light is going to come on."

Right now, the Rebels are still feeling around in the dark, trying to find the switch.