Columnist Ron Kantowski: Tough job keeping stars at home

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 | 12:50 p.m.

Ron Kantowski's column appears Thursday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088.

When Cheyenne High's Demetrius Hunter steps onto the floor with the resurgent Georgetown Hoyas for their intersectional battle with UNLV tonight, the first thought on the minds of most Rebels' fans will be "What the heck is a Hoya?"

The second will be "Why isn't the hometown kid on our side?"

It's a standard query every time a local boy makes good somewhere else, and it's usually punctuated by grunting "Huh?" or with some other indignant remark. Most fans charge UNLV with a cardinal sin whenever one of Las Vegas' favorite sons (or daughters) leaves the desert for a greener pasture.

But it's not always guilty as charged.

Granted, there are times -- and Hunter's case comes to mind -- when UNLV neglects to first check its backyard for talent. In that case, the Rebels should be taken to the woodshed. But even then, there sometimes are extenuating circumstances explaining why UNLV doesn't wine and dine a local prospect.

Two years ago, when Hunter was a high school senior, Mark Dickel still had a year of eligibility remaining and heir apparent Greedy Daniels had two. So then-coach Bill Bayno didn't see a pressing need to recruit another guard who might not have logged serious minutes until his junior season.

And while it wouldn't be accurate to characterize Hunter as a "sleeper" -- several big schools kept a watchful eye on his progress during high school -- he wasn't even the best player in the city. That distinction belonged to Kevin Gaines, who during his freshman year at Michigan was noted for making steals.

Unfortunately, the last one was a Palm Pilot that Gaines pilfered from the backpack of a fellow Wolverine student. Combined with his drunken driving escapades that earned him the boot from Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe.

But UNLV could have sent the cast of Crazy Girls to escort Gaines and Hunter to the Thomas & Mack Center on their official visits and it probably wouldn't have mattered, because they weren't that enthused about staying home in the first place.

And who can blame them?

Looking back, six of the best years of my life were spent away at college. But it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun if Mom had called in the middle of a kegger to remind me to take out the trash when I got home.

All I know is if I'm a high school senior and I've Got Game, the only way I'm staying home to play ball is if my prom date is a Crazy Girl.

Unless his old man wears a Rebels letterman's jacket, convincing a local star to stay home has got to be a hard sell for UNLV coaches. Especially considering that the most identifiable landmark on the UNLV campus might be the In-n-Out hamburger stand that abuts it on Maryland Parkway, and that the Rebels are aligned with a conference that takes its marching orders from ESPN, instead of giving them to network TV.

Is it any wonder then, that the last blue chip Las Vegas kid to stay home probably was Valley High sharpshooter Freddie Banks in 1982?

There's nothing wrong with being a big fish in a small pond. But most Las Vegas phenoms, when provided with the opportunity, wind up taking a chance on becoming a big fish in a big pond.

Where making your bed is strictly optional.