CCSN to host tournament

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002 | 9:05 a.m.

While he laid the foundation for the new basketball program at the Community College of Southern Nevada, George Tarkanian seriously pondered getting out of coaching and becoming a full-time teacher.

Then practice began, the weather started getting cooler and Tarkanian tingled just a little bit about the 2002-03 season.

"I got that feeling," Tarkanian said, "that feeling of competing."

That might become further enhanced this weekend, if a pair of much-needed post players become eligible to play in CCSN's inaugural eight-team Coyote Christmas Tournament at UNLV's South Gym.

Tarkanian confirmed that Danny Artest, younger brother of Indiana Pacers guard Ron Artest, has cleared academic hurdles and will make his CCSN debut against Allan Hancock (Calif.) College on Friday at 8 p.m.

"He'll be a big help, a true inside scorer we've been lacking," Tarkanian said. "That's one thing we've been weak on."

It remains to be seen, however, if Dameon Bledsoe will gain eligibility to play in the tournament.

"There's a good chance, depending if a teacher wants to do him a favor," Tarkanian said. "Grades don't have to be posted until the 24th, but sometimes the teacher will do it sooner. We hope they do it sooner."

According to Tarkanian, Bledsoe is a solid B student who, when he was sitting out last season, dropped a night course that unknowingly left him a unit shy of a 12-unit eligibility minimum.

"He's no knucklehead," Tarkanian said. "In fact, he's one of our best students."

Artest (6-feet-5, 260 pounds) and Bledsoe (6-7, 220) will eventually bolster the Coyotes' inferior interior presence, allowing 6-3 Brian Lang to shift from power forward to his natural spot in the backcourt.

In the meantime, the Coyotes (9-4) have made a name for themselves as sprinters to offset their height deficiencies. They lead the nine-team Scenic West Athletic Conference with 95 points a game, but they also yield a league-high average of 89 points.

They are eighth with a 1.0 rebounding margin. However, they lead the league with a plus +6.77 turnover margin and are second with 13.3 steals a game. Nick Porter, a guard shooting 53.1 percent from the field, leads the SWAC with a 22-point scoring average.

"The team has been playing to its fullest capabilities," Tarkanian said. "In terms of wanting it to overachieve, they are playing better than what was expected, better than what was anticipated. We were hoping we'd come into this tournament 9-4."

CCSN has lost to defending national JC champion Dixie State College by two points, and it has suffered defeats at Riverside Community College and Los Angeles City College. After winning their first seven games, the Coyotes have lost four of six.

They are 3-0 in overtime.

"It's a year that's been very frustrating, in many ways," Tarkanian said. "The school has been going through growing pains in establishing policies, but that's natural when you're building something from scratch.

"On the other hand, it's been very enjoyable to see a team overachieve. And Las Vegas is a can't-miss (area) if we get the support we need. We are very dependent on private support."

In its Christmas tournament, CCSN could play against Cochise County (Ariz.) Community College in a semifinal at 8 p.m. on Saturday, with a victory likely pitting the Coyotes against RCC or Long Beach City College at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

That will prep CCSN for a challenging conference schedule that will include Dixie (11-2), Utah Valley State (11-1), College of Eastern Utah (10-1), College of Southern Idaho (12-2), Northern Idaho (10-2) and Salt Lake Community College (12-3).

"This is the strongest JC league in the country," Tarkanian said, "and I really believe we will be one of the best, if not the best, teams in the league."