Columnist Ron Kantowski: Another Tarkanian has CCSN runnin’ and gunnin’

Friday, Nov. 8, 2002 | 10:05 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's insider notes column appears Tuesday and his Page One column appears Thursday. He can be reached at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

It's a good thing most of the players won't be sporting Afros and favor maxi-shorts over the hot pants that were popular 25 years ago. Otherwise, local fans attending this weekend's CCSN Coyote Tip-Off Classic at UNLV's South Gym might feel that they had stepped into a time warp.

After all, there will be a Tarkanian -- with hair -- stalking the sidelines, and his players will be running and gunning and swarming and pressing for the full 40 minutes or until exhaustion sets in, whichever comes first.

George Tarkanian, the 39-year-old son of You Know Who, said some of his fondest childhood memories consisted of watching Reggie Theus and his old man's 1976-77 Rebels literally run teams out of the Las Vegas Convention Center by playing at a pace more suitable to Craig Breedlove on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

"I grew up watching those teams," Son of Tark said as the Coyotes geared up to make their Las Vegas junior college debut against Central Arizona at 7:30 tonight.

"I've always believed in up-tempo and defensive oriented (basketball), like my dad."

When CCSN made its "franchise" debut in Phoenix last week, there was more up-tempo than defense. The Coyotes beat South Mountain College 117-96. The game was called when the guy keeping the official scorebook complained of writer's cramp.

"We prefer to go up and down the floor," Tarkanian said, in case you couldn't figure it out by the scoreboard. Or by using a calculator.

"It's nice to be flexible and we'll have that means in December when we get some frontline help," Tarkanian said, alluding to 6-5 Daniel Artest and 6-7 Dameon Bledsoe, a couple of big-time players who will become eligible at the semester break. "Until then, we've got to play an up-tempo game. Last week, we pressed for 40 minutes."

While most openers are sloppy affairs, the CCSN-South Mountain track meet sounded like Oscar Madison vs. Pigpen.

"We turned the ball over a few times," Tarkanian said with a chuckle. "But they turned it over a lot more."

Local fans who worshiped his father's teams may consider the Coyotes' blistering speed their most endearing trait. Others may like seeing all those familiar faces in the CCSN lineup.

Six of the 16 names listed on the CCSN roster belong to Las Vegans. Nick Porter, a 6-3 wingman from Desert Pines High, scored 37 points in CCSN's opener. Cimmaron-Memorial product Brian Lang nearly had a triple double, collecting 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists against South Mountain. Las Vegas High's Zach Queen added 14 points.

"Always," Tarkanian said when asked if CCSN would continue to recruit local talent. "At the very least, we want two-thirds of the team to be local although we will need some out-of-state guys to compete."

It's the same approach that Tim Chambers has taken in building a successful baseball program at CCSN. Of the 27 players listed on CCSN's baseball roster last season, 21 slept in their own beds.

One thing about going to a CCSN game: When the public address announcer encourages fans to greet "your Coyotes" it literally will be true.

"The South Gym can seat about 1,000," Tarkanian said. "If we can get five, six or seven hundred, I'll be doing high-fives with myself."

Tarkanian, who compiled a 219-69 record in juco stints at College of the Sequoias and Chaffey College in California, said he wants each of his players to do well in the classroom and move on to four-year schools.

Followers of his dad's teams would probably elbow each other in the ribs upon hearing that. But if George Tarkanian's bio is accurate, he has graduated 90 percent of his JC players.

And if CCSN can win its share of games in the competitive Scenic West Athletic Conference, which last year produced national juco champion Dixie (Utah) College, so much the better.

"My goal has always been JC, to be a coach and a teacher," Tarkanian said. "If I wanted to be a Division I coach, I would have followed my dad.

"I'm happy with what I'm doing. Of course, if somebody wants to pay me what UNLV was going to pay Rick Pitino ... you'd be stupid not to listen."

Now, I don't want to get anything started. But that almost sounded like a Tarkanian taking a subtle jab at the UNLV administration.

This just might be fun.