Columnist Steve Guiremand: Basketball just around the corner

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 10:31 a.m.

Steve Guiremand covers college football for the Sun. He can be reached at steveg@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2324.

Are you ready for some ... basketball?

In October? Before Halloween?

I've got admit I wasn't exactly fired up about going to UNLV's Fan Jam at the Thomas & Mack Center on Wednesday night. Nothing against Charlie Spoonhour, Regina Miller, Dalron Johnson or the rest of the Rebels. But it's hard for me to start getting excited about watching hoops when the tundra isn't even frozen at Lambeau Field yet and college football is just starting to hit its peak.

But along with 2,500 or so fans, including a 100 or so young trick-or-treaters who came in their Halloween costumes, I showed up on Wednesday night to get a sneak peak at both Miller's Lady Rebels and Spoonhour's men's squad.

And, surprise, the evening definitely turned out to be a treat.

For those of you boo-birds who have jumped off the John Robinson and Jason Thomas bandwagon, I've got news for you: basketball should be a whole lot more entertaining, not to mention successful, this winter.

Miller's Lady Rebels, who return three starters from a 23-8 squad that advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament, have to replace three-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Linda Frohlich. And although it seemed strange not to see the personable Frohlich running up and down the court Wednesday night, you could make a case that this year's squad might be Miller's best yet.

It definitely will be her quickest and most athletic team, thanks to a backcourt led by senior All-American candidate Constance Jinks, explosive Michigan transfer InFini Robinson and senior defensive wiz Julia Gray. And remember this name --- Sheena Moore.

Moore, a stocky but athletic 5-foot-7 lefty, finished second to Jinks in the women's 3-point shooting competition and more than held her own in a 20-minute intersquad scrimmage.

And the front line, led by the McCracklin sisters, Sherry and Dishawn, and improving 6-foot-4 junior Padra Strong, shouldn't miss Petra Glaser, who decided to transfer to Long Beach State last spring following a disappointing sophomore year.

Unfortunately for Miller, 6-foot-4 Amy Loftus, a transfer from Missouri, must sit out this year per NCAA transfer rules. But Loftus, who looked like she could give some of Robinson's offensive linemen a run for their money, is surprisingly agile for a girl her size and should be a key performer for Lady Rebels in 2003-04.

Spoonhour's men held the obligatory slam dunk contest although star players like Johnson, Marcus Banks, Demetrius Hunter and Jermaine Lewis wisely sat this one out. But sophomore Louis Amundson had the highlight reel dunk of the night, first slamming a ball through the hoop left-handed and then, while still in mid-air, catching another ball with his right hand and dunking it through.

Who said white men can't jump, anyway?

The most impressive thing about the men's squad, besides excellent depth at just about every position, was how hard they played in their scrimmage. Sure, the play was ragged at times which is to be expected this early in the season. But on one early possession, three different players picked up floorburns diving for a loose ball.

Are you ready for some basketball?

Heck, yeah. In fact, I can't wait until next Wednesday night when the Rebels play an exhibition game against some team called Global Sports at 7:30 at the Thomas & Mack.