Rebels working on finding mix

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.

As Jan. 12 ekes closer, UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour is trying to assemble a rotation that is sound, strong and makes sense.

The aforementioned date is key, because that's when the Rebels (7-3) open their Mountain West Conference schedule by playing host to always-tough Utah.

Against Montana (3-7) tonight and Occidental on Jan. 7, both at the Thomas & Mack Center, Spoonhour's major goal will be to hone that rotation into a finished product for the league slate.

"You hit the nail right there," he said before a Monday afternoon session with a videotape machine. "Obviously, you want to win the games. That's always important. But I'd like to see us have a little more formation."

He is set on the starting five, with Jerel Blassingame and Demetrius Hunter in the backcourt, Romel Beck at small forward, Odartey Blankson at power forward and J.K. Edwards in the post.

Spoonhour said freshman John Winston and Michael Umeh have fit in nicely as the reserve guards behind Blassingame and Hunter, respectively. And Spoonhour is very comfortable with 6-foot-9 sophomore Louis Amundson spelling either Blankson or Edwards.

Then, Spoonhour said, it becomes tricky.

That was highlighted Sunday, during an 18-point victory against Bradley, when new swingman Andy Hannan, a junior transfer from Minneapolis who was given nary a look by his hometown University of Minnesota, completely escaped Spoonhour's noggin.

"I'd like to get Hannan some minutes," Spoonhour said. "I was going to do that (Sunday) night, but I got busy doing other things and forgot him. It was a mistake on my part, but that's part of it."

In addition to Hannan, Spoonhour has been confounded by the role of senior forward James Peters.

"The guy I need to get more acclimated to things is 'Jam-o,' " Spoonhour said. "I need to figure out what we can do with him."

Hannan has not played in half of the Rebels' past six games, including back-to-back DNPs against Auburn and Bradley.

Peters served a three-game suspension at the start of the season and produced his finest game, so far, with eight points and four boards against Auburn two weekends ago.

He made the only shot he attempted Sunday, went 0-for-2 at the free throw line and grabbed a defensive rebound in nine minutes of work against the Braves.

The rudder of the team has been junior forward Odartey Blankson, who left Marquette and showed promising signs of what was to come when he practiced all last season with the Rebels.

He produced his fifth double-double in six games Sunday and is averaging 17.9 points, third-best among Mountain West players.

However, he can play better. Spoonhour would like to see Blankson become more of a stickler on defense and hone his 3-point shot, which is at 15 percent. Blankson shows off his nifty range in practice.

Sunday night, near halfcourt and against a 2-2-1 press, Blankson passed left to a teammate who immediately found trouble, by a trap that suffocated him, as he passed halfcourt.

"But he didn't repeat it," Spoonhour said. "That's good. Sometimes, mistakes become repetitive. He hasn't surprised us, and we expect him to do a heck of a lot of stuff. He's a guy we can count on.

"As good as he is, though, he can be better. I'm very happy with him. Obviously, he's a good guy to have on your team. There are not a whole lot of Odarteys running around, I don't think."