12/12/1972

UA freshmen hang together

By P. J. EKICKSON
Assistant Sports Editor

Five freshmen — count 'em, five — carried the University of Arizona basketball team to its third victory of the young season at Bear Down Gym last night, as the Cats defeated the University of San Diego, 79-70.

UA basketball coach Fred Snowden's prized recruits, playing as a unit for the first time this season, ripped off six straight points to cany UA from a 50-52 deficit to a 56-52 lead, then never faltered down the stretch against a talented Torero team.

And, for a little while at least, Snowden didn't realize what he had done.

"I didn't know at first that we had nothing but freshmen in there," Snowden said afterward. The Cats had subbed at intervals, with first Jim Rappis and then Coniel Norman entering the game in the first half. They started the second half with Eric Money, Al Fleming and Lynard Hams, the only upper classman left.

"When I put John Irving (the fifth frosh) in for Harris, I didn't realize that put all my veterans on the bench. Then Jerry Holmes (Snowden's assistant) leaned over and said 'coach, we've got five cradlejumpers in there.' "I said, 'man, Jerry, don't tell me that, I'm afraid to look.'"

But if anyone had entered the gym at that moment, they never would have known that the five-man unit was all freshmen. The yearlings - played with poise and confidence, both in steadily building a comfortable lead and in handling the San Diego press, which grew more determined as time wore on.

"We broke their press a few times with those freshmen," Snowden said, "and we had the running game working pretty well. We got another great game from Al Fleming — I think the Southern Cal performance really built up his confidence. Al's playing a strong, steady game now, instead of trying to force the issue.

"Eric Money improved his performance tonight, too. And ' Jimmy Rappis —well, he did a number on Stan Washington (of San Diego) and.I thought Washington was as good as any guard I've seen this season."

Fleming scored 18 points' and hauled down 23 rebounds - just three shy of the school record — and keyed one fast break after another with his quick outlet passes to Money and Rappis. Money finished with 22 points, tying San Diego's Robert "Pinky" Smith for game honors, and it was his best night since the opening game.

Norman, whose long bombs accounted for 16 points, damaged the Torero zone defense, and Rappis also hit from outside and got 10.

At one point, the Cats trailed by 13 points, 34-21, not long after Snowden was called for a technical foul for complaining on a call against Fleming.

"Sure we could've folded there," said the UA coach in response to a question, "but we didn't, did we? I'm so proud of these kids, I can't tell you. San Diego has a good basketball team. They do a lot of things very well. Bernie Bickerstaff has done a fine job coaching them. And they started like they planned to blow us out of here, but we didn't quit."

Arizona chipped away at that 13-point lead, mostly with the running game, and Coniel Norman's two free throws at 2:39 put the Cats in front, 40- 38. They had a 44-40 halftime edge, and the 50-52 deficit on Pinky Smith's two-pointer was the only other time they trailed.

Reminded of Potter's statement about freshmen and winning at the WAC Basketball Press Day in Denver last month, Snowden said: (Whose rebut at the time was "Bull ")

"I don't agree with that theory and I never did. I think we're ripping holes in that theory and I hope we can continue to rip holes in that theory."

The next opportunity will come Saturday against Northern Illinois, a powerhouse Midwest team.