‘Eaters moving forward

BARRY FAULKNER

The perspiration that soaked the shoulders of UC Irvine men’s

basketball coach Pat Douglass’ blue dress shirt Saturday night was a

fitting symbol of the inspiration that flowed from the Anteaters’

players, coaches and fans in the near-upset of Big West Conference

front-runner University of the Pacific at the Bren Events Center.

Sometime down the line, perhaps as quickly as the next few weeks,

Anteater enthusiasts may look back upon the disheartening loss to the

Tigers as a foundation for season that figures to deliver more

positives than the lackluster 2003-04 campaign.

For despite a three-game losing streak, including back-to-back

home setbacks that included a second-half collapse Thursday against

Cal State Northridge, one could make a case for a pervading

perception of optimism in the UCI program.

Such thinking is not without justification.

Douglass’ Anteaters (6-5, 1-3 in conference) led the defending

conference champions (10-2, 5-0), who have now won 20 straight games

against Big West foes, four times in the final 4:05.

Douglass called it his team’s most complete offensive performance

this season.

What’s more, UOP head man Bob Thomason, generous with praise for a

UCI team coached by his former Pacific teammate, said it was the best

his Tigers have played on the road this season.

Junior point guard Aaron Fitzgerald, whose catalytic effect

Saturday went well beyond his rather impressive stat line (19 points,

six assists and four steals), scored 10 of the Anteaters’ final 15

points. Included in his clutch display was a driving layup with 1:35

left to put the hosts on top, 62-61, then a 12-foot pull-up jumper in

the lane with 59 ticks remaining to break a 62-62 tie.

The vagabond transfer, who has spent time at Portland State,

Washington State and Jacksonville Community College before landing at

the center of UCI’s plans, also hit a three-pointer with 4:59

remaining that pulled the ‘Eaters even at 57.

Fitzgerald’s attempt to win it with a 30-foot three-point heave at

the buzzer was unsuccessful. But he did well to get off a shot that

close after Pacific’s Guillaume Yango sank the game-winner from 15

feet with 3.9 seconds left.

Fitzgerald’s competitive drive is as valuable to his team as his

ample skill set. He is constantly exhorting his teammates while on

the floor and is also a visible and vocal cheerleader during his

brief stints on the bench.

Fitzgerald’s enthusiasm and willingness to lead have sometimes led

to out-of-control moments, as was the case in his nine-turnover

performance in Thursday’s 66-52 loss to Cal State Northridge.

But in the good news-bad news equation, Fitzgerald pushes the

needle to the good, just as he pushes the pace to give UCI increased

transition opportunities.

Among other positive signs for the Anteaters, is the continued

growth of freshman forward Darren Fells. The former two-sport All-CIF

standout at Fullerton High (there are some who still wonder if the

6-foot-7, 245-pounder might have an even brighter future as a tight

end), has averaged 11.5 rebounds his last two games. Before that, his

single-game high had been seven.

Fells scored 23 points in last three games, after opening

conference play with a career-high 15 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

But any scoring he provides can be viewed as a plus to the rebounding

and defense he adds to an undersized front line led by 6-8 senior

Greg Ethington.

Junior guard Ross Schraeder’s performance chart has the

up-and-down spiking typical for one who relies on three-point shots.

But at 46.5% from threedom, his 14.1 points per game match Fitzgerald

as the Anteaters’ leading scorer. And opposing coaches usually assign

their most athletic defender to task of chasing the 6-5 Schraeder

around screens.

Ethington, averaging 13 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds,

has displayed a creative inside repertoire, including jump hooks with

both hands. He will need every shot in his bag, however, to continue

to be productive against quick-jumping opponents who can easily block

his more predictable shot attempts.

Junior Jeff Gloger, who returned to the starting lineup Saturday

after a six-game stint coming off the bench, is best when he places

rebounding and defense above scoring, but his best basketball should

still be ahead.

For the first time this season, Douglass limited the rotation to

seven players Saturday, with Adam Metelski and one-time starter Nic

Campbell rounding out the attack.

Campbell is averaging 5.1 points and nearly three rebounds, but

has just three turnovers in 244 minutes this season.

Metelski, a 6-10 junior college transfer averaging 4.2 points and

3.3 rebounds, continues to show improvement. He is 5 for 7 from the

field his last two games and is shooting 56.8% for the season.

The Anteaters are still among only four Big West teams with

winning overall records. And with Long Beach State (0-4), UC

Riverside (0-3) and Cal Poly (1-4) struggling mightily, UCI seems a

good bet for a conference tournament berth that eluded it last

season.

But the ‘Eaters can show they are the kind of team that can crack

the upper half of the conference standings by winning at least four

of their next six, beginning with a road date Thursday at UC

Riverside.

UCI is at Cal State Fullerton Saturday, hosts Long Beach State

Jan. 20, has a nonconference game at UC Davis Jan. 24, then plays

host to Utah State and Idaho, respectively, Jan. 27 and 29. UCI then

opens the second round of conference play Feb. 3 at Pacific.