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LSU sets goal of 20 Tigers aiming high with Brady's 'best'BOB HOLTARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE This is the sixth in a series previewing SEC basketball teams BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- LSU senior center Jabari Smith had surgery on his nose last June to help with his breathing, but listening to his goal for the Tigers this season, you wonder if the doctors also did something to his brain that might have affected his reasoning. "We want to have a 20-win season," Smith said. "That's our goal." The Tigers have barely averaged 20 victories by combining any two of the last six seasons as they've gone 11-16, 12-15, 12-17, 10-20, 9-18 and 12-15. What the heck is Smith thinking when he talks about winning 20 games this season? Is Shaquille O'Neal leaving the Lakers to come back to LSU for that senior season he skipped in 1992-93? "You've got to set your goals high is you want to achieve anything," Smith said. "That's why I think a 20-win season is a good goal. "But just having a winning season would be a big steppingstone for our program. That's something we really need." LSU has suffered through six consecutive losing years, but a winning record doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility for the Tigers this season. "We don't have the least amount of talent in the SEC, as we did when I came here," third-year LSU Coach John Brady said. "With two recruiting classes, we don't have the best talent, but we certainly don't have the worst talent. "This is our best team, our most experienced team, our most talented team. I like this team. "I don't think there's any question that Auburn is the best team in the West, but we've certainly closed the gap with the (division's) other four teams." The Tigers return their starting front line of the 6-11 Smith, 6-9 sophomore Stromile Swift and 6-8 junior Brian Beshara. Smith averaged 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds last season in his first year at LSU after transferring from junior college. In addition to having a season in the SEC under his belt, he is stronger and should have better stamina now that surgery has cleared up a breathing problem he was having with his nose. Swift, a McDonald's High School All-American who didn't gain his academic eligibility until January, averaged 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots in 16 games. "Stromile is waiting to show off his stuff, he just gave everybody a little sample last year," Smith said. "Now he's all geared up and ready to go." Swift has added about 20 pounds and is up to 225. Brady said Smith's added strength and his being able to go through all of the team's off-season workouts and preseason practices should make a big difference in his play. Brady said Swift also needs to become more aggressive and tougher. "He's worked hard to get better in that regard," Brady said. "If he continues to do that, if his aggressiveness matches his talent, then he'll be a special player." Beshara, who averaged 11 points and 5.3 rebounds, completes what could be one of the SEC's best front lines. But can anybody get the ball to the big guys? Last season the Tigers had 534 turnovers and 372 assists. "My wife sits about 15 rows up in the stands and she caught some of our passes last season," Brady said. "We've got to improve our assist-to-turnover ratio." LSU will be counting heavily on freshman Torris Bright to do that. Bright, who averaged 33.3 points and 10 assists for Slidell (La.) High School last season, will start at point guard. "He can shoot the ball extremely well, but he's also unselfish," Smith said. "He's just what a point guard needs to be." Brady said he has to be careful how he handles Bright. "Torris is going to have a lot thrown at him as a freshman, but he's a talented freshman and I've got to do a good job of coaching him and not break his confidence," Brady said. "I've got to keep his confidence level high so he can handle what's going to happen to him in the SEC." Lamont Roland, who averaged 21.6 points at Barton County (Kan.) Junior College last season, is expected to be the Tigers' other starting guard. "Our guards may be inexperienced in the SEC," Smith said. "But as far as talent level, they can compete with anybody." If the Tigers, who have just nine scholarship players because of NCAA sanctions, can stay healthy, Brady said he is hopeful of a winning season. "We lost four games in the SEC last year in the last 30 seconds," he said. "If we'd had a couple of those we would have had a winning season a year ago, so it's a fine line. "But I think this year's team will turn some of those close games into victories." Maybe not 20 victories, but more than the Tigers have had the last six seasons. LSU at a glance Coach: John Brady (21-33 in two seasons at LSU, 110-110 overall in eight seasons) Last season: 12-15 Key returnees: C Jabari Smith, F Stromile Swift, F Brian Beshara Key losses: G Maurice Carter, G Willie Anderson Key newcomers: G Torris Bright, G Lamont Roland, F Ronald Dupree Projected finish: Fifth SEC West Tomorrow: Georgia
This article was published on Tuesday, November 9, 1999RETURN to Razorback ReportCopyright © 1999, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. |
