October 25, 2007

CSF has a weight-and-see issue
Big West notebook: Men's basketball coach Burton says center Lima could have caused a 'famine in Brazil.'
By JANIS CARR
The Orange County Register

Of all the questions surrounding Cal State Fullerton's basketball program, few expected one would concern world hunger. More specifically, a food shortage in Brazil.

Titans coach Bob Burton's worry stems from his "big" big man, Eddie Lima, who arrived from Arizona Western College carrying 298 pounds on his 6-foot-9 frame. His mobility was compromised and his quickness around the basketball was a non-issue. He couldn't move.

"He was too heavy to play," Burton said Wednesday at the annual Big West media day.

Lima, a junior, then headed home to Brazil during the summer and came back tipping the scales past 300 pounds.

"If there is a food famine in Brazil, I won't be surprised because he obviously proceeded to eat every thing in sight when he was down there," Burton said.

Burton reports that Lima has slimmed down to 277 pounds and expects the weight to continue to come off as the season nears. Actually, he is keeping his fingers crossed.

The Titans have not had a true center since Pape Sow in 2004 and the void has hurt them. Lima, if he can keep the weight off, would provide Fullerton's guard-heavy team with an imposing presence in the paint.

AUDIO: Cal State Fullerton coach Bob Burton

Other notes and quotes from Wednesday's Big West media day:

•Pacific coach Bob Thomason said he is expectations of junior forward Anthony Brown are simple. "Forty points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists a game should do it," Thomason said.

Brown, sitting nearby, laughed. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and one assist last season.

•Instead of taking his team on a long-distance trip, such as USC's jaunt to Mexico or Cal Poly's excursion to Australia, UC Irvine coach Pat Douglass took his team to Lake Arrowhead last weekend for a retreat. He had hoped the team would bond.

Asked if Douglass performed his comedic magic routine, forward Patrick Sanders smiled broadly. Just as he was about to answer, Douglass cut off the questioning.

"We talked a little hoops," the no-nonsense Douglass said.

Douglass said they did leave the Lake Arrowhead area before the fires started.

•Long Beach State coach Dan Monson must not get out much. The 49ers' first-year coach said getting around Southern California is not as difficult as Minneapolis.

"It took me an hour to get to Minnesota (where he coached for seven-plus years)," Monson said. "Here, I don't even get on a freeway."

He lives three miles from campus.

AUDIO: UC Irvine coach Pat Douglass

AUDIO: Long Beach State coach Dan Monson

FINALLY A PITCHING COACH

After weeks of speculation and guessing, UC Irvine coach Mike Gillespie unofficially landed a pitching coach – Ted Silva, a former All-American from Cal State Fullerton.

His hiring was not announced by the school because his contract has not been signed.

Silva was the pitching coach last season at Fresno State after spending two seasons as volunteer assistant under George Horton at Fullerton.

Fresno State's pitching staff last season had a combined earned run average of 4.94 and opponents batted .288 against the Bulldogs. Fresno State finished 38-29 last season and advanced to the NCAA regionals.

Silva was pitched for Titans from 1993-95, going 18-1 with a 2.83 ERA as a junior in 1995 and helping Fullerton win its third national championship. He earned two victories in the College World Series that season, including an 11-5 win over Gillespie's USC team in the title game.

SEVEN AND NONE

Long Beach State women's volleyball team had its seven-match winning streak ruined by No. 24 Cal Poly last week.

The Mustangs defeated the 49ers (7-2) in five games, despite a career-night by libero Talaya Whitfield. Whitfield had 33 digs and the 49ers had 20 more overall than Cal Poly (8-1).

Mustangs junior Kylie Atherstone had an equally impressive night with a career-high 30 kills.

Friday's match was much easier, as the 49ers won 30-14 in game one and held on 31-29 in game two before closing out the match 30-17 in game three. Alexis Crimes led the way against UC Santa Barbara, making 15 kills on .419 hitting, and just missing a double-double with nine digs.

HONOR ROLL

The 2004 UC Irvine women's volleyball team will be honored Saturday during "Raise the Banner" night at Crawford Hall, marking the Anteaters' NCAA appearance that season.

UCI posted an 18-11 record three years ago and earned its second consecutive trip, and third overall, to the NCAA tournament.

The ceremony will take place before the Anteaters' Big West match Cal State Northridge. Irvine (16-7, 6-2) plays Long Beach State on Friday.

FIRST AND TWO

Cal State Fullerton's women's soccer team last week won twice – beating conference-leading Long Beach State on a solo goal by Jenae Gibbens, and then shut out Cal State Northridge, 3-0.

The two victories propelled the Titans (9-6-1, 4-2-0) into a tie for first place in the Big West. Fullerton has only one match this week against UC Riverside.