1996-97 Stanford Men's Basketball Outlook

STANFORD, Calif. -- Cardinal head coach Mike Montgomery, now in his eleventh season at Stanford University, feels good about the health of the basketball program.

"We have had success on the court in recent years, and people are starting to recognize that we can play at a high level," said Montgomery, who has led the Cardinal two straight second round appearances in the NCAA Tournament (1994-95 & 1995-96 seasons), and eight post-season appearances (four NCAA, four NIT).

He likes the talent of the 1996-97 team, which will again be a contender in the Pacific-10 Conference. There is excellent competition at each position on the court, but he also recognizes that the team must continue to play as a unit and that "hard work" will be the key to success.

Last year, the team played very well as a group, a squad blessed with the right chemistry, thanks to a veteran group of four seniors, Darren Allaway, Dion Cross, David Harbour, and Andy Poppink. This quartet provided great leadership, on-and-off the court.

"Each player on the team accepted their role and did their job," said Montgomery. "This is a team game, and as a result we won a fair amount of games. We had toughness, versatile players, guys who understood what it took to win. And the seniors were extremely valuable with their excellent play and leadership."

This year, Stanford returns two players of prominence, All-America guard candidate Brevin Knight and 7-foot-1 Honors Candidate center Tim Young. Knight is regarded as one of the top point-guards in the nation. Knight, who holds career school records in steals and assists, has the ability to dominate the game, while Young also has the ability to dominate a game. Knight and Young were members of the 1996 USA Men's 22 and Under team which captured the gold medal at last summer's Confederation of Pan American Basketball Associations (COPABA) 22 and Under Tournament in Caugas, Puerto Rico.

"Brevin Knight is the type of player that can make things happen," said Montgomery. "Anytime you have a player that can beat people at point of attack, and can create opportunities for others, it's a nice starting point. Brevin's bigger, stronger, a better shooter and always has been a winner. With Tim Young, a seven-footer who is in the third year of the program, you have a player in the middle who knows the system. Because Tim redshirted last year, he has three years of eligibility remaining."

What worries Montgomery is how the other members of the team will add to the mix in order to have a successful season in 1996-97. Certainly, there is talent on the Cardinal varsity, but with only two seniors on the team, the squad is inexperienced at the off-guard, and small and power forwards. Knight and Young have the necessary experience to lead the team, but virtually everyone else in the program is untested.

"What we don't know is how these kids will respond to the pressure of having to win, needing to play well together, and how the chemistry will develop," said Montgomery. "The question is the off-guard and small forward position. We're basically unproven at those positions, and also at the big forward position. We'll be encouraged if Rich Jackson comes back 100 percent from a serious knee injury at forward. He's a veteran player who is a leader."

Kris Weems and David Moseley will be the leading candidates for the off-guard position. Arthur Lee proved be an extremely valuable player as a reserve point-guard for the Cardinal, while Mark Thompson and Kamba Tshionyi are reserves at guard.

Stanford will be a bigger team along the front-line in 1996-97.

"We're going to be very big and reasonably physical, which I don't mind at all," said Montgomery. "The emphasis will change back to the inside more, although we still have Brevin on the perimeter who can create."

Young is 7-foot-1, and there are two players at 6-foot-9 (Mark Seaton, Pete Van Elswyk); Mark Madsen is 6-foot-8; Peter Sauer, Ryan Mendez and Karl Wente are listed at 6-foot-7; and Jackson is 6-foot-6.

The 1996-97 Stanford season will be challenging. The Cardinal will open the regular season with its first-ever appearance at the Great Alaska Shootout. The eight team field includes NCAA champion Kentucky, NCAA Final Four runner-up Syracuse and Pac-10 rival Arizona State.

The non-league slate includes a game against Big East member Seton Hall, and Manhattan at the Arco Arena in Sacramento. The Pac-10 season opens on the road at Arizona State and Arizona.

"I think we've got a very solid group of players in terms of skills and talent. But, getting them to understand the type of effort, toughness, and mental preparation that it takes to get the job done is the key. I think it will be fun to try and put the group together."

Guards
All-America candidate Brevin Knight (5-10, 173, Senior) has been regarded as one of the top point-guards in the nation the last two years, and that theme will again hold true in 1996-97. Knight, a two-time All Pac-10 selection, has the ability to dominate a game. For example at the NCAA East Regional, Knight scored 26 points (10-for-10 from the free throw line), grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and stole two passes in 36 minutes of play in the opening round victory over Bradley. Then two days later against then #1 ranked UMass, Knight impressed a national television audience and those fans in attendance with a 27 point, nine assists, four rebound, two steal performance. Former UMass All-American center Marcus Camby said after the game that Knight was one of the quickest guards he'd ever seen. Last year, Knight averaged 15.5 ppg (#1 on the Cardinal, #8 in the Pac-10), 7.3 apg (#1 in the Pac-10, #6 in the nation), 3.8 rpg and 2.1 spg (#3 in the Pac-10). Knight has improved his offensive game each year since arriving at Stanford. If you defend him closely, he has the quickness to drive to the basket. Drop off defensively and Knight can shoot the long range jumper. More importantly, Knight can dominate the game in other areas. Knight sees the entire court, sees the open man and has great timing at stealing the basketball. Knight is the school record holder in both career steals and assists. Arthur Lee (6-0, 175, Sophomore) provided Stanford with outstanding play as a reserve point guard last year as a freshman. Lee, who has been able to learn about the college game from Knight, possesses speed, quickness and a work ethic, and those traits have impressed the Cardinal coaching staff. Lee, an honorable mention All Pac-10 Freshman team member, can score when called upon from deep range, can find the open man and plays tough defense. The off-guard position is wide open with the graduation of the school's #3 all-time leading scorer Dion Cross. Kris Weems (6-3, 195, Sophomore) and David Moseley (6-4, 198, Freshman) should fight for that position. Weems showed signs during his freshman season in 1995-96 that he will be a scoring threat from deep range this year and in the years ahead. Weems, an honorable mention All Pac-10 freshman team member, scored a career-high 16 points in 16 minutes of play against Oregon. In Stanford's 67-66 victory over UCLA, Weems hit two critical 3-pointers. Moseley, a freshman, can play both off-guard and small forward. Last year at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Moseley averaged 26 points per game and was named Player of the Year in the state of New Mexico by USA Today. Mark Thompson (6-1, 180, Junior) and Kamba Tshionyi (6-2, 185, Junior) will provide strong play off the bench.

Forwards
Replacing graduated starters Andy Poppink and Darren Allaway will be no easy task. Together, Poppink and Allaway played in 228 games for Stanford and were starters in 152. More importantly, both were great team leaders on-and-off the court. This year, the Cardinal will be big and physical along the front line. At the power forward position, there will be tough competition between Mark Seaton (6-9, 230, Sophomore), Pete Van Elswyk (6-9, 255, Junior), and Mark Madsen (6-8, 235, Freshman). Seaton proved his versatility last year by playing at power forward and as a backup center. Seaton, who was a first team All Pac-10 freshman selection, shot a team-leading 61 percent from the floor, 69 percent in his last 14 games. Seaton, who averaged 4.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 14 minutes of play, scored a career-high 18 points (7-for-9 from the floor), grabbed seven rebounds, blocked two shots and dished out two assists against USC. Against nationally-ranked North Carolina, Seaton tallied 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots in 16 minutes of play. Van Elswyk redshirted last year after starting two seasons (freshman and sophomore years) at the University of South Carolina. Van Elswyk is physical under the basket, a strong rebounder and defender, yet can score from inside and from outside (3-point range). Van Elswyk knows the Cardinal system having redshirting at Stanford last year. Madsen enters Stanford as a 20-year-old freshman after spending the last two years on a Mormon mission. Madsen has been compared to former Stanford All-American Adam Keefe. During his senior season at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., Madsen averaged 21.1 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Rich Jackson (6-6, 220, Senior) is hoping to return from a serious knee injury suffered late last season. Jackson, a three-year letterman, provides the most experience of any of the team's forwards. Last year, Jackson provided needed defensive help off the bench, and also proved to be a valuable team leader. Peter Sauer (6-7, 220, Sophomore) proved to be a valuable player last year. Sauer can put the ball on the floor, shoot it deep, yet can take a defender inside and score. In Stanford's second round game against then #1 ranked UMass at the NCAA East Regional, Sauer scored eleven points (5-for-7 from the floor) and grabbed seven rebounds. Sauer's best scoring effort was a 13-point effort against South Carolina. Ryan Mendez (6-7, 195, Forward) is another top freshman recruit for the Cardinal. Mendez led the state of Texas in both scoring and rebounding during his senior season at Burleson High School (just south of Ft. Worth, TX). Mendez averaged an amazing 38.2 points and 18.3 rebounds per game. Mendez shot 56 percent from the floor, 54 percent from three-point territory and 85 percent from the free throw line. Mendez can also play the off-guard position. Karl Wente (6-7, 225, Sophomore) will be a reserve.

Centers
Tim Young (7-1, 250, Sophomore) will be an Honors Candidate in 1996-97. Young, a member of the U.S. Men's 22 and Under Select team, only played five games last year after suffering a bulging disk in his lower back. Young is now recovered and has the ability to dominate a game inside. Two seasons ago as a freshman, Young averaged 12.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game (#1 on the Cardinal, #3 in the Pac-10). Seaton can also play center in addition to power forward.

Cardinal Chatter
Brevin Knight and Tim Young are members of the 1996 U.S. Men's 22 and Under Select team.

Brevin Knight has started every game (85 games) since he has been at Stanford.

Brevin Knight is a two-time all Pac-10 selection and will be aiming for a third league selection. Only five Stanford players have ever been three-time all-league choices, Hank Luisetti (1936-38), Ron Tomsic (1952-53, 1955), Rich Kelley (1973-75), Kimberly Belton (1978-80), and Adam Keefe (1990-92). Todd Lichti (1986-89) was Stanford's only four-time all-league selection.

Stanford will make its first appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout in 1996-97. A Cardinal team has never played in the state of Alaska.

Stanford did play the University of Alaska during the 1977-78 season with the Cardinal scoring a 108-98 victory at Maples Pavilion.

Stanford has never played against four teams in this year's Great Alaska Shootout; 1996 NCAA runner-up Syracuse, College of Charleston, UNC Greensboro, and Maine.

Not since the 1998-89 season has the Cardinal opened the season on the road. In 1988-89, Stanford played at Montana in the pre-season NIT.

Stanford will face the University of San Diego on December 14, the first game between the two schools.

Navy will make its first ever appearance at Maples Pavilion during the 1996-97 season. Not since the 1974-75 season has a service academy team (Air Force) played at Maples Pavilion.

The 1996-97 season starts the 81st collegiate season for the Cardinal. Stanford has chalked up 1,034 wins and 43 winning seasons. Nine of the last ten years have been winning seasons.

Birthdays During the 1996-97 Season
Mark Seaton, January 28
Tim Young, February 6
Mark Thompson, March 8

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