Men's Basketball Preview 2009: On the Rebound

By Brody Rollins     11/5/09 6:00pm

With five much-heralded recruits, Ben Braun hopes to see his squad continue the improvements found last year.When the men's basketball team suits up for its first game next Friday, the perception will be that it is a team on the rise. Despite years of ineptitude, years of malaise and years of drudgery all burying the program under a pile of losses and defectors, the perception of resurgence exists.

Look around the program, and you can see why. Changes last season in both coaching and arena signaled to players and fans that losing, or at least losing so successfully, was a trend, like skinny jeans and v-necks, that needed to end sooner rather than later.

This year, just three players out of 15 remain from the team that embarked on that disastrous 3-27 campaign of two seasons ago. But, just as skinny jeans and v-necks have become ingrained in our culture, how can we be sure the trend will ever go away entirely? Should we really expect the Owls to be contenders after a decade's worth of disappointments?

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Turning the tide on those defeatist expectations could be the team's most significant battle. For years, Rice basketball has managed to find mini-victories in unconventional fashion, promoting graduation rates and GPAs as though achievement on the court were a distant afterthought, almost inconsequential.

Measured conventionally, the 10 wins the team registered last year were enough to assuage both wounded egos and underwhelming team performance. The Owls lost six games by five points or fewer and lacked leadership aside from that of now-departed senior guard Rodney Foster (Jones '09). Though last year's team showed plenty of hustle, the squad's toughness was not quite as evident. Winning was good, but success was tied to past performance and past expectations.

Recruiting for the future

Last year brought a renovated Tudor Fieldhouse and a new coach in Ben Braun, former Pac-10 Coach of the Year. This year, the focus can finally turn to the last variable: the players. And here, optimistic Owls should find comfort.

ESPN.com ranked Rice's recruiting class, the five players Braun has brought in, third among mid-majors, while Rivals.com placed it in the top 10. For a program with a combined 13 wins in the past two seasons, any ranking that draws attention away from the standings is welcome.

Rice's new faces could mark the turning point from a program that identifies with losing to one that thrives on winning. All five are capable of competing not only for time in the rotation but for spots in the starting lineup as well. Three come from nationally recognized basketball powerhouses; one was coached by his father, a former player for the Harlem Globetrotters; and another has drawn comparisons to lightning-quick Arthur Agee, a fellow Windy City native.

But it's not the size of the recruiting class that matters - it's how you use it.

Braun, who last season guided the team to a 233-percent improvement on its previous win total (10 in 2008- 09 versus three in 2007-08), has exhibited the same skill at recruiting that he became known for in his years at the University of California-Berkeley. A second-straight seven-game increase in the win column would put the Owls above .500 for the first time this decade and solidify in the minds of many that those banners hanging in the rafters will, sometime soon, no longer look quite so lonely.

"Last season we were as improved a team as any in Conference USA," Braun said. "We played aggressively and pretty competitively. I also think our incoming recruiting class gives us even more reason to be competitive."

Prior to his opening statement on Owls Media Day, Braun leaned to the side and piqued his ear, searching for his ringtone's familiar sound.

"My phone's on in case one of our recruits calls - we're waiting for a commitment over the phone," he informed the audience.

Shaking down the roster

With as soft a touch as any, Braun's recruiting prowess is evident. However, Owl fans are more concerned with his effect on current players than on those who have yet to arrive on campus.

Headlining Rice's roster is junior center Trey Stanton. The 6'10" big man, a transfer last year from the United States Naval Academy, adjusted slowly to Braun's offense but caught fire in the second half of C-USA play, displaying a deft stroke from the outside. Despite just 10 days until tip-off, Stanton remains the only lock at starter, with junior Suleiman Braimoh providing solid minutes at center off the bench.

The Owls will undoubtedly improve at the forward position with the return of promising sophomore Lucas Kuipers, who broke his wrist during practice midway through last season. Kuipers averaged 8.8 points per game, including a 19-point breakout performance against the University of Texas. A workhorse on the block who can consistently hit from mid-range, Kuipers is the type of player the Owls need to open up lanes for talented newcomer Arsalan Kazemi, one of the highlights of Braun's freshmen class.

Kazemi starred last season at the Patterson School, a hotbed for Division I basketball prospects, and turned down the likes of University of Maryland, Seton Hall University, University of Louisville and Syracuse University to pursue a career at Rice.

Competing this past summer for the Iranian Under-19 team in the 2009 FIBA World Championships, Kazemi recorded tournament highs in steals (seven) against Team USA and rebounds (20) against Angola. Kazemi was one of only two players to average a double-double at the tournament, with over 16 points and 12 rebounds per game. He also comes to Rice as the first Iranian-born player to receive a Division I scholarship, adding political intrigue to his arrival on South Main.

"Arsalan has made some plays during open gym on the defensive end that have shown he's not going to give up, he's not going to back down from competition," said senior guard Cory Pflieger. "With his size and his athletic ability, he's going to be good."

At wing, the Owls have a number of different options, including the two lone seniors on the roster, Pflieger and Lawrence Ghoram. Pflieger is the best true shooter on the team but must overcome injury to work his way back into the lineup. Ghoram also spent some time recovering from injury last season and propelled himself into the starting lineup for the second half of the year. He averaged eight points per game but has shown he is capable of creating his own shot.

The battle for starting point guard remains a dead heat as players vie for the spot vacated by Foster. Freshman sensation Tamir Jackson has the pedigree to start right away, having been named New Jersey's Player of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger. Jackson averaged 16 points for a St. Benedict's team that went 25-3 last season and lost to top-ranked Oak Hill Academy in the 2009 ESPN/RISE National High School Invitational.

Meanwhile, sophomore Connor Frizzelle's performance last season was a welcome surprise for the Owls. Frizzelle averaged 8.7 points, shot just under 40 percent from three-point range and was near the top of C-USA in free-throw shooting. Frizzelle showed last year that he could play both point and off-guard, a benefit that could result in his seeing more playing time.

But there's a greater unknown hanging over the backcourt. When asked which player generated the most awe-inspiring plays in practice, Pflieger was clear in his response.

"Bryan Beasley, by far," he said.

And best dunker?

"Still Bryan Beasley," Pflieger said.

Beasley, who was once Rivals.com's top-ranked point guard in Texas, may be the most naturally gifted player on the team, but so far has been inconsistent at Rice. If Beasley can tap that potential once the season begins, he could very well play himself into significant minutes.

Beasley may have the most flourish on the practice floor, but questions remain regarding his game-day prowess. In fact, his play will serve as something of a microcosm for the team - or perhaps even a cautionary tale. Beasley entered college with heaps of promise, yet his skill is still largely unseen. Accolades for the recruiting class are nice, and the dreams of what they can accomplish are nicer. But until they're out on the floor, weaving and dishing and draining against their opponents, there's simply no telling how enjoyable, or how much of a challenge, this season is going to be.

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