The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 27, 1980, Page Page 13C, Image 57
Basketball team features seve
Youth, enthus
By Mik? Chibbaro
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When Bill Foster accepted the head basketball coaching
job at USC in March, he outlined a set of priorities which he
planned to pursue vehemently.
Heading his list of priorities, were the assemblage of a
coaching staff and recruiting. These two elements along with
the building of a competitive schedule became the foundation
I tor a new era in (jaronna DasKetDaii.
Two months after his arrival at USC, Foster had succeeded
in bringing together one of the finest coaching staffs in the
country and luring seven talented basketball players to his
program at Carolina.
FOSTER EXPLAINED his plans for the development of
USC's men's basketball program.
"We want to capitalize fully on our situation," the successful
49-year old coach said. "We want to take full advantage
of our independent status as far as scheduling and
travel are concerned and we want to utilize the reputation
which Coach (Frank) McGuire has built for South Carolina
I basketball. ..wp feel we have a responsibility to capitalize on
these things."
Foster, who built winning programs at Bloomsburg State,
Rutgers, Utah, and Duke before coming to USC, deemphasized
the often overemphasized need for Carolina to
affiliate with a conference.
"I know a lot of people would like for us to join a conference,
one conference in particular, but I think this is a
feeling that comes and goes," the personable head coach
explained.
"We feel like if we play exciting basketball, have a fairly
good schedule, and a couple of exciting players, along with
winning some games then the need for a league may not be
I emphasized as much.''
THROUGHOUT HIS 20-year head coaching career, Foster
has been known and respected for his recruitment of quality
athletes. He explained his philosophy on recruiting.
"We believe in recruiting prospects, not suspects," he said.
"We have always preferred to recruit a certain kind of
player...one that has more than just the physical tools."
Comprising Foster's talented young coaching staff are Bob
Wenzel, Ray Jones, and Steve Steinwedel. Wenzel and Jones
were assistant coaches under Foster at Duke last season,
while Jones held an assistant coaching position at Furman
before relocating to Columbia. Jones was also an assistant
coach under Foster at Duke for two seasons.
These three men, along with Foster have accepted the
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Zam Fredrick (20) and Kevin Dun/eavy will serve a
co-captains for the 1980-81 USC basketball team.
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n newcomers
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numerous cnauenges mat were waiting lor tnem upon uieir
arrival at USC. Coach Foster and his staff inherited an
unenviable task in respect to recruiting.
ONLY FOUR PLAYERS returned from last year's 16-11
squad and one of those remaining four, Derrick Scott, will not
be returning this fall. Due to the coaching change, Foster
and his staff also got a very late start in the recruiting battle.
Despite the adverse circumstances, the USC coaching staff
is pleased with the seven prospects signed this year. Jones,
who Foster refers to as a 4'dedicated recruiter," assessed the
corps of youngsters recruited by the Gamecock coaches.
we goi a laie siari, dui we are very pieasea wun tne kios
we recruited," Jones said. "We didn't start talking to kids
until March 21 and it's tough to talk to a player that late, but
we feel like we recruited some very good athletes.
One of the most sought-after Gamecock recruits was 6-9
Brad Jergenson from Maitowac, Wise. Jergenson, who can
play either forward or center, averaged 17 points and 12
rebounds his senior year in high school.
"Brad was recruited by Marquette, Tennessee, and
Furman and we feel fortunate to have gotten him," Jones
commented. "He is a good rebounder and defensive player
and a very good athlete."
JOINING THE NEWCOMERS in the frontcourt will be 6-9
2C> pound Jimmy Foster from Greenville. Foster, after
averaging nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds a game during his
junior year at Wade Hampton High, did not play his senior
year due to personal reasons.
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Other frontcourt signees were 6-6 forward from Niceville,
Fla. Holmes, who was recruited by Ohio State and Ole Miss,
averaged 23 points a game as a senior at Richard Arnoxd
High.
Sophomore Kevin Darmody will be the only returnee for
the Gamecocks in the frontcourt.
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heads an impressiye list of newcomers. Peacock is described
by Jones as a "very quick guard who can fly up and down the
court."
Joining Peacock in the backcourt will be 6-6 Billy Bessoir of
Scranton, Pa. and 6-3 Scott Sanderson from Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Bessoir, whose father is the head basketball coach at the
University of Scranton, averaged 29 points a game as a
senior at Scranton Prep.
Jones also indicated that Coach Foster and his staff will
work diligently to solicit student support for the basketball
program. "We want this place (Carolina Coliseum) to be the
hardest place around to play in and we feel the students can
make it that way," Jones said with a gleam of excitement.
FOR GAMECOCK basketball fans, patience could prove to
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through some early season growing pains under their new
head coach. But despite the Gamecocks' obvious lack of
experience, the high level of anticipation demonstrated by
the new Gamecock coaching staff indicates that there will
certainly be no shortage of enthusiasm.
Reprinted from Summer issue of June 11.
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