Sports: USF, post-Alaska: Chill out

USF, post-Alaska: Chill out

Bulls warn their fans not to jump off the bandwagon despite the team's poor early showing.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH

TAMPA -- It's not even two weeks into the season and probably the most-hyped South Florida basketball team in school history already has two losses.

Caution: Jumping off the bandwagon while it's moving might hurt you.

Yes, the Bulls lost two of their first three games at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, one by 28 points to Colorado, which became only the fifth team to score more than 100 points against the Bulls in more than 11 years.

But as the USF players and coaches see it, that is nothing to worry about.

"The last time I checked, they weren't canceling the rest of the season," coach Seth Greenberg said. "It's all part of it. No one said it was going to be easy. No one said they were going to hand us anything."

South Florida most assuredly won't be "handed" and easy victory tonight.

The Bulls (1-2) host George Washington (4-0) at 7:30 in the Sun Dome in their home opener.

The players hope to put together a performance that will silence the early detractors and win over fans before the schedule gets tougher.

"There are a lot of basketball critics out there that don't know the game of basketball," senior forward Chonsey Asbury said. "We lost two games in Alaska, and they are already saying what's going on with the program? We're trying to take it to the next level and make things happen. We need them (fans) to see what we're doing and come support us so they can see what's going on."

The Colonials are shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range. They average 99 points a game. Guards Chris Monroe and SirValiant Brown are averaging double figures.

That puts the burden on the Bulls' defense, which by its own admission hasn't been what it hoped.

USF has allowed opponents to shoot 56.4 percent in its first three games.

"We're not where we want to be in terms of pressuring the basketball," Greenberg said. "George Washington is a tough team to pressure the basketball because they have three guards averaging 60 points between them. But we're not affecting contested shots. This program was built on defensive intensity and the ability to stop people and we need to improve in that area."

The Bulls will get additional help in that area with the return of senior forward Artha Reeves, who didn't make the trip to Alaska because of a violation of team rules. Asbury, who has been hampered by injuries, is nearly 100 percent, which should also aid the effort.

"They have a lot of good guards that can score a lot of points in transition, so we're really going to have to play good defense," Asbury said.

Added forward B.B. Waldon: "We're going to have to play the same for both; if we play hard on offense, we've got to do the same on defense."

Greenberg said he doesn't expect any lingering negative effects from the losses.

"I think the players are excited (about tonight)," Greenberg said. "I hope to see people in the building. I hope no one broke their ankle stepping off the bandwagon. It takes time. We're going to be fine. We have a good basketball team. We have good players. We're getting healthier. We've got Artha Reeves coming back, which is important to our basketball team because he's a guy that has played three years, played a lot of minutes."

Whatever doubts may have arisen after the Alaska tournament, USF players want fans to put them aside and come see what they have to offer. "You've got people out there who think they can do things better than we can," Waldon said. ". . . You can't do that. Just come out and show us some support. Don't doubt us because we've lost a couple of games. Nobody this year is going to go undefeated. So we're going to come out and give you a show the best way we can. We're going to play hard. ... It would be nice if you show up."