REBUILDING
Continued from Page 3B
made the coach wonder flow dose
his program to the next level
"We may lie a couple of calls
away from 11-4 this year.” Samp
son said. "It's a game of breaks
Why aren’t we 2-2 in the confer
en< ev Wa ve played well enough
to Ik- If a couple of breaks go our
way. maybe I K'l.A isn't in a (Men
tion to be No 1. but UC.I.A got the
breaks and Washington State
didn't."
Green said he sees a lot of sim
ilarities lietween where his pro
gram is and where Sampson's
program was. especially regard
ing recruiting
"Wo resemble Washington State
in that it is too tough a place to
re< rmt because it is not located
near a big metropolitan area.'
Green said "Kelvin's done a great
job of turning that program
around.”
Green took over an Oregon pro
gram last venr that was aiming off
a I-16 swson and was filled with
a number of players whose abili
ty to plav Division I basketball was
in question When a number of
players left the program alongside
former coat h Don Monson. Green
was given the chance to begin
Plug into a
partnership
for
efficiency*
Join Lane County's Public Utilities
in Promoting an Energy Efficient Future.
The Energy Outlet"—a new energy conservation information center sponsored
by Lane County's public utilities and the Bonneville Power Administration—will open in down
town Eugene in spring, 1994
The store will help Lane County electnc customers make wise energy choices by
promoting energy conservation, energy education and electrical product efficiency Bonneville
is working with Eugene Water & Electric Board, Springfield Utility Board, Emerald People's
Utility District and Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative m developing and constructing the new
information outlet
The outlet will look much like a standard retail store However, unlike a retail
store, the outlet will not sell products, but will inform customers about where and what to buy
for energy efficiency The Energy Outlet will display and promote energy-efficient products —
many of which are not commonly offered — and show how best to use these products and
where they can be purchased
In an effort to forge a “partnership for efficiency," Lane County's public utilities
are looking for donations of items to be used in the displays such as building materials,
lighting, and the most energy-efficient products sold by local retail businesses. Sponsonng
businesses will be featured in a display at the Energy Outlet when the store opens next spring.
To learn more about how you can contribute, call EWEB Energy Management
Services at 484-1125 for a complete packet of information
the Energy Outlet
building his team with his own
players.
Green's first two recruiting
r.1 asset have been almost equally
split among freshman recruits and
transfers Green’s 19U3 recruiting
class featured three freshmen, one
sophomore transfer and three
junior c ollege transfers Only one
scholarship remained for next vwr
and Green has Tilled it with fresh
man Mike ( arson, a fi-fcxit-10 cen
ter Sampson said he likes what
he’s seen of Green's system so far
"Oregon is showing continued
improvement," Sampson said.
"They play hard and enthusias
tic , and that says a lot about coach
Green. I know what he's going
through."
Bender said his team also
resembles what Green has done
in Eugene.
"lerry gets his kids to believe."
said Bender, who left Illinois Slate
to join the Huskies "When you
take over a program, you don't
have your own (lersonnel but you
still teach players the fundamen
tals of the system. That's what's
happening at < )regon anti the kids
are understanding what |err\
wants He liegnn to build last year,
and he's getting good players.''
Bender's job has been tough
from the start, as In* lost Ins three
leading si orers from a year ago
Forward Mark Pope transferred to
Rentuc kv. guard Prentiss Perkins
was kicked off the team, and guard
Bryant Boston redshirted. Bender
said he has set two main goals for
his team this season.
improvement is tm* nunioer
one goal," Bendi*r said "Also, I
want it so teams don't enjoy play
ing us ixxmise we am always play
ing hard, and we have I men doing
that When you no- building, that's
part ol the foundation."
Bender said that although his
team hits struggled at the start, he
is pleased with its attitude. Often
when a team learns a new system
and positive results don't show
up in the standings, a team gets
frustrated, hut Bender said that
hasn't happened to the Huskies.
“The team has been ready to
play each game and believes they
have a chance to win each game,"
Bender said.
Green said he understands what
Bender is doing, because it was
just a year ago that he was in a
similar situation.
"Bob's in the same position I
was in last year, hut he had a few
scholarships to give when he took
over," he said.
Bender has already begun using
those scholarships and is excit
ed about the players he's bringing
in Four freshmen signed with
Washington in the early signing
period, including a pair of 6-11
centers. In addition, center Mike
Amos transferred from Creighton,
and Jason Hamilton did the same
from San Diego State. Those two
are practicing with the team,
though they can't play games until
next year.
"I like adding the transfers
txicause they get a year to practice
with us," Bender said "We have
six new players joining us along
with Boston, who is rodshirting.
The future is beneficial as our
players are gaining experience."
While optimistic about the pos
sibilities of a bright future, Ben
der refuses to give up on a
successful campaign this year.
"We make no excuses this sea
son," Bender said. "It's too easy
to look to the future and forget
about the present. You build for
the future but also ingrain that
with what you do everyday."
As Sampson knows, and Green
is finding out. that can be a tall
challenge.