Collegehoopsnet - San Diego State Season Preview

The 2004-05 San Diego State Aztecs feature many familiar faces, but will their expressions be any different at the end of this year’s games? In many respects, last year was a big disappointment. This team, intact except for Aerick Sanders, didn’t win a single road game in conference last season and let all too many games slip away in the final two minutes. They hung around but got nothing to show for it. With that still fresh in their minds, and a team loaded with seniors, albeit most of them coming off the bench, they look to overachieve the 7^th place projection given by most conference scouting reports.

Savvy Seniors

Let’s start with senior captain Chris Walton. This could be the final year of organized basketball for Bill’s youngest son. He showed marked improvement last year and appears ready to take on a leadership role. His rebounding and scoring down low will be needed to make up for the loss of Sanders. On the other end of the spectrum is Wesley Stokes. The academically ineligible point guard apparently isn’t even practicing with the team. If he makes the grade in class, he’ll be able to play second semester. The remaining seniors will be jockeying for playing time. Chris Manker has stepped up his game and the seven-footer should get some quality minutes in the middle. Tommy Johnson can be a spark off the bench if he can keep his focus while on the court. And oft-injured wing Travis Hanour didn’t play at all last year but was once a highly touted recruit at Arizona.

Super Sophomores

Marcus Slaughter was a great get for the Aztecs and started throughout his freshman year. The 6-8, 233 forward has come back stronger and more aggressive than before. Playing small forward this year, he’ll create tough mismatches for most teams. And with an improved shot, bigger frame, and go-to mentality, he’ll look to dominate. Brandon Heath, who will likely split time at both guard spots, posted big numbers against Ohio State, Texas Tech and USD last year but faded when it came to conference play. If he can regain his confidence and play with more consistency, he’ll be one of the scoring leaders again this year.

New Additions

With a couple of recruits dropping off the map or going back to JC, the batch of newcomers is a bit disappointing. The two standouts are Mohamed Camara and Matt Thomas. Camara is Coach Fisher’s first legitimate size center during his Aztec tenure. At 6-10, 265, Camara will take up space and should be a defensive stopper. His offensive skills are raw, but Fisher refers to him as a very coachable pupil. Thomas could quickly move into the starting point guard position if he can handle the job. His main competition will be junior John Sharper, who was a backup to Stokes last year. Thomas looked pretty solid in the final exhibition game, putting up 14 points, 3 assists and 2 steals in 22 minutes.

Turning Points

Finding a way to win on the road and overall better shooting should help the Aztecs improve upon their 5-9 conference record last year. With the maturity of the sophomores, the urgency of the seniors, and the size of Camara in the middle, these Aztecs look to be the sleeper team of the Mountain West Conference.

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