Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 16

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II 11 4 9 i ad 4:2 vr-Atelm 106 JOURNAL FILE has been under-appreciated throughout his career, Lobo coach DENVER Maybe it comes from sitting next to Scott Galetti during men's basketball games or next to Greg Archuleta in the Journal sports office. Or maybe it's from listening to Mike Roberts too much who, by the way, sounds sensational during high school football games. Whatever the reason, I sure seem to be turning into a Lobo homer these days. Or maybe I'm just a schmuck. The latter we know to be true.

The former? All I know, is that I was way off-base on a couple of Mountain West Conference preseason picks this year. The all-league team, which came out Tuesday, did not include one University of New Mexico men's basketball player. My poll, however, had a pair on the sheet. For preseason Newcomer of the Year, I went with the Lobos' Darington Hobson, one of the country's highest-rated high school players in two years ago. I think the slick-shooting junior college transfer will have a standout season.

But the preseason poll, voted upon by 24 members of the league's media, listed Derrick Jasper, a 6-foot-6 UNLV guard, as the top newcomer. Jasper sat out last year as a redshirt after transferring from Kentucky. He started 27 games as a freshman for the Wildcats but missed 11 games because of an injury as a sophomore. Is Jasper a better choice than Hobson? We'll see, but I'll stick with my pick. Where I really missed the board and I knew I would was with my preseason Player of the Year choice.

I went with UNM's Roman Martinez, even though I knew he didn't have a chance to be named the top guy heading into the year. What made me look bad, however, is that Martinez didn't even making the preseason first-team. The squad consisted of the BYU duo of Jimmer Fredette (player of the year) and Johnathan Tavernari, UNLV's Tre'Von Willis, TCU's Zvonko Buljan and San Diego State's Billy White. I can't argue against any of those. But I do think Martinez is one of the league's top five all-around players.

"Personally, he's been under-appreciated most of his career so it doesn't surprise me," said UNM coach Steve Alford. "But I can look at the players on the sheet with the all-conference team listed, and I won't trade Ro for anybody. Ro has been a staple for us the first two years that I've been here, from PAGE B1 year as coach at the school, the Lobos were picked tied for fourth in the preseason poll. They finished second that year. So was Alford surprised the Lobos were again picked in the middle of the MWC pack? "No, obviously BYU is the clear-cut favorite and UNLV and San Diego State had an awful lot of kids sitting out last year," Alford said.

"I figured we'd probably fall in that four or five spot, which has been pretty good for us so far." The Lobos were the only ones of the MWC regular-season tri-champions who didn't make the NCAA Tournament last year. UNM went to the NIT, losing in the second round at Notre Dame. The Cougars are coming off a 25-8 season, which included an NCAA Tournament bid for the third straight year. The Cougars lost to Texas in the opening round. BYU junior guard Jimmer Fredette was named preseason Player of the Year and senior guard Jonathan Tavernari joined Fredette on the first team.

"It creates a new challenge," BYU coach Dave Rose said of the poll. "When you're picked to win the league, it will be used against you every time you play, even in conference games." Wyoming was sixth, TCU seventh, Colorado State eighth and Air Force ninth in the poll. The other members of the first team were: San Diego State's Billy White, a 6-8 junior forward who was honorable mention last season. He led the league by shooting 66.3 percent from the floor. TCU's Zvonko Buljan, a 6-9 forward who was the MWC newcomer of the year last season as a junior.

He had nine double-doubles and was well known for some verbal altercations including one with Alford. UNLV's Tre'Von Willis, a 6-4 junior guard. He was among the league leaders in steals, assists and scoring last year. Fredette, a first-team selection on the all-MWC team last year, averaged 16.2 points a game and was fifth in the league in assists and second in steals. Tavernari, a 6-6 senior guard, is a long-range bomber from Brazil who had seven double-doubles last season.

The preseason Newcomer of the Year was UNLV's Derrick Jasper, a transfer from Kentucky, while San Diego State's guard Kawhi Leonard was named preseason Freshman of the Year. decision to Pat Runez at the Ultimate Warrior Challenge in Washington on Saturday. "It was a close split decision," Jackson said. "He was winning the fight, but he hit the wall." Dodson, who also trains at Jackson-Winkeljohn, had won his previous fight at Duke City MMA Series II at the Albuquerque Convention Center in July. Dodson has engaged in talks about joining the WEC's 125-pound weight class when it expands to a flyweight division sometime in 2010.

Jackson said the recent loss shouldn't affect those plans. CONDIT: After a brief stint training with the likes of Jamie Varner, Ryan Bader and C.B. Dolloway at Arizona Combat Sports, Carlos Condit has returned to the Land of Enchantment. Jackson said the UFC welterweight moved back to Albuquerque last week and called about training at Jackson-Winkeljohn. "He's an amazing fighter, got a lot of heart.

In his last fight he came out with the win after getting knocked down," Jackson said. "He called and asked to train here, and I said yes." Condit, who defeated Jake Ellenberger at a UFC Fight Night last month, previously trained at Albuquerque's FITNHB gym before leaving for Arizona. CLEVELAND So much for getting to know each other. The LeBron and Shag Show is off and running. NBA icons, All-Stars and A-plus-list celebrities LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal made their debut as Cleveland teammates Tuesday night and had immediate chemistry in the Cavaliers' 92-87 preseason-opening victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

James and O'Neal worked several pick-and-rolls, showing off a two-man game that with a little polish could be unstoppable. "Me and Shag played pretty well together," James said. "It shouldn't be hard for either one of us. We know how to play basketball and we want to win." BULLS-JAZZ: In London, rookie James Johnson made a fade-away jumper from the baseline at the buzzer to give Chicago a 102-101 win over Utah. Lobo Runner Honored by MWC COLORADO SPRINGS New Mexico senior Jacob Kirwa was selected as the MWC cross country athlete of the week.

Kirwa was recognized for the second time in his career, joining former All-Americans Matt Gonzales and Jeremy Johnson as the only UNM men to earn multiple MWC athlete of the week awards. Kirwa won his second consecutive race Friday to lead the 24th-ranked Lobos to a fourth-place finish at the Notre Dame Invitational. The native of Eldoret, Kenya, sprinted past Arizona State All-American Brandon Bethke down the final stretch as New Mexico defeated four top-30 teams. U.S. Prepares For Trip to Honduras MIAMI SHORES, Fla.

The United States is used to playing tough away matches but its World Cup qualifier Saturday in Honduras will have a special twist. The Central American country is amid a power struggle following a June coup that pushed then-President Manuel Zelaya out of power. Interim President Roberto Micheletti is in control, though there have been large-scale demonstrations in recent weeks and clashes between Zelaya supporters and security forces. "We understand the political aspect going on down there," midfielder Stuart Holden said. "You can guarantee it's going to be a hostile environment in that stadium." Etc.

ISOTOPES: Albuquerque will open the 2010 season April 8 at Oklahoma City, then begin the home schedule April 12 against the New Orleans Zephyrs. The club on Tuesday announced its entire 2010 schedule, which can be found on www. albuquerquebaseball.com. Times and promotions will be announced later. LOBO GOLF: In Glenview, UNM finished in a sixth-place tie at the Windy City Collegiate Classic.

Senior Jodi Ewart shot a 1-over 217 (72-71-74) and placed in a three-way tie for sixth. TENNIS: In Beijing, Serena Williams is headed back to the top. Williams needed only to win her second-round match at the China Open to reclaim the No. 1 ranking, because Dinara Safina couldn't get past that early round at the tournament. Williams needed just more than one hour for a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Makarova of Russia.

NHL: In Philadelphia, Danny Briere pounced on a loose puck and knocked in the rebound at 3:52 of overtime to keep the Flyers perfect and lift them to a 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals In Raleigh, N.C., Tuomo Ruutu scored the final goal for the Hurricanes in a shootout, giving them a 2-1 victory over the Lightning. In Toronto, Daniel Alfredsson's second-period goal on a penalty shot gave the Senators a 2-1 victory over the Maple Leafs. New Mexico's Roman Martinez Steve Alford says. MARK SMITH Of the Journal and he's as hard a matchup as there is in the league. He does so many things." That he does.

As a junior, Martinez averaged 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. He probably led the nation in both floor burns and heady plays. Martinez has a great nose for the ball, a deft shooting touch and could quite possibly be in the league's top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks this year. But the homer part probably played a role as well in my vote. He is a great kid.

Martinez, who will receive a degree in business this spring, is the perfect example of a true student-athlete. If that were a category, he had have won the honor hands down. As it is, that was good enough in my book. FOR THE RECORD: White was the only one I didn't have on my first team. I had Martinez in his place.

I did have Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State as top the freshman, and the league media named him as such. As far as the league race, I picked it: BYU, UNM (there I go again), San Diego State, Utah, Colorado State, Da mac io Page of Albuquerque knockout victory over Marcos of a quality loss to Bowles. Not that the Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter is happy that the guy who beat him went on to beat the champion. "I had mixed emotions because I wanted to be the first to beat Miguel. It's my only loss in the WEC and I hope he (Bowles) holds onto the belt," he said.

"When I come back for the belt I want to fight him." al. 4 rt ,04 er 1 Ga Wyoming, UNLV, TCU and Air Force. The Lobos were listed fifth in the poll. NEW FACES: Last season, of the five players named first-team all-conference, all five were seniors. That leaves a big unknown factor about who will be this year's stars and star teams.

"There's two parts to that, to be honest," TCU coach Jim Christian says of all the new faces. "There are a lot of new players, but a lot of the new guys are four-year players who transferred to programs (in the MWC). When you've been in a system and sitting out, it's a lot different than being a freshman and being new. So those guys will have a big impact on the league, and I think what you'll see is a lot of teams getting better as the season progresses. And that's good, you want teams to peak at the right time.

COMEBACK OF YEAR: That preseason honor is a cinch. It goes to BYU coach Dave Rose, who battled pancreatic cancer in the offseason, but is back on the sidelines and ready for the season. He was the story of Tuesday's MWC media day, and the rest of the league's coaches all paid tribute to him. "It really hit home," said UNLV coach Lon Kruger. "It's great news with the news he's receiving at this point, that they got all the cancer.

You really hate to see anyone fighting cancer, but this really hit close to home." Said Rose, "The support and help I've received COURTESY OF WEC celebrates after his speedy ivao at WEC 39. For now, Page must focus on Will Campuzano (6-0), who replaced Akitoshi Tamura as his opponent at WEC 43 when the Japanese fighter was scratched because of injury just a little more than a week ago. "It's a little bothersome," said co-trainer Greg Jackson of the change, "but whatever a fight's a fight. It's part of from so many people was incredible, including coaches in the league. It's really been something." BYU won a share of last year's regular-season title and is the overwhelming favorite to capture the crown this year.

He's already captured the hearts of an entire league. NOT GONE FISHIN': SDSU coach Steve Fisher, who won a national championship while at Michigan in 1989, is in his lith season as coach of the Aztecs and in his 20th season overall. But don't think, for a minute, that it's getting to be old hat for Fish. "I'm having a great time," said Fisher, who led San Diego State to a 43-21 league record the past four seasons. "I still get nervous before every game, I still get excited for every practice.

I haven't lost once ounce of zeal. "I'm a little more secure in the fact that I don't have to do everything myself. If you have good people, that keeps them there and allows you to do what's most important. I do enough, but I don't feel I have to be out 21 straight days (recruiting). I do a lot of it, but I'm not consumed with it every day." QUOTABLE: "We don't play the national anthem of all our players before the game, because that would take up the entire game." TCU coach Christian on having five foreign players on his roster, from Lithuania, Africa, Serbia and two from Croatia.

Wyoming, by the way, has four foreigners. Saturday WEC 43: Coty Wheeler vs. Charlie Valencia, Damacio Page vs. Will Campuzano, Donald Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson TV: Versus, 8 p.m.

the business." The WEC card takes place at the Center in San Antonio on Saturday night. The event was originally scheduled for Sept. 2, but was postponed when Ben Henderson, the main event opponent of Page's Jackson-Winkeljohn teammate Donald Cerrone, suffered an injury. Page (11-4) must guard against going for yet another early knockout in his upcoming fight. "We spend time on other things than relying on that big punch," said co-trainer Mike Winkeljohn.

Campuzano is making his WEC debut, but Jackson said that the fighter from Dallas has heavy strikes and a good triangle choke. Page says his explosiveness, strength and conditioning have all improved in this training camp. He thinks the "big punch" to which Winkeljohn refers can get better as well. "I already hit hard, but I want to hit harder," he said. DODSON: John "The Magician" Dodson lost by split MIXED-MARTIAL ARTS Duke City's Page Hungry for Title Shot ak West Mesa Grad To Fight Saturday By TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD Journal Staff Writer All signs point to Damacio Page doing big things in World Extreme Cagefighting very soon.

For one, it took the West Mesa High School graduate all of 18 seconds to finish his last fight against Marcos Galva in March. "It's always enjoyable to have a quick knockout and get a knockout bonus," Page said. "It's exciting when it happens, but it's short-lived because you know you have someone else behind you coming up." Truer words may have never been spoken, because in the fight before Page finished Galvao, Page lost to Brian Bowles at WEC 35 via guillotine choke. Bowles has since gone on to shock the mixed-martial arts world when he defeated Miguel Angel Torres for the bantamweight (135-pound) championship in August. Bowles dropped Torres in the first round, ending a six-year, and 16-fight unbeaten streak of a fighter who was increasingly being mentioned in top overall pound-for-pound discussions.

To borrow from college basketball, Page's fighter RPI seems to have risen by virtue I.