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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1990)
Page 8 Friday, Novembers, 1990 The Battalion •Acpfie* /icvUdjetfuzll 1990-91 — 1990-91 Texas A&IVf Basketball Schedule I (CST) Date Opponent Tipofp November 10 ST. PETERSBURG AAU (exhibition) 8:00 p.m. 16 New Zealand National Team (exhibition) 730 p.m. 23-24 , * Bearcat Classic TBA (Cincinnati, Kent State, Sam Houston State) 28 OKLAHOMA 7:30 p.m. 30-Dec. 1 t Marshall Memorial Classic TBA (Marshall, Robert Morris, Mercer) Oeoejviber 12 TEXAS SOUTHERN 7:30 p.m. 17 at Auburn 7:05 p.m. 20 TEXAS COLLEGE 730 p.m. 28-29 § BMA Classic TBA JANUARY * 2 at Texas 7:33 p.m. 5 1 TEXAS TEC! I Noon 9 TEXAS OIRISTIAN 7-30 p.m. 12 at Southern Methodist Noon CENTENARY i # TH 8:30 p.m. fjT 19 BAYLOR Jjf fj Noon 23 at Arkansas Jjf V 7-30 p-m. 26 at Rice Noon 29 HOUSTON 7:30 p.m. FEBRUARY 3 1 TEXAS 2 p.m. 6 at Texas Tech 7:30 p-m- 9 at Texas Christian 7:35 p.m. 13 SOUTHERN METHODIST 7:30 p.m. 20 at Baylor 7:30 p.m. 23 ARKANSAS Noon 27 RICEjk 730 p.m. JVfARCU 2 at I louston 2 p.m. 8-10 ’i;, SWC l*ostseason Classic (Dallas) TBA Young point guard confident in leadership role By NADJA SABAWALA Of The Battalion Staff Cincinnati, Ohio - Huntington, Wn* Virginia $ — Kansas City, Missouri AU game times are tentative and subject to change. Sixth Continued from page 7 “Guys could walk-on and then end up play ing and getting a scholarship.” The goal of the program, Davis said, is to regain the interest of the student body and to get them excited about coming out to see the games again. “I think its a neat deal, if any place can do it, Texas A&M can,” he said. “It will be prestigious, and before we’re done, this E lace will be filled, and the new arena will ave 12-13,000 people.” )le purpose of this season, Davis said. Winning ballgames will come after the stands are full. Getting people excited may be the No. 1 “If anything this year, we’ve got to get the student body involved with basketball,” Davis said. “I think that may be as critical as anything we do. Getting people coming back to games, maybe not imagining the success of our program by the wins or losses, but going to the games, making it an event they don’t want to miss.” Brooks Thompson has had to grow up in a hurry. As a freshman last year, Thomp son broke into the starting lineup midway through the season. Then came the turbu lence — mounting losses, coaching changes, adversity. It almost made him give it all up. “I just had a hard time last year with not winning,” Thompson said. “I thought about leaving and made some contacts, but when I talked to (head coach Kermit Davis Jr.) about it, I decided to stay.” Now a sophomore, Thompson is being counted on to provide leadership to a young Texas A&M basketball team search ing for an identity under a new coach. Davis, making his A&M coaching debut Saturday in G. Rollie White Coliseum, is trying to revamp Aggie basketball. With just two starters from last year’s squad, Da vis is placing his trust in the hands of a 20- year-old. “It’s a lot to ask of a sophomore,” Davis said, “to take over the leadership role. But he’s been mature and working hard day in and day out.” The 6-4, 185-pound Thompson knows he has to be the leader of the “new and im proved” A&M team both physically and vo cally. “I’ve got to make sure everybody and ev erything goes right,” Thornpson said. “Last year, I got upset because I couldn’t be as vo cal. They weren’t saying some things I wanted to say and couldn’t, say. “I didn’t really have a lot of choice in what was going to be done around here, and I still don’t, but I just go out and be as vocal and as positive as I can.” Last season, the Littleton, Colo, native averaged 8.3 points per game and saw play ing time in all of A&M’s 31 games, starting in the last six. But last year wasn’t one of the best for a player fresh but of high school and ready for the challenge of college ball. The Aggies’ ongoing problem was a lack of marks in the win column. Even a midsea son coaching change didn’t help the fal tering team that ended up 14-17 overall, 7- 9 in Southwest Conference play. “I had a hard time last year with not win ning,” Thompson said. “It was the first year I didn’t win.” Two years ago, Thompson was averaging 28.7 points per game in high school on his way to being named the Colorado Prep Player of the Year. Last year’s team prob lems, added with offseason training, have given Thompson valuable experience and strength going into the 1990-91 schedule. “I’ve matured a lot physically from last year,” Thompson said. “I’ve gotten stronger by working hard offseason. I worked a couple of camps, played in a sum mer league in Colorado and lifted weights.” Thompson said although the present Ag gie team has worked together just three weeks, every player is working hard. Battalion file photo Texas A&M sophomore Brooks Thompson (left) said he is looking forward to the challenge of leading the young Aggie team from his point guard position. “We need a lot of work because we’re all so new,” Thompson said. “We’re doing a lot better than we did and we’re coming around well. “When Coach Davis came out here, he had to do a lot of teaching. We worked as hard as we qould but it was hard to get ev erybody where he wanted us.” Playing college basketball has matured Thompson enough for him to receive the nod from Davis for the point guard posi tion. And it’s an opportunity Thompson is looking forward to. “It’s going to be my First year of playing point guard,” Thompson said. “I didn’t play it a lot last year. I think it’ll be a hard challenge, but I’m ready. “It’s not all me,” Thompson said. “We’re all going to have to lead each other if we want to get anywhere.” ' As point guard, Thompson sets up the offensive attack. He has to know each play er’s abilities and trust that player’s execu tion. If A&M hadn’t hired Davis, Thompson might have been hitting baskets at another university. Dismayed by the team’s perfor mance and wondering about his role in new coach’s plans, Thompson considemj leaving A&M. “I was pretty much going to (leave) umi I talked to Coach Davis about it," Thomp son said. “He told me what he had toofffl and I knew what the school had to offer like the school and I knew he could comenj and win, so I decided right then.” As a very physical and intense player Thompson is excited about the new styleo: Aggie basketball brought in by Davis. “It’s just an unselfish-type of plan Thompson said. “That’s really what U bases it on. I think we’ft be successful." Heading into tomorrow’s opening dai the young Thompson is slated as a startttl leading the team into its first competition^ a unit. Davis said the team has no probb being led by a sophomore and their coriT dence in him will grow as he grows ontk court. “In college, especially a brand new pn gram, you gain respect by your play anti your toughness and your leadership,” Dai; said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re freshman, sophomore, junior or senior." for the ore being taken mcDw Juniors: through November 16 AR Photography 707 Texas Ave Suite 120B (next to Taco Cabana) Monday-Friday 9-12;1-5pm TCHUI KOVSKY’S BOLSHOI BALLET GRIGOROVICH COMPANY Company of 60 Direct from the U.S.S.R. Yuri Grigorovich, Artistic Director & Choreographer NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCES Friday, November 23 - 8:00 P.M. Saturday, November 24 - 8:00 P.M. Sunday, November 25 - 2:00 P.M. & 8:00 P.M. Friday, November 30 - 8:00 P.M. Saturday, December 1 -2:00 P.M. Saturday, December 1 - 8:00 P.M. SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION! BEST OF THE BOLSHOI PERFORMANCES FEATURING A MIXED REPERTOIRE AND ACT II OF SWAN LAKE! Tuesday, November 27 - 7:00 P.M. 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