By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
A whirlwind week for Pittsburg State’s men’s basketball team begins Sunday afternoon with an exhibition game at Kansas State.
Tipoff is at 3 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan as the Gorillas face the Wildcats, who are picked fourth in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll.
Tuesday night the Gorillas battle Kansas, the preseason favorite to win the national championship, and on Saturday night PSU plays at Nevada-Las Vegas.
“It’s going to be intense,” senior guard Spencer Magana said. “We played KU and K-State my sophomore year. Allen Fieldhouse and in Manhattan, it’s a different environment. It’s enjoyable, it’s fun.
“You’re going to be nervous and excited at the same time. It just prepares for you for games later on down the road.”
Magana, 6-foot-4 senior guard from Dewey, Okla., was PSU’s No. 2 scorer at 12.4 points per game. Rodney Grace, 6-6 forward who averaged 10.2, and Henry Rogers, 6-7 forward who averaged 2.6 points off the bench, are the only other seniors on the roster.
“Practice has gone good,” Magana said. “It’s been intense. People are going hard, trying to get better and doing what we need to do.
“I’m ready for the season to start,” Magana said. “It’s our (seniors) last year. We want to go out positive.”
“We have better leadership than we’ve had in a number of years,” Gorillas head coach Gene Iba said. “We have three seniors who know this is their last shot, and they’ve been instrumental with helping our new guys adjust. Our other returnees have played roles in that, too.”
Junior Andy Smith, a high school teammate of Magana’s, returns to the backcourt. He averaged 3.4 points for the season and 6.1 points in the final nine games — all starts.
The Gorillas have added four transfers and four freshmen this season, headlined by 6-8, 230-pound Quincy Owens, who averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds last year at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. On the wing, the Gorillas have added 6-4 Mo Gunn (15.8 points last year at Garrett College in suburban Washington, D.C.) and 6-5 C.J. Masters (13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds at Southern University-Shreveport in 2007).
In addition to the seniors, it’s the final year for Iba, who’s announced he will retire after this season.
“It’s different,” said Iba, who’s compiled a 252-154 record at PSU and a 478-357 mark in 29 seasons. “I don’t know exactly how to explain it but it’s definitely different, but it’s the same, too. We’re doing exactly the same things; if anything, I think we’re working a little harder at what we do. The staff is pretty well keyed up, and I think most of it comes from last year. There is no question that nobody liked how things went last year (10-17) , and we’re going to try to change it.”
“I’ve enjoyed it,” Magana said. “I came in as a freshman, been with him for four years, learned and know what he wants from the players, what you have to do day in and day out. I’m from Oklahoma and I’m an Oklahoma State fan, so I know about the Iba name. It’s been an honor.”
