The 2000 men’s basketball campaign at San Diego State was a yearof monstrous strides for a previously dormant program. It was akin tothe evolution from cave dweller to sophisticated urbanite.
It finished at .500, something only one other SDSU team had donein the last 16 years. It ended a horrendous 30-game losing streak onthe road with a win over Air Force, and it also showed its impressivepotential with blowout wins over Oklahoma State and UNLV.
Yet ultimately, the Aztecs found out they were lacking the properingredients to earn a postseason berth.
They were short handed with a roster that lacked key role playersbecause of it. The team’s rotation suffered in Mountain WestConference road games where they were continually worn down.
But it was the missing presence in the middle that hurt SDSU most.
With the arrival of the 2001 preseason, that has changed. Consider6-foot-9, 241-pound JC transfer Mike Mackell the missing link.
“He’s real physical and hits the glass hard,” said senior forwardMyron Epps. “He’s someone that’s going to help us out a lot thisyear.”
Mackell comes to the Aztecs’ program after averaging 22.4 pointsand 10.6 rebounds at Porterville Junior College last season. Thosenumbers earned him honors as California’s junior college player ofthe year.
After the season ended, the race for Mackell’s services was on. Hewas recruited by UNLV, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pitt, South Floridaand Miami,
as well as SDSU.
But the Aztecs had a leg up on the competition. For starters theyhad already signed Mackell’s good friend and Porterville teammate,Curtis Washington. The two had traveled together all the way fromWashington, D.C. to Porterville.
“He (Washington) was one of my best friends from back home,”Mackell said. “We grew up together. We’ve had a lot of successtogether so I thought why not try it again.”
SDSU also had other things in its favor. Particularly the coachingstaff and the school’s location.
“I wanted to stay out here in California,” Mackell said. “You’vegot beautiful weather and women all year round and the atmosphere isdifferent from the madness of the East Coast.
“I was able to come out with a free mind and focus on basketballand school. Hopefully it will benefit me in the long run.”
The Aztecs are also hoping to benefit from Mackell’s presence. Hismid-April signing has already added more legitimacy to a programstriving for national prominence.
“It’s pretty good when we’re able to get kids over programs with aclear winning tradition,” said assistant coach Brian Dutcher ofbeating out schools like OSU and UNLV. “It’s a great plus for us toget what we felt was the best junior college player in the state twoyears in a row. We thought Holcomb was the best (in 1999).”
The next phase of Mackell’s career begins tomorrow when SDSU openswith an exhibition against the EA Sports All-Stars at 7:30 p.m. Eventhough he’s highly touted, a period of adjustment is most certainlyexpected.
“A lot of times it takes the junior college kid two to threemonths to get into the way the game’s played,” Dutcher said. “JC kidsstill need developmental time. Mike’s on schedule but what you see atthe beginning won’t be as good as what you’ll see in the end.”
Holcomb, a former transfer himself, also had to adjust.
“There was a demand to work hard every day,” Holcomb said. “In D-Ieverybody has to go extremely hard. It’s the biggest thing I had toget over and I think it’s the hardest for Mike.”
Mackell also continues to play knowing that most of his family,including his 4-year-old son Dequan and 1-year-old daughter Jordan,are still in D.C. That has taken on a new meaning since the Sept. 11attacks.
“It’s been real hard with all of the terrorist stuff going on,”Mackell said. “There’s no telling what can happen.”
Despite the distractions, Mackell is forging on. He knows his roleas the enforcer.
“I’m a big frame with an aggressive mentality coming from the EastCoast,” he said. “My main focus is down on the block and doingeverything to help us win.”
