By David CorderoSports Editor
They were the Achilles’ heel of the San Diego State basketballteam last season. Marcelo Correa and Joe Mann, SDSU’s “big men,”struggled the majority of the 1998-1999 season.
Correa averaged just 6.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest andMann had trouble getting his feet off the ground, shooting a mere42.9 percent from the field and contributed a paltry 2.2 points pergame.
Fast forward to the Nov. 24 game against UC Riverside. Correascored 22 points and had 15 rebounds (both career-highs) and grabbedthree steals. Mann scored eight points, hauled down eight boards(career-high) and blocked two shots.
“We knew they were a very short team so we had to take advantageof our height,” Mann said. “Working the ball inside was a big part ofour game plan.”
Mann came into the preseason in better shape than a year ago. Thesophomore underwent a strenuous off-season workout, running andlifting weights several times a week. He now weighs 255 pounds, asopposed to 275 at the end of last season.
“With coach Fisher here I wanted to come in good shape,” Mannsaid. “The weight training and running program in the off-seasonreally helped out.”
Said Correa: “He (Mann) was very good. Everyone was impressed withhim. He stepped up. I hope he keeps it up.”
Productive point
Last Wednesday Bradley Jackson played in his first collegiatebasketball game. He probably had a case of the jitters, right?
Wrong.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Jackson said. “I was excited.”
If he can keep up his productivity, Aztecs’ fans will get excited.The freshman had four steals and gave the Highlanders’ guardsproblems.
“They teach me to be aggressive on defense,” Jackson said. “Thecoaches want me to use my quickness to wreak havoc on the defense.”
Besides his defense, Jackson has gained the trust of his teammatesin handling the basketball and directing the offense.
“Even though he is a freshman he doesn’t play like one,” Mannsaid. “He keeps the team in line. He has that year of prep schoolexperience so he comes in with a lot of confidence.”
Free throw woes
Last season SDSU shot an dismal61.2 percent from the free throwline. So far it doesn’t appear to have improved much.
In last Wednesday’s victory, the team shot 63.6 percent from thecharity stripe, including an 0 for 5 effort from Myron Epps, whootherwise turned in a decent performance shooting 6 for 10 from thefield and finishing with 12 points.
It was really a tale of a split squad. Combined Vincent Okotie,David Abramowitz, Mann and Jackson were a perfect 12 for 12 from theline, while Michael Marion, Epps and Correa made 2 out of 10.
Notes
The Aztecs will be featured once nationally on ESPN (Jan. 10 vs. Utah) and twice on ESPN Regional television (Feb. 5 vs New Mexico, Feb. 19 vs. Wyoming). SDSU will not play at Cox Arena until Dec. 16, when they face South Carolina State.
By the numbers
8 — Offensive rebounds by Correa
9 — Number of Aztecs players that played at least 10 minutesagainst UC Riverside.
50 — Percentage of free throws made by SDSU against UC Riverside.
43 — Rebounds by the Aztecs