By Michael Klitzing and Dan HayesAssistant Sports Editor and Sports Editor
LAS VEGAS — As pandemonium reigned on the floor of the Thomas andMack Center Saturday, San Diego State University Executive Directorof Athletics Rick Bay managed to keep himself out of the fray.
Just a few feet away, SDSU players and hundreds of Aztecs fanswere celebrating their team’s 78-75 victory in raucous fashion: Jigswere danced; complete strangers embraced; tears were shed.
But Bay just stood there, calmly soaking in the moment.
“This is an incredible feeling,” Bay said. “I’m so proud of theteam and Coach (Steve) Fisher and the job they’ve done.”
Call it an affirmation.
Just three years after Bay hired Fisher to resurrect an SDSUprogram that had won just four games the previous season, his hirehad produced a championship. It was a rapid progression that, even toBay, must have seemed like a dream.
“You can never predict a championship,” he said. “I felt we’d becompetitive in three or four years. But if you’d have said in threeyears we’d have gone from no conference wins to winning theconference tournament, I would have said it was a stretch.”
In the midst of the celebration, SDSU center Mike Mackell was alsoenjoying his own personal moment. He partied with fans and teammates,all the while holding a death grip on the Mountain West Conferencetrophy.
Less than a year after making a decision often second guessed bymany within the game, the former California JC player of the yearwasn’t about to let go.
“This whole year everybody was saying to me coming to SDSU was abad decision,” he said. “This is what I came here for — thehardware.”
Just another in a night of affirmations.
The pass
The San Francisco 49ers have “the catch.”
Now, SDSU can lay claim to “the pass.”
With 41 seconds remaining Friday, the Aztecs held possessiontrailing Wyoming 69-68.
The design was simple: Get the ball in Al Faux’s hands and let himpenetrate.
The senior came off a screen only to find 6-foot-9-inch UcheNsonwu-Amadi guarding him. Faux decided to dish the ball to RandyHolcomb in the corner.
Just when everyone in the building thought he’d shoot, Holcombpump faked, drove the lane and dished the ball back to a wide-openFaux who was perched just inside the 3-point line.
Bull’s eye.
“A year ago, Randy would have shot that ball,” Head Coach SteveFisher said. “It just shows how far he has come.”
SDSU then led 70-69 and held its breath as Wyoming’s Marcus Bailey(31 points) missed short from 15 feet. Sophomore Aerick Sandersgrabbed the rebound, sealing the victory.
Super soph
Sanders, a reserve forward, ordinarily doesn’t garner the lion’sshare of the spotlight. Usually, the contributions of the defensivespecialist are more subtle.
However, there was nothing subtle about Sanders’ impact onFriday’s win.
With Mackell in foul trouble, the Aztecs needed a big man to stepup against the Cowboys myriad of post players. Sanders responded with10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in just 14 minutes of play.
“All you have to do is ask the players,” Fisher said. “Nobodywants to guard him in practice. He’s all elbows and kneecaps. Toreceive as few minutes as he does and to come in and always be ready– that’s what you look for in a player.”
Quotable
“In the huddle, I asked Aerick if he could miss that second freethrow and still hit the rim. Then Randy (Holcomb) turned to him andsaid ‘Just shoot it like you normally would.'”
— Fisher on the team’s advice for Sanders’ free throw with 1.3seconds remaining in Friday’s win.
Randy Dangerfield
Prior to the tournament, Holcomb was having a banner year.
It just got better.
The senior, whom many felt was slighted for player of the year,earned MVP honors for the tournament (16.3 points, eight rebounds).
It was proof positive that he was the MWC’s top dog.
“I should have said this before,” Fisher said. “Randy is the bestplayer in the league.”
His three-day effort was highlighted by Saturday’s 20-point,12-rebound performance. He finished 9 of 12 from the field and hadfive offensive rebounds.
Four of five came during a 4:16 stretch and resulted in sixsecond-chance points.
After the game, teammates and fans alike surrounded him, chanting,”MVP”.
Said Holcomb: “I’m not going to lie. It feels great to be MVP, butit feels better to have won this thing.”
By the numbers
4 of 4 — Free throws made by Deandre Moore in the last 1:23 ofSaturday’s win.
6 — Blocked shots by Sanders in the tourney.
22 — Total rebounds by guard Tony Bland (7.3 rebounds).
35.6 — Percent field goal shooting by SDSU tournament opponents.
— Jared Quient contributed to this report
