Sanders, LU geared up for SLC Tourney

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Sanders, LU geared up for SLC Tourney

Bob West

The Orange Leader

Tournament week got off to a positive start for Lamar University Monday when hard-working junior forward Lamar Sanders was saluted as Co-Player of the Week in the Southland Conference.

The award was long overdue for Sanders, seeing as how his 11th double-double of the season in Saturday night’s 83-64 pounding of Southeastern Louisiana put the finishing touches on the first SLC individual rebound championship for a Cardinal player since James Gulley in 1987.

Gulley, of course, was 6-8, 260, while Sanders is 6-6, 220. The year Gulley was No. 1 he averaged 9.9 rebounds per game. Sanders averaged 10.1 in conference play and 10.0 in all games. He’s ranks No. 11 among all Division 1 players.

“Lamar Sanders is very deserving,†said LU coach Steve Roccaforte. “We are very fortunate to have him on our team. He sets the tone as far as working hard in practice. With him, you know your are going to get 100 percent every time he steps on the floor, whether it’s practice or a game.

“From the first time I saw him play in junior college, I knew he would be a really good Division 1 player. If he expands his game a little bit over the summer — improves his free throw shooting and ability to make medium-range jumpers — he’ll be an unbelievable player next year.â€

Among Sanders’ highlights was posting the first triple double in school history. In a 71-68 victory over Louisiana Tech, he contributed 11 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.

The pride of Hickory Flat, Miss., finished the season averaging a double-double — 11.9 points, 10.1 rebounds. His career bests were 29 points against Nicholls State and 18 rebounds against Central Arkansas. He had 17 rebounds on two other occasions.

“I hate to have to take him out of a game,†Roccaforte said. “I know I have to rest him from time to time, but he seldom sits down for long. He’s just too valuable.â€

Sanders and the rest of the Cardinals returned to practice Monday, to start preparations for the SLC tourney opener at noon Thursday against Sam Houston State in Aldine’s Campbell Center. Roccaforte, as he has done the past couple of weeks, planned to hold light workouts to try and keep his players fresh.

“We’ll have a short practice then lift weights,†he said, prior to Monday’s session. “We’ll have another short practice on Tuesday, do a lot of shooting on Wednesday, then leave for Houston.â€

Lamar, because the Southland Conference women’s tournament starts at the Campbell Center on Wednesday, won’t be able to practice in the facility that his home to Aldine Independent School District teams. The SLC scheduled the Cardinals for a Thursday shootaround from 8 a.m. to 8:20, but Roccaforte passed on it.

The Cardinals, who are the No. 7 seed, go into the SLC tourney under somewhat similar circumstances as the 2000 LU team that came out of left field to win it.

A No. 7 seed, Lamar had to win at No. 2 seed Louisiana-Monroe to advance to the tourney Final Four in Shreveport. After a 66-62 win in Monroe, the Cardinals edged No. 6 seed Texas State 53-50 in the semifinals and defeated No. 4 seed Northwestern State, 62-55, to earn an NCAA bid.

It was one of only seven times in 26 SLC tournaments that the regular season champion did not advance, and one of only two times the regular season champ didn’t at least reach the finals.

Roccaforte said he didn’t plan to show the video of the 2000 title game or make a big deal out of it to his players.

“We’ll probably mention it to them, but I don’t have to sell these guys on believing they are good enough to win as the No. 7 seed. They know theybeat the regular season champion (A&M-Corpus Christi) two weeks ago.

“They know when we play like we did against Southeastern Louisiana Saturday night, with everybody focused and working hard on defense, we’re a good team. And, as far as we’re concerned, we’ve already won a game in the tournament.

“Southeastern Louisiana was our tournament opener, and that’s the way we approached it. We knew if we lost the season was over.â€

Lamar, if it can avenge an earlier loss to Sam Houston State, will advance to the 6 p.m. semifinal Friday against the winner of the 3-6 matchup between Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin. Should the Cardinals reach the championship game, it’s set for 1 p.m. Sunday.