It has been a wonderful basketball life for Nevada head coach Steve Alford.
He was Indiana’s “Mr. Basketball” as a high school senior, won a national title and was a two-time All-America point guard for Indiana under Bobby Knight, won an Olympic gold medal, played four NBA seasons and has been the head coach of five different Division I schools that played in the NCAA Tournament.
As the legend goes, a 3-year-old Alford learned to count watching the numbers tick down on the scoreboard clock in the high school gym where his father, Sam, was the head coach.
Alford’s mentors were his father and Knight, a Basketball Hall of Fame coach who died last month at age 83. Knight was best known for leading Indiana to the NCAA Tournament 24 times in 29 years, including the Hoosiers’ undefeated 1975-76 season, and several on-court outbursts. But Alford said Knight had a “good heart. Big time.”
“I got to spend time with Coach (Knight) over the years, whether it was at Indiana or Texas Tech,” Alford said. “He was a dear, dear friend. I got to see him about three weeks before he passed. He wasn’t in great health for the last year or two. But any time you lose a friend, a mentor who’s meant so much to you in your life, your life pattern … it was definitely a big loss. The positions I’ve coached, and how I’ve coached, and how to develop a team, and how to put a team together, he had a tremendous influence on that.”
Knight also showed Alford the importance of building a dedicated and creative coaching staff, as well as developing players and adjusting to the evolution of the sport.
“I think that’s why we’ve been pretty consistent over the years,” said Alford, who previously was the head coach at Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico and UCLA. “The one thing we’ve been really consistent over three decades and a lot of different stops is our players get better in our program.”
Alford added: “I think the players who are truly interested in their careers, the first thing they’d want to say is they want to be in a culture where they can play with great teammates, which they get to do here (with Nevada). And also: Is their game getting developed? Those are the two big keys that we try to do with our program.”
Nevada is in town to play Hawaii today at 5 p.m. and then participate in the eight-team Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic this coming weekend.
“We get to get over here and get a little comfortable with the surroundings before the tournament starts,” Alford said. “And you get to play a pivotal road game (against UH).”
The 8-1 Wolf Pack’s lineup includes 6-foot-6, 230-pound point guard Kenan Blackshear and 6-9 Nick Davidson, who can defend the two through five positions.
“That’s what makes it fun and keeps older guys like myself and (59-year-old associate head coach Craig) Neal a little bit younger, because we get to mix it up a little bit,” said Alford, 59. “You don’t have that opportunity that often to have a 6-6, 230-pound point guard. You’ve got to do different things with Kenan both offensively and defensively, and that’s been fun. It’s been fun to watch Kenan develop, but it’s also been fun as coaches to coach him.”
Blackshear’s pet move is a fadeaway jumper. UH point guard JoVon McClanahan, who is at least 8 inches shorter, is expected to defend Blackshear.
“I felt I’ve faced height my whole (four) years here,” McClanahan said. “Sometimes they’ve got big guards, sometimes they don’t. … I pressure and try to make it as difficult as possible. Regardless of (an opponent’s) height, you’re going to have to make it difficult.”
Off guard Jared Lucas, who transferred from Oregon State a year ago, scored the third-most points in a career among California high school players. Lucas is averaging 16.1 points, a 10th behind Blackshear.
Davidson played center after KJ Hymes was injured last year. Hymes is healthy again, but Davidson’s experience in the post added to his versatility. Alford said Davidson “gives you a different kind of center. He can stretch (defenders). He can shoot the 3. He can drive the ball. He’s a very good passer.”
Forward Tylan Pope, a Tulane transfer, is expected to make his Nevada debut today.
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NCAA basketball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Hawaii (7-1) vs. Nevada (8-1)
>> When; 5 p.m. today
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
