Nov. 29, 2000

By Tim Mimick
The Gazette

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force basketball youth movement has had its moments. And what has transpired might just be the beginning.

First-year coach Joe Scott has started two freshmen in all four games and the results are promising. Freshman Robert Todd leads the team in scoring averaging 14 points and he is grabbing 4.3 rebounds.

At center, it's all about the freshmen. The starter is 6-foot-9, 210-pound Josh Wallace, who averages 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. Also garnering minutes in the post is 6-7 freshman Tysen Pina.

"As we establish Josh inside more," Scott said, "we'll get him more to the foul line."

Without spitting fire, Scott chatted about the lack of free throws for his team. The Falcons (36-of-53) have taken fewer free throws than their opponents (74-of-99) have made.

What the Falcons are lacking from the free-throw line they are making up for it from behind the arc. Air Force has already hoisted 100 3-pointers, making 40 of its attempts. Their opponents have tried 54.

Teams haven't had to foul Air Force in the lane to prevent those higher-percentage shots.

Another reason the Falcons have had the green light from downtown is because Air Force has trailed more often than not, thus the need to fire up the catch-up-quicker 3-pointers.

The Falcons' 40 percent conversion rate from distance is just behind the academy record of 40.5 percent during 1988-89.

Todd and Wallace aren't the end to the freshman first-team trend. Freshman guard A.J. Kuhle, who played for the first time Friday night after August foot surgery, might join the starting lineup tonight. Kuhle played 5 minutes with one assist in the 65-56 loss to the University of Denver.

Tonight, Air Force meets Northern Arizona at Clune Arena. Northern Arizona (2-1), which lost its season opener 81-60 at UNLV, was picked to place sixth in the nine-team Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks won the league title last season and went to the NCAA Tournament.

While the NCAA Tournament doesn't beckon his first team, Scott notices bits of improvement during the three-game skid by his Falcons (1-3).

"Like coach said, it isn't going to happen overnight," Air Force guard Vernard Jenkins said.

No, it takes a while for youth to obtain wisdom. And when there's a bevy of freshmen learning at the same time, patience will be tested.