Sports: Optimistic Spartans Must Survive League

OPTIMISTIC SPARTANS MUST SURVIVE LEAGUE

The 1992-93 men's basketball team will return three starters from an NCAA team that beat three teams that made the NCAA's Final Four and, as coach Jud Heathcotes notes, have every position covered. 'I always think if you have every position covered, you'll have a good team,' he reasons. 'We'll have a good team.'

How good? That, he says, depends on intangibles, team chemistry and other uncertainties. Also, MSU plays in what has become the nation's top conference, with every team from top to bottom laden with talent. MSU's strong points include 6-11, 280 center Mike Peplowski, whose new weapon, the roll hook, is impossible to stop; power forward Dwayne Stephens, who does the dirty work no one notices except his teammates, who voted him MVP last year; and shooting guard Shawn Respert, who returns with an extra 15 pounds of muscle. 'Shawn may well be one of the two best guards in the conference,' says Heathcote. 'He may have some monster games. He can put a lot of points on the scoreboard in a lot of different ways.'

MSU's main problem will be at point guard, which will be contested by injured Andy Penick, defensive specialist Eric Snow, or freshman David Hart. The other forward spot will be filled by Jon Zulauf, Kris Weshinskey, Daimon Bethea, or freshmen Quinton Brooks or Jamie Feick--depending on the specific situation or how players develop. Or, should Heathcote need a 'Bruise Brothers' frontcourt--by back-up center Anthony 'Pig' Miller, who boasts added upper body muscle.

If Heathcote and assistants Tom Izzo, Stan Joplin and Brian Gregory seem baffled by this contingent, so are the national experts, who have ranked the Spartans as high as 11th (Basketball Digest) and as low as 42nd (Dick Vitale). They will know more after the pre-season, which includes an exhibition against the Russia Nationals and a December 5 date with Louisville at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. During league play, MSU will play Indiana away and newcomer Penn State at Breslin. Ralph Young Fund director Terry Braverman will do the radio play by play, joining former MSU basketball coach Gus Ganakas, who continues as color commentator. 'After Michigan and Indiana, we're as good as any club in the league,' says Jud. 'Are we a better team than we were last year? Yes, although that might not be indicated by our record.'

For the record, last year MSU made its third straight NCAA appearance, finished ranked 14th in the nation by AP, and enjoyed the satisfaction of having beaten three of the Final Four teams--Michigan, Indiana and Cincinnati.

NEW RECRUITS

MSU has scored a recruiting coup, landing Jon Garavaglia, a 6-9 senior forward from Southgate Aquinas, and Ray Weathers, a 6- 4 senior guard from Jackson. Garavaglia is considered by many as the top player in Michigan this year and perhaps one of the nation's Top 25.