Egoless Owls - Temple basketball

In assessing Temple's roster as practice began back in October, one couldn't help but wonder what the season would bring. Bloated egos impossible to control? Individuals more concerned with statistics than cumulative results? Players more interested in styling for the crDwd than playing for their coach?

The Owls were a team with a depleted frDntcourt . and one legitimate scorer. They were rife with inexperienced players, especially in the backcourt.

After 13 games, including a 70-55 upset of No. 5 Cincinnati last week, the picture is brighter, and the starting-guard tandem is the key.

Rasheed Brokenborough and Juan "Pepe" Sanchez. Ebony and Ivory. Fire and Ice

No nickname has stuck. No brotherhood established. No dominance achieved by a team that's 8-5 and expecting better. But one thing is clear: "Both those boys can play." Temple coach John Chaney says. "I'm very comfortable with my entire backcuurt especially those two. They have a quiet strength about them. An inner strength. They're intelligent. They're special. And they have a fire that burns inside them."

Brokenborough, a sophomore, is the Owls' leading scorer at 17.7 points a game after his 31 points against the Bearcats. That career-high performance came on the heels of a six-game shooting slumpin which he hit 8-of-45 3-point attempts.

Sanchez, a freshman,is third nrl the team in minutes (36.8 agame) and leads the team in assists (5.6 per game) while running Chaney's system as though were designed for him.

Brokenborough is a penetrator and a shooter. Sanchez is a dribbler and a passer. What's surprising is that the two newcomers have meshed so well.

Broltenborough is from Philadelphia. Sanchez is from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Brokenborough will use quickness and deception to fly by a defender or drill a 3-pointer in his face. Sanchez will lull a defender to sleep, patiently running Chaney's offense to perfection. Brokenborough is a smooth lefthander. Sanchez, a natural lefty, is ambidextrous on the court.

Sanchez, 19, signed a letter of intent with Temple two years ago. His arrival was delayed because he hadn't scored high enough on the Scholastic Assessment Test. It had been given to him in English, a language he hadn't mastered. Asfor Brokenborough, Chaney says it was love at first sight. "I knew the minute I met him, I wanted him. He reminded me of Eddie dones) and Aaron (McKie)."

After sitting out last season to fulfill academic-eligibility requirements, Brokenborough has scored in double digits in 11 games. Despite some inconsistency--he followedhis Cincinnati performance by going 4-of-15 in an overtime loss to No. 21 Xavier on Sunday--he's still shooting just under40 percent, which is better than the 38 percent the Owls allow opponents.

Sanchez, meanwhile, has alleviated Chaney's concern over replacing Levan Alston, last season's senior point guard. In 13 games, Sanchez has 73 assists and only 36 turnovers--seven coming against Xavier after a nine assist-one turnover showing against Cincinnati.

This kid played on Argentina's junior national team," Chaney says. "He played in the (1995) Pan American Games. He's competed internationally. The first time I saw tapes of this kid, I knew I liked him.Now I love him."

Accustomed to occasional turmoil and tohaving to defuse potential problems, Chaney hasn't seen arrything but a growing camaraderie this season. Junior Marc Jackson, who leads the team in minutes, fieldgoal and free-throw percentage, and rebounds, schooled the younger players in the ways of their sometimes-cranky father figure before they ever stepped on the court. For their part, the players have demonstrated a willingness to listen and learn.

Particularly Brokenborough and Sanchez. "People like Pepe and Rasheed, those quietstrength people, just emerge into being something very special and no one even claps. They don't walk around shooting their mouths off, screaming,'Lookat what I did,' " Chaney says.

Television generation

We're at the midway point of the season, and it seems natural, then, that there are a number of key conference games this week. To spice up its alwaysstrong schedule, ESPN is showing 10 key conference matchups Saturday through Thursday and calling it "Rivalry Week." ESPN spokesman Dean Diltz says the network worked with the conferences and did some rescheduling to puttogether the lineup.

The highlights: Tulsa at Utah at midnight ET Monday (10 p.m. Monday in Utah); Alabama at Auburn at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, and North Carolina at Duke at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday (alas, Dick Vitale will be in Durham, which may lessen the enjoyment for some viewers). Among the other matchups: Villanova at Georgetown on Monday, Providence at UConn on Wednesday and Cincinnati at Louisville on Thursday.

RELATED ARTICLE: Stanford

Why they're here: Kansas' Jacque Vaughn gets all the hype, but Brevin Knight may be the nation's top point guard. He's built like Tyus Edney, and he's also playing like the former UCLA star, driving and dishing, hitting the jumper and playing smothering defense. Tirn Young hasn't missed a beat after missing last season with a back injury. The 7-1 center is a smooth operator and the leader of a bevy of broad-shoulder rebounders.

They'll mowe up if: The reserves continue to produce for coach Mike Montgomery. The bench goes six deep and is baded with frontcourt help, including Mark Seaton, Pete Van Elswyk and Mark Madsen.

They'll drop out it: If yuards Kris Weems, Knight and Ryan Mendez go cold. Don't expect the unathletic fonvardsto pick up the slack This team may be too inexperienced--just two seniors--to win tight road games at hostile venues. Young must stay healthy.

[TABULAR DATA NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

COPYRIGHT 1997 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group