Westhead’s philosophy is to put as much pressure on the other team as possible by running the court nonstop throughout the game.  He also loves the 3 point shot but the main focus of the offense is to basically get a shot off in the first ten seconds of the shot clock (the first seven if optimal).  Westhead knew going into this year he needed better athletes not only to keep with the vast talent of the vastly underrated WCC.  He has two prized transfers (from USC) who are the antithesis of this style of basketball. The Lions want to lead the country in scoring and these two best friends who grew up together in Philly will be the key.  Hank Gathers is the kind of inside presence this program has never had.  He can run the court (you have to at LMU) but can also score from the blocks and rebound.  At six eight and a muscular 210 pounds ‘Hammerin’ Hank loves to clean the glass and get it to one of his teammates to start a fast break.  He hustles every play and it is not unique to see Hank start the play with a board and finish it with a dunk as the trailer on a fast break. He is that kind of player. 

Kimble is the prototype for Westhead’s ‘track’ style of basketball.  Kimble is a wing who can run all day.  He can score from anywhere.  He can finish with flair or hit a 25 footer.  He also plays passing lanes really well and led the team in steals which almost always resulted in a dunk for Bo. He came along with his best friend Gathers when Westhead heard they were unhappy barely playing as USC freshmen. These kids did not travel all the way out from Philly for the sun and to sit on the pine and watch Westphal and company have another mediocre season for the Trojans.  These buddies do like the tanned girls and did now want to leave SoCal so they were easy pickings for the smooth-talking coach with the slicked back hair who just happens to be a Philly native himself.  

Leading the way of returning players is a pair of guards who get the job done.   Senior Rick Adelman combines with junior Richard Dixon as a fine complement to each other. Both started most of the year and were great together. Both can run so they should transition well into the new system. One of the strengths of the Lions new system is the maneuverability of the players.  Since offense is the main focal point the defense is more of a cover whoever is in your area type of things so all of the players need to be multifaceted on defense.  Westhead could match up with teams and move players around accordingly. Dixon can play big guard or small forward and all of the guards are similar in that they can guard quick or a bit bigger. Adelman is a coach n the floor who can really shoot.  Both are little suspect at defending but which Lion isn’t?  Adelman was supposed to come into the season with his sidekick in crime and fellow senior Jerry Grote coming back in what was supposed to be the glue of the team.  The Lions had not exactly torn up the WCC in this duo’s three years together so the writing was on the wall especially with all of the recruits the Philly wander had brought into this jungle.  Grote (no not the catcher) will not last long as he did not fit in Westhead’s scheme of things.  Grote is a wing but is nowhere near the athlete needed to play at the speed the Lions will play at this season.  Adelman on the other hand, is fit for pace but even this ‘second coach’ could be vulnerable to some of the super quick guards Westhead is bringing to town.  Adelman is a terrific ball handler and passer who also has a nice pull up jump shot from mid-range.  He is not a three-point threat but he was the unquestioned leader of these kids and was unanimously voted team captain before the season started. This LA kid is smart as they come and understands the game and will play at whatever style or pace is needed to succeed. This beach boy has an outside shot at playing at the next level primarily due to his smarts and the fact that this team got more attention than most teams at this level.  Playing in this town can’t hurt either but if Adelman has a chance to play at the next level he better be surrounded with the kind of talent he had around him last year at Loyola.   

Dixon got some big minutes and was Mr. Consistent for the Lions in his first year.  He played in all 33 games starting most of them and contributing with his ability to score, defend and shoot.  When he comes in this high-octane machine, Dixon should not miss a beat as he can do anything on the basketball court. And at six four he has good size and is a big help on the boards.  This athletic kid from Chicago should start next to Adelman this year once again in a terrific backcourt full of speed and skill but with enough size to hang with the big dogs and looking at next year’s schedule they will need it! 

Sophomore Forrest McKenize is the projected fifth starter or first guy off the bench depending on which way Westhead wanted to go on a given night.  McKenzie is a swing forward so when he started that meant that Junior big man Jim Haderlein was not starting.  As the year progressed Westhead went with this lineup more and more as it better suited for his style of play to have McKenzie who can most definitely run the floor getting minutes ahead of the slothenly Haderlein.  An injury midway through the year changed all of that as McKenzie missed the rest of the year. He will have to work his way back up the food chart this year. This Pasadena kid can score and rebound and has the size at six seven and a strong 200 pounds to hang at either forward positon.  Forrest fits in well with the Lions up and down pace but can also match up with some true small forwards which is a big key to this team as he was probably the only one on the roster who could do this.  McKenzie has a harder time against bigger forwards but is tough and hangs in there and because he has solid all-around skills is a tough matchup for them. He is consistent and always there when you need a play on either end. 

Three solid upperclassmen platooned last year at the post position, The aforementioned Haderlein and seniors Garnette Brown and Ed Bento may not be the Hankster but they are solid no nonsense post guys.  Both can score and rebound.  They will have some issues getting used to the fast pace but they do give the team some muscle and are very productive platooning.  They will have to trade off because neither could keep up for a full game at the pace the Lions play.  Haderlein starts the season as the main option down low and is the leading carryover scorer and rebounder.  The six eight man is a beast on the boards but his lack of athleticism leaves him with virtually no shot at keeping his job this year.  Bento and Brown have been studs against lesser competition early in their careers but the athletes and size up front of teams like San Francisco and Pacific were out of these guys pay grade!  They will be up against it this year even in the out of conference schedule/  It is not like WEsthead had a problem scheduling this year. Everybody wanted the high flying Lions (obviously thinking this would be an easy win but also fill some seats) and this is a tough schedule. Winning ten games would be a huge step forward for these Courageous Lions.

Junior Luther Philyaw will be in the mix for minutes.  Philyaw is a combo guard but can shoot from distance and is quick.  His size says point but his game says wing. Fellow junior Greg Hunter played a bunch of minutes last year but out of position at the post.  He is a combo forward who can run but might not be able to keep up with the pace that is coming his way.  He will get minutes though at least until the kids dry up the water behind their ears. Sophomore Keith Smith is another guard in the mold that Westhead wants that can run and score and he got some healthy minutes especially early on and produced some solid numbers.  This lefty from Flint Michigan (yes, this team recruits nationwide) and should start this year at the two unless one of the super recruits replaces him.  He will play plenty of minutes and can score and pass.  The key bench player for the Lions is sophomore Jeff Fryer.  Fryer gives the team the kind of three-point shooter that WEsthead covets.  He can light it up all day long.  He hit 11 in one game this year and when he is on this team is tough to beat.  Of course, like all three point specialists he is not always on.  Enoch Simmons is another sophomore wing who got some minutes late and did okay.  Whether or not he fits Westhead’s system is a big question but he does have good size at 6’4 and is flexible. The rest of the bench was a group of forwards who play different roles.  Sophomore Mike Yoest is hardnosed and competitive and got some mop up minutes but also produced when called upon.  He will be in the mix for more next year. Senior John Kurtz works hard and brings toughness but does not fit the new style at all.

The LMU Lions had a season to forget in the WCC.  So much so they are hiring a coach who got a bad rap but had much success in the Pros.  He hasn’t promised many more wins but he has promised to entertain and has some young studs coming with that will change this culture and in a hurry.  Paul Westhead is using his Philly connections to bring in some new talent that should make his system run.  The Lions have a crazy schedule and they should get the kind of recognition that most southern Californians love to have. After all any publicity is good publicity or so the publicists say.