Montgomery already has a sound nucleus of forwards in Jim Pollard and George Yardley but neither one of these studs will be able to replace the legend that is Hank Luisetti.  Luisetti is a superstar wing who had singlehandedly changed the way basketball is played.  Before this 6’2 185 basketball maestro matriculated down to Palo Alto from San Francisco the game of basketball was played almost motionless with players standing around shooting set shots.  He changed all of that with his patented one-handed runners which led to more action and higher scores.  The biggest game arguably in college basketball history was played when Luisetti was a freshman as Stanford traveled to Madison Garden to take on the undefeated and top-ranked Long Island team.  Coach Clair Bee’s boys were the toast of the Big Apple and media and fans could not wait to see LIU shutdown the overhyped west coaster.  Luisetti had the last laugh as he scored 32 and Stanford rolled the team from Long Island, winning by 15.  Luisetti was now top of the heap in college basketball and his barnstorming tour of the East Coast (they played 3 games in 4 cities) was like Elvis coming to those cities and like the King he never played in front of an empty seat.  He then led Stanford to the Big Dance and almost won the whole thing.  Luisetti lost a couple of years later on serving his country in the Big War and almost lost his life but came back last year for one more go.  Luisetti was not the same as he had been but he was still magic to watch.  And boy did they come to watch.  Sure, the game is now dominated by seven footers and high flyers (one who plays next to him0 but the impact of Hank cannot be understated.  He is the original trail blazer and was the first player selected by the new pro league looking to capitalize on this game he helped build.  As good as Alcindor and Chamberlain and Mikan are and as important as they are to the history of this game, nobody has meant more than this Palo Alto Prodigy.   For that matter, he may be as important to the game itself as anyone who ever laced up sneakers and yet hardly anyone knows who he is.  And now we are finding out he will not be able to play pro basketball due to some medications he took to save his life during the WAR.  What a shame.  Because he is one of a handful, I would pay the price of admission to watch play.   Heck, I would send in a paycheck to see this guy loft up a one-hander as he ran towards glory. 

Pollard is almost the exact opposite of Luisetti.  He is every bit as gifted but is more inclined to take a secondary role.  Coming from the other side of the bay, this Oakland kid has never had a problem playing in the shadows of the great wings.  If you reverse two words in that sentence it means the same thing.  He is the one senior who does have great athleticism.. The aptly named Kangaroo Kid can jump through the roof.  He took off in a game against Arizona and dunked from behind the free throw line on a fast break.  He does not like the attention whereas Luisetti was the ultimate showmen.  Pollard does produce.  He can score when asked and will rebound and is a terrific passer.  He is a great defender and of course can match up with anyone athletically.  It’s his ball now but he still has to share it with another great athlete who is a little more verbose about his intentions on the court. 

Yardley is Mr. Consistent inside.  Not big at 6’5, Yardley gets by with smarts and a quick shot.  The ‘Yardbird’ as he is known to his frat brothers knows his angles and he knows how to get his shot off against bigger guys. Yardley also has the knack of drawing fouls and produces when he gets to the line. He is good for points and boards every night and always produces with the game on the line.  He too could score twenty a night as he did when Luisetti was gone but we will see how that works out with a new coach in town.  The original ‘Bird’ did miss some games last year as the new much more physical game took its toll on the undersized power forward.  But the games that he and Luisetti and Pollard were on the floor together and healthy they were a marvel to watch.  Too bad that only happened a total of 12 times in the last three years.  That could be the biggest reason this team has fallen back in the pack but one thing is for sure, Stanford is moving ‘forward’ this year with their duo of studs coming back for one last run in the Pac-10. 

Point guard looks like it could be a huge issue starting the season with Luisetti’s long time partner in crime, Howie Dallmar leaving as well.   Fellow senior Paul Neumann will take over but he will be tested in his new role as he was a combo guard off the bench for years.  Neumann is a bona fide matinee star who is tough as nails but has never played the lead.  He is feisty and makes a heck of a salad dressing at team functions but we will see if he can handle being the main man.  He does not score much but does not need to on this team and knows how to get the ball to the hot hand and on this team that can be just about anyone.  He has a bright future but being in every scene is much different than showing off in limited roles. 

Montgomery is not sure about his center coming into this year.  He had a returning seven footer who can flat rebound but he is not sure if he will fit into his new schemes.  Montgomery has brought in a huge group of players and we do mean huge.  He has recruited 6 new kids that are all either seven foot or dang near.  He got a couple of twofers in that deal as he is bringing in two sets of twins from down south to play in Palo Alto.  Obviously, this is a reaction to what is happening in SoCal in an effort to keep up with those monsters in LA.  Junior Rich Kelley will have to fight off these new kids as he has been attempting to do with Alcindor and Walton almost singlehandedly for the last two years.   He is a terrific rebounder and showed last year he can score a little.  He is the consummate team player and Stanford would not have been as good as they were without the big man manning the post.   

That’s not to mention the holdovers including seniors Tom Dose, Bob Bedell and John Windsor plus junior Kimberly Belton. Plus sophomores Howard Wright, Brian Welch and John Revelli who never even really got on the court except for JV.  None could match Kelley’s size as none of these cats are taller than Dose who goes 6’8.  This does not include Don Burness who also left for greener pastures.  This is a group of workmanlike players who can produce in limited minutes but none are going to hang with Walton or Edwards up in Seattle.  Thus, all the incoming big men in the freshman class.  That is what Montgomery was brought here to do and unlike his former stop in Montana, he has the resources and prestige to get any kid he wants in Palo Alto and these kids actually want to come here.  Who doesn’t?   Dose and Belton will still play this year at least until the kids get their feet wet (there are some solid power forwards in this upcoming class well bigger then these guys).  

Sophomore wing Todd Lichti got many more minutes then he was expecting going into last year due to the injuries they performed well.  Lichti is a good solid wing who can score and is tough.  He is not a great athlete but is smart (it is Stanford) and knows how to play the game.  He will not make anyone forget Luisetti (how can you) but is presumed to get a starting spot and he will produce.  The rest of the bench is hit and miss and nowhere near the talent of Lichti.  Seniors Art Harris, Jim Walsh Ron Tomsik are also in the mix and bring different games to the table.  Tomsik is only 5’11 but can flat get to the hoop and has a nice jump shot.  He was a star here at one point but his size limits him but do not count him out.  He came back last year after serving in the Air Force and was lights out when he was on the floor.  Walsh is on the roster but way down the totem pole at this point after a solid career in Palo Alto.  Harris is a 6’4 combo guard who does everything well.  Except shoot.  If he could shoot a little he would start but he will play at both guard spots.  Junior Mike Bratz who will battle with Neumann for the point, was a solid backup in his first year after transferring from a JC, something they do not do at Stanford.  Brazt can hit a three but is not quick enough to guard really quick point guards but neither is Neumann.  Fellow Junior Claude Terry is the designated long range shooter and will light it up when he is on.  He was made for the three-point line but is limited athletically and has problems guarding athletic wings but boy can he shoot.   Sophomore Keith Jones has a shot as well after turning up the JV. 

The Cardinal of Stanford have a great history but have long been a program that has been overlooked in the PAC Ten. They have had great players but never been able to put together the type of team that could compete with the Big Dogs of the Pac Ten.  At least not in the recent past.  Coach Mike Montgomery has been brought in to change all of that. He has recruited size and large helpings of it in an effort to hang with the mighty Bruins from the southern part of the Golden State.  But after losing the best player not only to go here but quite arguably the best wing in the history of the game some of the upperclassmen need to step and show they can lead this program back to glory.  Size helps but if you do not have the skill and athleticism to go with it then you will not be able to get the job done.  When it counts.  Stanford is one of the most prestigious Universities in the country but to just get into this school feels like it takes an act of Congress.  The requirements have loosened up a bit and this program wants to be able to get back to dancing but if they couldn’t get there with the great Hank Luisetti in Palo Alto it might not be achievable.  But is the center of the technological world we have learned you can achieve anything with some attitude, smarts and a lot of hard work.