Few has some transitioning to do and this means weeding out some of the guys on the team that are not quite ready for prime time in the tougher than you think West Coast conference.  The two guys that are most vulnerable to lose time are an undersized duo of senior post players Jerry Vermillion and Gary Lechman.  At six four and six three these two are not exactly ready to guard the likes of the Two Bills in San Francsico. Lechman lost his starting role last year but still played way too many minutes.  This 6’3 post player did great in the Big Sky but the WCC is a different beast.  He will be lucky to get any minutes this year of any of the new kids Few brings in can play at all. Vermillion kept his job and was a solid contributor until he finally broke down three quarters of the way through the year.  Vermillion is small (6’4) but can leap out of the gym and is one of the best rebounders in the West Coast.  His scoring went down as the year progressed as his ability to bang down low on such a small frame really affected his health primarily his back. He is penciled in to start but that could change quickly as Few knows he has to get bigger in this league. 

The most important player who will be retuning and in the history of this program is Stockton.  The point guard who looks like a choirboy but is anything of the sort changed the culture of this program the day he walked onto this campus from Spokane Prep.  This home town kid (Stockton was born and bred in Spokane) set the city record for points but never even looked at another school as the Zags were his home.  His freshman season started a bit slow but he showed he had what it takes to compete every night. He is the perfect player for Few’s new ball screen continuity offense that relies on constant opportunity to screen and roll which Stockton is a master at. Stockton has become more than a great player however to Gonzaga.  His tenacity and toughness cut through the darkness that was this program like a light sabre slashing through a storm trooper’s helmet.  This Luke Skywalker was every bit the savior for this program that the rebel forces needed to guide them against the dark forces of the Empire.  And Stockton’s main weapon is not a light sabre but an uncanny knack to be able to handle the ball and deliver it to his teammates at just the right time.  Gifted with incredible playmaking skills, he may be as good of passer as there is in the game.  He also has a smooth stroke form the perimeter and is afraid of no one going to the hole.  Stockton has made the pick and roll his own personal play and all he needs to make it perfection is a willing teammate who can become the roll to Stockton’s notoriously filthy picks.  Or is that the other way around?  Either way Stockton has gained quite the reputation as one of the best and toughest (pasty gangsta anyone) hombres to ever come from the Pacific Northwest and that includes Cobain or Hendrix.  Stockton has become the face of this program with his work ethic and desire to win at all costs and someday soon might even surpass Mr. White Christmas as the face of Gonzaga.  For now, he is content trying to lead this team to the next level and this year will be a move in that direction. That is of course if these young kids Few brought to the Palouse can play cuz this team has their leader for the foreseeable future.  Stockton is just hoping that one of these kids can complement him on his favorite play. 

Stockton has a heck of a sidekick in the back court in senior Frank Burgess.  Burgess is the scoring companion of Stockton’s great playmaking but then again this kid could always score.  Burgess is a little bit older than most college players after serving in the Air Force but got a great opportunity to play in Spokane and never looked back.   Married and with twins, the 25 year old Burgess did not take this opportunity lightly and worked his way into being one of the best players this program has ever had.  A good shooter and a tenacious driver, Burgess is always there to hit the open shot when the ball comes his way.  Burgess plays much bigger than six foot one as for years he was by far the most athletic kid going to Gonzaga and was a terrific help on the boards.  Burgess played well with Stockton but can he adjust to the new era of basketball that relies on three point shooting. That new era is something Few is fully aware of and most of his recruits (and all of his perimeter players) understand the importance and have the three point shot as a primary part of their arsenal.  Burgess is definitely the Old Man on the team and plays a different style but his dedication to detail and his ability to fly all around the court will be a huge part of this of this burgeoning team’s success.  Burgess has the skills to play at the next level but this Renaissance man is motivated by something more than just playing basketball.  He has a family now and will for sure give the pros a shot but he also loves this area after being born and raised in Arkansas and traveling all around the world in the military.  ‘Every place I visit is a little bit better than the last one and after coming from Arkansas anything is better.  But I love Spokane and I can see myself raising a family here.’  A motivated man who is incredibly intelligent the future is his bright for Burgess and basketball is just of many options he will have to change the world.  But for now changing the future of this program is his # 1 priority. 

Speaking of priorities, the Gonzaga backcourt can match up with anyone in the WCC.  What they need is some some interior play.  The best returning player might be junior Greg Sten.  This Lost Boy from San Carlos goes 6’7 and can score and board but like most Zag interior players is a bit small for the battles underneath in the WCC.  He is projected to start next to Vermillion up front but will have to beat out some much bigger and more athletic guys to keep the job.  Other upperclassmen in the hunt for minutes include fellow juniors Bill ‘Captain’ Quigg, Jim Grady and combo forward Jimmy DeWeese plus sophomore Mike Champion.  None of these guys are overwhelming talent though DeWeese brings a nice porn stache to the team which has made him popular with the ladies in Spokane. I sure hope some other guys on the team don’t pick up this look.  The one guy who does have real size on the roster is senior Jean Claude Lefebvre.  This French kid goes 7’3 and 280 and obviously eats up a ton of space in the paint.  Too bad he is injury prone but he did show his potential by scoring 40 points in one game last year.  Few loves foreign guys (he recruits everywhere)  and wants him to be his centerpiece but there are rumors this kid is going back home.  If he stays he will be a big part of the team if and this is a big if, he stays healthy.  Guys this size have a hard time staying on the court and JCL is no exception.  Champion also has size at 6’10 230 but is a complete project who needs much more seasoning on the JV. 

The Zags got solid contributions from many different players throughout last year besides the aforementioned group that ended up being in the primary rotation at the end of the season.  Sophomore Jim McPhee was passed by more most of the year but dominated the JV squad. McPhee came on strong down the stretch and is looking for more minutes this season as he can really score form the wing.  Seniors Bill Wilson, Billy Suter, Jack Curran and Rich Evans have all had their time to shine here but all were better suited for the Big Sky then the WCC.  Curran is a three sport kid who can really defend but lost his starting job to Stockton last year.  This depth is what has defined the Zags and these players are committed to the betterment of this program.  Their roles cannot be minimized though their playing time almost assuredly will be.  A trio of sophomores including Jim’s brother Bryce are in the mix.  Bryce was injured last year but teamed with Don Baldwin and Doug Spradley to form a potent triumvirate in the back court for the JV.  These guys will get their shot but like everyone not named Stockton will have to fight off intruders to keep their gig. 

The Gonzaga Bulldogs keep trying to prove that no matter how big the school is and how unknown it might be that anybody can put together a team to compete with the big boys of college basketball if they do things right.  The Zags are a disciplined tam who have a tremendous superstar in the making and put all the components together at the right time to enjoy a fairy tale season.  The hope is that this is just the start of great things to happen for the little school form Washington.  As long as they have players like Stockton and company playing the game the way it is supposed to be played, good things will continue to happen!  And if they can keep the former baseball player from Eugene who fell into being a basketball coach when the Ducks quit offering baseball around Spokane for a few more years than the sky is truly the limit in Spokane!  And, no, we are not talking about Danny Ainge!