Monday, March 9, 1998

It's been a long road for Aggies

Berth in Elite Eight
culmination of hard
work during Williams era

By SCOTT M. JOHNSON
Enterprise staff writer

It's NCAA tournament time, which for most basketball fans means there are brackets to be filled and upsets to be picked.

But for UC Davis men's basketball coach Bob Williams, this season means much more.

This March, Williams finds himself more concerned with the St. Roses, Fairmont States and West Texas A&Ms than the Dukes, North Carolinas and Arizonas.

That's because the Aggies (28-2) have advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time in school history. On March 18, UCD will face West Texas A&M (26-4) in Louisville, Ky.

``As far as anything about what it's going to be like in Louisville, I don't know,'' Williams said following Saturday's 81-52 win over Seattle Pacific in the West Region final. ``I don't know what the national level teams are like.''

Williams was then asked about West Texas A&M and responded, ``I don't know is that who we've got?''

With eight days before the Aggies leave for Louisville, Williams has time to catch up on the upcoming opponent. The Aggies also have their longest break of the season, which could help players like Justis Durkee and Jason Cox finally rest injuries.

Then again, if Saturday night's win said anything, it was that Cox and Durkee -- who combined for 36 points and 20 rebounds are officially back.

``Now as we get healthy -- and hopefully by the time we get to Louisville we will be a healthy basketball team -- we have a chance to play with the very best in the country, and we realize that,'' Williams said.

While the future still holds uncertainty for the Aggies, Williams took some time immediately after Saturday's game to reflect on the past.

``To have ex-players from my first year here Todd Wilson, Kenny Manfredi, (Danny Yoshikawa), all those guys were here, and all those guys were happy for us, that's what special about it,'' Williams said. ``It's special to see the people that were there for us when we weren't quite so good, and those people who stuck with us and helped to support the program and the guys that have given blood, sweat and tears to help us get better and better every year.

``Anyone who thinks this has been an overnight success story and that this has been an easy journey obviously hasn't rode on the same train as we have. There has been a lot of hard work, a lot of pain and a lot of effort that's gone into it.''

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