Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Commentary: Don’t invite Tark, Moose to same party

TYING UP SOME loose ends after the Final Four...

Having been to several Final Fours, it is safe to say last week's experience at the Meadowlands wasn't what we've come to expect. The normal atmosphere that accompanies one of America's great sporting events was missing, and with everyone staying in New York and the games being played in New Jersey, there was a sense of detachment to the event.

But being in a smaller venue obviously gives you a special feel and the Meadowlands has always been a good basketball building. It was like attending a private hoop party with 18,000 of your closest friends. And the games were good, so the final Final Four in a small venue will be a memorable one. ...

Did you pick up on who officiated the championship game between Syracuse and Kentucky? Two of UNLV's "favorites" -- Dave Libbey and Scott Thornley. Thornley, you may remember, gave Rebels coach Bill Bayno his first technical when UNLV played USC last December. ...

There were lots of familiar faces in New York. Jerry Tarkanian was holding court at the All Star Cafe in Times Square with bosom buddy Freddie Glusman close by, swapping tales with colleagues Eddie Sutton, Tom Penders and Rick Majerus. Tark looked relaxed and pretty good, but don't bring up Moose Stubing's name. Tark's still seething over Moose's call in Fresno State's triple-OT loss to New Mexico in the WAC tourney semis. ...

Former UNLV assistant Ron Ganulin is hanging in there at St. Francis (N.Y.). Over lunch at Junior's in Brooklyn, he said he has a unique recruiting dilemma -- it seems St. Francis can't offer grant-in-aid money to kids from certain zip codes in Brooklyn. That's odd a Brooklyn school can't help out kids from its own borough. ... Current UNLV administrative assistant Barry Rohrssen, a former St. Francis assistant, also made it in for lunch. "Slice" still gets comments about the recent SUN article about his days with the Washington Generals... Speaking of Junior's, guess who attended Stephon Marbury's press conference to announce he was going pro? Bayno and top assistant Greg Vetrone were on hand for the announcement. The UNLV coaches are close friends with Bobby Hartstein, Marbury's high school coach. ...

Another former UNLV assistant, Hofstra head man Jay Wright, also was dining at the All Star Cafe (it was a pretty popular place with the coaches and media during Final Four weekend) and said he didn't know if Rollie Massimino was going to Cleveland State or not. He added former Rebels Seth Meyers and Lawrence Thomas were doing well until both suffered injuries and Hofstra struggled to a 9-18 record. ...

Finally, just when you thought Bayno was done recruiting, that seven-man class he has signed may get larger and taller. Souleymane Wane, a 7-foot senior from Senegal who plays at Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, N.Y., will spend the weekend in Las Vegas visiting UNLV. The Rebels still are in it with Shamel Jones, a 6-8 forward from Paul Robeson High in Brooklyn and a top-50 player in the nation.

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