April 23, 2003
At the Big 12 Conference Media Day last October, the league's coaches and media picked Texas A&M to finish last in the conference race. After all, the Big 12 is arguably the toughest league in college basketball and the Aggies were coming off their eighth straight losing season.
Sure, all-star guard Bernard King was returning for his senior season and the Aggies were bringing in freshman Antoine Wright, perhaps the top recruit in school history. Could the Aggies finally have their long-awaited breakout season?
The Aggies finished 9-22 in 2001-02, including a 3-13 mark in Big 12 play that left them dead last in the league standings. But after four years of battling key injuries and off-the-court problems within the program, coach Melvin Watkins was confident his fifth A&M team would prove the pundits wrong, despite a formidable schedule.
"I know we're going to be a better basketball team," Watkins said before the season. "But because of how good the league is, can we make that jump in the standings? I know we can, but only time will tell."
The 2002-03 Aggies made tremendous strides, including a 14-14 overall record, its first non-losing season since 1994 and only its second in 14 years. The Aggies tied for seventh in the Big 12 with a 6-10 mark, which included wins against Texas Tech and No. 21-ranked Missouri. In the non-conference season, A&M posted wins against eventual NCAA Tournament teams LSU and Texas Southern, as well as NIT-bound Tennessee. A&M's five-spot improvement in the standings from the preseason polls was the best in the league.
King became the career scoring leader in A&M and Big 12 history in February and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, becoming the first A&M player to make the first or second team since Big 12 play began in 1997.
Wright was the consensus choice as the Big 12's Freshman of the Year and was named honorable mention All-Big 12, the only freshman to make the team. Junior guard Kevin Turner also was honored, making the Big 12 All-Reserve Team after ranking second in scoring among the league's non-starters.
Watkins also landed another top-25 rated recruiting class, which he calls his best in six years at A&M. That class includes four freshmen and a junior college point guard who could have an immediate impact next season. Despite the loss of King, forwards Keith Bean and Brian Brookhart, and point guard Bradley Jackson to graduation, Watkins believes the Aggies are set for an even better season in 2003-04.
Wright and Turner are among the eight lettermen who are expected to return, joining guards Leandro Garcia-Morales, Dylan Leal and Marcus Watkins, forwards Jesse King and Tomas Ress, and center Andy Slocum. Forward Nick Anderson, the team's No. 2 scoring as a freshman and sophomore, missed the second half of season because of an academic suspension, but is expected to return next season. Watkins also will welcome the contributions of forward Luis Clemente, who sat out last season,
Slocum misssed much of the season because of injuries and a suspension, but finished strong with three straight double-figure scoring games and a double-double at the Big 12 Tournament. Ress, a finalist for the 2003 Jimmy V Comeback Award, may have been the most improved player in the league, averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in league play.
The early signing class consisted of point guard Acie Law IV, shooting guard Justin Loewe and forwards Marlon Pompey and LaKeith Blanks. He added standout junior college point guard Bobby Leach to the class in April.
The early breakdown of the 2002-03 Aggies:
By Height:
7-0: Tomas Ress, Andy Slocum
6-8: Luis Clemente, Marlon Pompey
6-7: Jesse King III, Antoine Wright
6-6: Nick Anderson, LaKeith Blanks
6-5: Dylan Leal, Justin Loewe
6-4: Marcus Watkins
6-3: Acie Law IV
6-2: Leandro Garcia-Morales, Kevin Turner
6-1: Bobby Leach
By Class:
Seniors (7): Nick Anderson, Leandro Garcia-Morales, Jesse King III, Dylan Leal, Tomas Ress, Andy Slocum, Kevin Turner
Juniors (1): Bobby Leach
Sophomores (3): Luis Clemente, Marcus Watkins, Antoine Wright
Freshmen (4): LaKeith Blanks, Acie Law IV, Justin Loewe, Marlon Pompey
By Position
Point Guards: Acie Law IV, Bobby Leach, Leandro Garcia-Morales
Shooting Guards: Acie Law IV, Dylan Leal, Justin Loewe, Leandro Garcia-Morales, Kevin Turner, Marcus Watkins, Antoine Wright
Small Forwards: Nick Anderson, LaKeith Blanks, Jesse King III, Tomas Ress, Marcus Watkins, Antoine Wright
Power Forwards: Nick Anderson, Luis Clemente, Jesse King III, Marlon Pompey, Tomas Ress
Centers: Marlon Pompey, Tomas Ress, Andy Slocum
By State/Country
California: Kevin Turner, Antoine Wright
Canada: Marlon Pompey
Italy: Tomas Ress
Louisiana: Nick Anderson, Andy Slocum
Maryland: LaKeith Blanks
Michigan: Jesse King III
Pennsylvania: Bobby Leach
Puerto Rico: Luis Clemente
Texas: Acie Law IV
Dylan Leal
Justin Loewe
Marcus Watkins
Uruguay: Leandro Garcia-Morales