Fresno State Athletics
Future Excitement
1/31/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - ollowing a late afternoon basketball practice Noel Felix took some time to work on his jump shot at the far end of the South Gym. He faked a shot near the top of the key, dribbled just below the free throw line and then hit nothing but net. Assistant coach John Welch passed the ball back to Felix for another shot just outside of the key. There he practiced his turnaround jumper and face-up shot. After a short time of watching Felix, Welch then approached the slender freshman to give him counsel on improving his technique and concentration. Felix took one last shot, knocking down a 15-footer, before the two concluded their post-practice instruction session.
"Good job, today," head coach Jerry Tarkanian said as Felix gathered his accessories. "Thanks coach, I'll be ready tomorrow," Felix said, stating that he would be prepared to start in place of the injured Melvin Ely the next day against Northern Arizona.
That is the type of player Felix is, an athletic, hard working young man who will eventually blossom into a star. Felix, a 6-foot-8-inch forward from Inglewood High School in Inglewood, Calif. has been a pleasant surprise for the men's basketball team this year. He came to the Bulldogs like most freshmen do: talented, yet physically and mentally immature. He has been able to provide some relief for forward Larry Abney and also for center Melvin Ely who has struggled with an injury all season. Although the stat sheet may not show it, the young athlete is quickly developing into a solid all-around player. Felix said one reason for his rapid growth can be credited of the excellent coaching staff and its ability to teach the players individually.
"I wanted to come here because of the great support the players receive from the coaching staff," Felix said. "They said that the coaches would always be around to work out with me. So far I've been very involved with the coaches and they've been very available for me."
At Inglewood High, Felix was a dominating player to say the least. He averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game as a senior. In that same year he led his team to a birth in the state semifinals and a final record of 30-4. Felix credits much of his success in high school to the coaches he worked with.
"In high school my coaches taught me so much," Felix said. "On the court I learned that I must get everybody involved. At the same time, though, I had to know when to step up and take control, offensively and defensively. Most importantly, I grew to understand the necessity of heeding my coach's advice."
Hard work and patience will pay off for Felix in the end. Spending the short moments before and after practice polishing his game will do wonders for a freshman. Learning the ropes from Ely and Abney will also be a bonus. The two big men have been solid defenders in their career and Felix will learn good shot selection from their examples as well. "I still have plenty to learn about the game of basketball," Felix said. "I'm playing off reaction and emotion at this point, so I have gotten into some foul trouble at times. But I'm learning more and gaining confidence every day."
"There isn't a lot of pressure on me right now," Felix said. "I can watch and learn from Mel and Larry, but basically I just want to play hard, play my role, and have some fun."
Tarkanian likes what he sees in Felix. The fifth year coach admires Felix's desire to become great. Tark has been most impressed with Felix's maturity and believes the young man will grow to be an outstanding person, as well as a basketball player.
"Noel's a great kid and I really love him," Tarkanian said. "He played very well for us so far and I think he'll be able to contribute even more later on in the season as he gets better."
