Fresno State Athletics
Work In Progress
2/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - It would appear on the surface that the Bulldogs' successful early start is only attributed to the spectacular performances of their starting lineup: Melvin Ely, Chris Jefferies, Tito Maddox, Demetrius Porter and Shannon Swillis. However, many of the contributions on offense and defense have come from role players that have stepped in and continue to improve their game. And while the thought of not getting very much playing time may not sit will with some players, sophomore Noel Felix knows it comes with the territory.
"I feel like I can do a little bit of everything but it's just not as polished as I'd like, said Felix. "I don't really have any experience doing it. I know that I can do things like hit the three, create a shot or post up, but none of them are polished. That's why I'm trying to put in the added time to work on these things."
That kind of attitude and work ethic is what Fresno State coaches have come to appreciate in Felix. Entering the month of February, the forward was putting up respectable numbers playing in an average of 13.4 minutes per game: 3.8 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. The Inglewood, Calif., native is one of the more athletic players on the Bulldogs' squad and has the potential to be a dominant shot-blocker as he matures. Felix continues to improve each game as he learns by watching starters such as Ely and Swillis.
"They're very smart players," noted Felix. "Melvin is real good at getting his body into people and he always manages to keep his balance. That's something I've been trying to work on. He's a really effective player and I want to do things like that also so I can be just as effective on both sides of the floor."
It seems like the Bulldogs have been very effective in what they have attempted so far this season. Fresno State's 17-2 overall record after 19 games before making their road trip to Hawaii and San Jose State was five games better than their 12-7 mark at the same point last season. The Bulldogs jumped into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since Dec. 9, 1997 and debuted with a No. 22 ranking. Jerry Tarkanian and his coaching staff have routinely pushed all the right buttons, whether it's personnel decisions or which defense to employ. So just what are the Bulldogs doing differently this year?
"First and foremost, everyone is focused on trying to condition better," Felix said, noting the eligibility of point guard Maddox as yet another reason. "Everyone knows his limits and no one is trying to do too much. We're just out here trying to have fun and win games. Our defense has also been a big factor, and that's mainly because of the work we put in before the season."
One of the biggest changes is that this year's team is exactly that: a team. The chemistry between the players is at an all-time high compared to teams of past seasons and all egos are checked at the door. The starting unit jumps out to an early lead and the bench steps in and maintains a tempo favorable to the Bulldogs' style. During Fresno State's conference showdown with UTEP, the starters watched from the bench as the Bulldogs reserves reached the century mark before the visiting Miners could break 50. That in itself is a far cry from the way last season's games would unfold. Even a younger player such as Felix has noticed a change in the Bulldogs' tenacity.
"Last season we had a player in Courtney Alexander that could carry the team and we took advantage of that to the fullest. We had good players like Meechie (Porter) and Terrance Roberson, but Courtney was able to come out every night and dominate a game. There were some games where he was the reason we won so if it was a team thing, we may not have been as successful."
That's what makes Felix so valuable to the Fresno State squad. For only having one year of experience, he can recognize that the Bulldogs will need nothing less than a complete team effort if they are to make a run deep into the NCAA Tournament. And what's equally impressive is the work ethic that the 6-foot-8 sophomore has displayed throughout his second season. Felix has been known to stay up to an hour after practice perfecting his post moves or shoot around with teammates on an off day.
"Sometime I may put myself in a hole when I get into foul trouble or don't play as consistent as I want to," said Felix, "but when I get that together, I should be good."
