Fresno State Basketball

Memorial High School superstar Robert Upshaw and his family were all ready to move to Kansas.

When Kansas State head coach Frank Martin decided to take the head coaching job at the University of South Carolina, things changed.

Today at around 3:00 pm Robert Upshaw signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Fresno State University.

The announcement was made at Antonio's Mexican Restaurant in Fresno, California.

Upshaw is the 12th ranked center by Rivals.com which was last updated 4-11-2012.

The 7-foot 270 pound center credited his relationship with Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry as one of the deciding factors in this huge decision.  "The real thing about it is, I had a relationship with coach Terry that's been lasting for the last four years.  That's what really turned me on," said Upshaw.

Fresno State's newest player is already confident he can help the Bulldogs.  "I felt like I can make this program better as a player and as an individual, I also feel like the team can take it to a further level," said Upshaw on one of the reasons he chose Fresno State.

Fresno State fans can thank Upshaw's mom, Ceylon Sherman, for their new face of the Fresno State basketball program.

Instead of Robert Upshaw signing a national letter of intent, she advised her son to sign a nonbinding athletic aid agreement instead.  This allowed her son to back out of his commitment to Kansas State with no repercussions. He lost no eligibility and was free to choose any school that hadn't already used up all available scholarships.

Unless otherwise noted, the quotes from this article were obtained firsthand by Gean May.

After a hard fought defensive battle on Friday night against Illinois State, the Fresno State basketball team (1-0) had two days to prepare for their battle in Palo Alto against the Stanford Cardinal (1-0) in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off.

Stanford guard Aaron Bright and the rest of the Cardinal proved to be too much for Fresno, beating the Bulldogs 75-59.

Bright led all scorers with 21 points.

Stanford led 34-30 at the half with Jonathon Wills leading the Bulldogs in scoring with nine points in the first 20 minutes.

The two teams traded 3-pointers to start the game,  Fresno State's Kevin Foster started the transaction and Stanford's Aaron Bright reciprocated making it 3-3 just 33 seconds into the game.

The two teams went back-and-fourth in the first half with Fresno State taking a 15-10 lead on a three pointer by guard Tyler Johnson.  Stanford answered with a 10-0 run putting the cardinal on top 20-15.  Fresno State stopped the run on a 3-point field goal by Kevin Foster.

During the first 12:30 of the game, Fresno State never trailed.

The Bulldogs were able to stay in the game in the first half, going 4-8 from beyond the arc.

Stanford started the second half with a 9-0 run.  The Bulldogs did themselves no favors by turning the ball over four times in the first 1:27 of the second half.

Stanford led by as many as 13 in the second half before they were able to pull away late in the game. The Bulldogs continued to battle as Kevin Olekaibe scored eight straight points including two 3-pointers to cut the lead to five, at 50-45.  Five points would be as close as the Bulldogs would get in the second half.

Olekaibe finished with a team high 19 points, including nine points from 3-point land.

The Bulldogs will stay in Palo Alto and play again on Tuesday against SMU.

Stanford will play Colorado State on Tuesday with a chance to move on to New York to rap up the tournament.

Fresno State Notes

Rodney Terry has added three new players for the 2012- 2013 season via the 2011 early signing period.

Terry added two big-men and a point guard according to GoBulldogs.com.

Aaron Anderson is a 6'3" point guard from Edmond, Oklahoma.  Anderson averaged 8.4 points per game and 3.9 assists as a junior at Santa Fe High School.

Braeden Anderson will add size to the Bulldogs with a 6'9" 225-pound frame.  Anderson is a power forward from Alberta, Canada and was a Mr. Canada Basketball Award Winner. He is also a Top 50 power forward.

The Bulldogs also added Tanner Giddings,  a 6'9" center/power forward from Windsor, California.

Fresno State basketball's new head coach Rodney Terry and his Bulldogs took the floor Friday night at the Save Mart Center for the second time in seven days.

This time the game counted, and the Bulldogs defeated the Illinois State Redbirds 55-47 on a night dedicated to our nation's service members on Veterans Day. The Bulldogs were able to extend their winning streak to 9-0 in home openers at the Save Mart Center.

The game was hard-fought by both sides and was in question right down to the final minutes.

The Bulldogs led by 11 with 6:46 left in the first half, but the Redbirds climbed back into it, tying it at 26-26 at the half.

Adjustments

After giving up the big lead, the Bulldogs defense tightened up and at one point held the Redbirds scoreless for nearly nine minutes.

Defense was definitely the key to the game for the Bulldogs, though Coach Terry is confident the offense will come around.

 "This time of year, early in the year, your defense is always a lot of the times ahead of your offense," said Terry. 

"We have some guys that score the basketball, we will continue to get better offensively."

Key Moments

With under two minutes to play, forward Kevin Foster put the Bulldogs ahead 48-44, but Redbirds freshman point guard Nic Miller immediately followed up by nailing a three-pointer to pull Illinois State to within one with 1:27 to play.

Miller finished the night as the Redbirds' leading scorer with 13 points

The Bulldogs had an answer for the big three-pointer as sophomore guard Kevin Olekaibe put the nail in the coffin with just over a minute to play by driving to the hole for two and the foul; Olekaibe completed the three-point play to put the Bulldogs up 51-47.

The Dogs defense clamped down from there, not allowing another point. Senior guard Jonathon Wills hit four free throws down the stretch to salt the game away for the Bulldogs.

The Kevins Lead

Olekaibe led all scorers with 18 points. The other Kevin (forward Kevin Foster) added eight points of his own and grabbed six rebounds, including a key jumper down the stretch. 

The International Newcomer Seemed Lost at Times

The Bulldogs' freshman transplant from China, Grant Hefeng, still looks like he is trying to find his way. The 6'8" forward finished the night with two points and one rebound in 14 minutes of play; all of his offensive numbers came in the first half.

A Good look at Coach Terry

Coach Terry is intense and not afraid to get at a player at any given time. On the court, you're going to hear it, but you're not safe on the bench either.

Terry is constantly coaching, and again, intense with instructions, making it abundantly clear, "that's how you do or don't do it." He doesn't do it in a negative way, he simply carries it out in an intense manner and his players have seemed to respond well to his style thus far.

Next up for the Bulldogs are the Stanford Cardinal in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off in Palo Alto, California Monday.

All quotes were taken at Rodney Terry's press conference by Gean May on 11-11-2011

Chris Herren, a drug-afflicted basketball player, has turned his life around after nearly ending it on many occasions.

The former Fresno State Bulldog is now traveling the country, chronicling students with the stories of his drug-soaked past—one that knocked him out of his basketball life.

Now 36 years old, the promising young baller from Fall River, Massachusetts is buried in his memories. While playing at Durfee High School, Herren garnered the attention of many. He seemed ready to take the next step, as his on-court game was far beyond anyone’s around him.

You could always catch Herren tossing in a mean fist-pump after a made basket or a no-look pass. He had the goods and the town around him knew it.

Soon enough, the weight of the town’s expectations weighed down on the player. Unguarded, a documentary on ESPN regarding his life, shows it took a toll on him at an early age. As a teen, every move he made was expected to be done so responsibly.

After an injury at Boston College curbed his season, Herren traveled to Fresno State to play hoops. His level of play was incredible. Someone in the documentary commented that he did it all without focusing solely on the game, and he was curious to know how good he would have been if he hadn’t got caught up in drugs.

John Finnegan wrote “Hoop Dreams Deferred: The Sad Tale of Chris Herren,” where he talked about the downfall of the guard.

“In December 2004, Herren was charged with possession of heroin and driving under the influence with a revoked license in a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot in Portsmouth, RI.”

After being taken in the second round of the NBA draft in 1999, Chris Herren’s drug use spiraled out of control. He hit rock bottom, but has been able to rebound and salvage his life.

He now travels to schools to give young adults a detailed look into how bad it can actually get. He doesn’t sugar-coat his struggles, he broadcasts them. He tells the students how easily everything can come crashing down.

"I've been to hell and back," said Herren. "I lived the life that most people, a lot of people, don't get a chance to come out of, straight up. By the grace of God and the help from a plethora of people, I was able to come out of this.”

Herren finally took his life by the reins, and his immediate reaction was to try and keep the next generation out of the hole he fell into.

It’s a very honorable move by a changed man.

The Fresno State Men's Basketball team ended the regular season on a high note, beating the red hot Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 85-70 at the Save Mart Center.

In a totally lopsided affair, the Rainbow Warriors only bright spot was guard Zane Johnson, who had a game-high 21 points.

The difference maker was hustle and rebounds, as Fresno State out-rebounded Hawai'i 43-30.

Hawai'i came into Fresno riding a five-game winning streak and winning nine out of the last 11 games.  On a night when the Bulldogs (14-15, 6-9 WAC) were honoring their only senior Nedeljko Golubovic, they never trailed once.

Golubovic finished the game with 7 points and 5 rebounds, which is higher than he averages for the season in both categories.

Freshman guard Kevin Olekaibe led the way for the Bulldogs with 17 points, and he was 3 for 5 from three-point range. Sophomore forward Greg Smith also had a big night with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

The Bulldogs were coming off a tough loss to Idaho on the road, a game in which they played very well; they seemed to play with the same kind of energy against Hawaii.

Head coach Steve Cleveland liked the energy heading into the WAC tournament against No. 6 seed Nevada.

"Everybody was just you know, they were engaged," Cleveland said.  "And so when we do play like this, it's fun for everyone.

Cleveland was very clear about this game not being the end to the season,The Bulldogs still have at least one more game, if not more.

"We're not finished. We're not finished," Cleveland said with conviction. "We need to prepare the next three days for Nevada and know that we've got a big-time ballgame to go against a team that's very, very talented offensively." 

College basketball season starts in just a few days. Yeah, it's not only played in March and April, for all of you who just tune into the greatest event in the world of sports.

The Fresno State Bulldogs will get things started at home on Friday night against the Gators of San Francisco State.

Last year the Bulldogs were a very young team. They returned only two experienced players in Ned Golubovic and Dwight O'Neil. They brought in a nice class last year, with transfer Sylvester Seay and newcomer Paul George leading the way.

They played like a team that was thrown together with what they had available. With the team's only senior, O'Neil, serving a suspension and later coming back to play off the bench, the team had guys all looking for a leader. Seay sometimes was the guy. Other nights, Michael Ladd looked like he might be the guy.

The most consistent player was the freshman George. Not only was he capable of highlight dunks, but he was also the team's most accurate three-point shooter. 

This year, Steve Cleveland brings back the core of his squad—and for the first time, he has a full allotment of scholarships. His first four years in Fresno he's been handcuffed because of mistakes (politely putting it) made by his predecessors.

This offseason he was able to bring in a talented recruiting class. Greg Smith, a freshman from Fresno, will be a much-needed upgrade in the interior. This class also features Jerry Brown from the Bay Area and late addition Steven Schepps, a transfer point guard who brings needed experience and backcourt leadership.

Altogether, this year's squad returns six guys from last year and six newcomers.

Cleveland put together a favorable schedule this year, with only two opponents having played in the NCAA tourney last season. This should allow for the team to come together, play competitive early games, and become a confident squad with a chance to steal a WAC title.

Okay, stealing a WAC title may be a stretch for a team that barely won three conference games last year. But this team has the experience to win those close games like the two they lost to Utah State last year. They also have a legitimate star in Paul George. If you don't know who he is, check his name on YouTube.

I predict them to come in third in the WAC, behind Utah State and Nevada (not necessarily in that order). Depending on how the field shapes up and how many non-conference wins the Bulldogs can rack up, they may be able to pick up an at-large NCAA invite.

It would be only the fifth time in team history and a major accomplishment for a team that was nearly left for dead after the scandalous years of Jerry Tarkanian and Ray Lopes.

Coach Cleveland has so far done a great job of bringing back respect to the program. Now for the first time since Melvin Ely left the Bulldogs, there is reason to be excited about Fresno State hoops.

If any resident or former resident of Fresno is reading this, I have a question for you tonight:

Who should you really cheer for in the NBA Finals?

The valley has a bevy of Laker fans (yes, I'm one of them), but there probably aren't too many Magic fans out there.

I can probably imagine the sports stores at Fashion Fair and Sierra Vista Mall probably won't have too much Orlando merchandise, because Fresno is closer to L.A.

But I will say that if you go for the Lakers tonight, there might be one person on the other end you should cheer for.

Yes, Rafer Alston has stepped on some toes throughout his life. He got in trouble while at Fresno State, he's had arrests, he even tried smacking around Eddie House of the Celtics recently while on national television.

But cheer him, because of two things—he could be the best hope to win an NBA title as a former Bulldog, and because of his determination to get here.

No Fresno State player who played in the NBA, from Chris Herren to Courtney Alexander has ever made it this far. Alston has.

Alston has bounced around in the league and has lasted this long. At 32 years of age, he's gone from the Bucks, the NBDL, to even a time where he wanted to quit the game after his debacle in Toronto. 

But through it all, Alston has survived because of his talent, passion, and determination to get to this point.

Alston is actually a student of the game, an excellent dribbler, he's a reliable shooter, and has shown himself to be a favorite of coaches.

His former Fresno City College basketball coach Steve Cleveland said this to the Fresno Bee today:

"He was such a great leader," Cleveland says. "If there was any chirping in a huddle, he put an end to it. The coaches were always in charge. The game meant a lot to him and he didn't take it for granted."

Even the most infamous of Fresno basketball coaches, former Bulldog coach Jerry Tarkanian, had this to say about Alston:

"He really was a good guy," Tarkanian said this week to the Fresno Bee. "First in practice every day. Last to leave every day. Things went wrong for him [in Fresno], but he's a great player."

Fresno State basketball fans probably remember Alston for being a part of the infamous 1997-1998 Bulldog team, the one with all the arrests, suspensions ,and even a segment on "60 Minutes."

But Bulldog roundball fans may now have to cheer him on starting tonight. He's perservered through the arrests and suspensions—as well as having to change his address several times.

He's also the first, and perhaps final hope, to win an NBA title as a former Bulldog. He might get embraced in the valley, the same way Trent Dilfer did when he won a Super Bowl with the Ravens back in 2001.

Whether if the valley is for the Lakers or Magic tonight, the city of Fresno should cheer on Rafer Alston throughout the NBA Finals.

We were ecstatic when Trent Dilfer got on the big stage. We might as well not leave Rafer out.