[email protected] WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008 The Capital Times

Sports editor: Adam Mertz 252-6474 Sports D

NFC championship Who: New York Giants (12-6) at (14-3) When: Sunday, 5:30 p.m. Follow the leaders Where: TV: Fox Senior trio paves the overs. “We see them playing calm Line: Packers by 7 Inside/D3 and confident and knocking down way to UW’s eighth shots and playing good defense; we By the numbers: A statistical see that on the road and we just all straight victory, a glance at the Badgers’ victory follow them.” Commentary over the Nittany Lions It was the eighth straight victory romp at Penn State. Spartans top Buckeyes: for the 17th-ranked Badgers (14-2, Michigan State builds big 4-0 Big Ten), who stayed undefeat- early lead, then holds on to ed in the Big Ten and took over the By ROB SCHULTZ defeat Ohio State. lead in the conference standings. Lambeau isn’t The Capital Times Big Ten standings: UW, It also was the Badgers’ fourth STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Any Indiana lead the way straight road win, seventh straight college team that hopes over the Nittany Lions and fourth to win on the road needs its seniors straight win at Bryce Jordan. cold ... at least points and added six rebounds and to lead the way with smart, funda- Penn State (10-6, 2-2) lost its sec- mentally sound performances. five assists. Butch had nine points ond straight game as well as lead- Never was that more apparent and 12 rebounds. And Stiemsma ing scorer Geary Claxton, who left to Lombardi than during the came off the bench to add 10 points, the game early with an apparent University of three rebounds and three blocked season-ending left knee injury. BADGERS 80 By JOHNETTE HOWARD Wisconsin men’s shots during the Badgers’ wire-to- The Nittany Lions never knew Newsday PENN ST. 55 basketball team’s wire romp in a Big Ten Conference what hit them as the Badgers Some Giants fans are worried about 80-55 victory game in front of 8,600 at the Bryce jumped out to an 18-2 lead and nev- quarterback Eli Manning’s ability to play over Penn State Jordan Center. er looked back. UW shot a season- effectively in the cold during Sunday’s here Tuesday night when seniors “Guys follow the leaders like high 59.6 percent overall (31-of-52) CAROLYN KASTER/ASSOCIATED PRESS NFC championship game at Green Bay. Michael Flowers, Brian Butch and Greg and Brian and Mike,” said and 55.6 percent from 3-point range UW senior guard Michael Flowers Cold? Greg Stiemsma showed exactly junior swingman Joe Krabbenhoft, (10-of-18) as four Badgers finished scored a career-high 23 points who added 12 points, five rebounds, What cold? how it should be done. in double figures. Tuesday night in the Badgers’ three assists, a and no turn- “With Vince Lombardi, it was never cold Flowers had a career-high 23 See BADGERS, page D3 80-55 victory over Penn State. here,” said former Packers All-Pro Fuzzy Thurston, who played guard for Green Bay from 1959 to ’67. “Before games he’d just say something like, ‘Men, it’s a little blus- tery out there today.’ Blustery, see? Then Commentary he’d say, ‘It’s our kind of day! Now get your asses out there and strut around like it’s the Fourth of July.’ ” Congress Thurston is 74, and he has outlasted throat cancer and endured swings from two hip replacements. This year marked the first time in 46 years he has missed a game its heels, but at hallowed Lambeau Field. The Giants Thurston haven’t played a playoff only singles game there since 1961, Lombardi’s third season, and it’s been 40 By JIM LITKE years since the legendary coach patrolled Associated Press the Packers’ sidelines in his trademark overcoat, barking at officials in his best If this latest round of Congres- Brooklynese. But within the magical space sional hearings were scored as a of Lambeau itself, and the surrounding baseball game, well, let’s just say little town of Green Bay, it can often feel it’s a good thing for lawmakers like not a lot has changed. that the slaughter rule wasn’t in It’s not just the snow or terrible cold effect. that gives playoff games at Lambeau a Tuesday’s session was barely flashback feel. When the Packers return called to order when House from an important road game, win or lose, Oversight and Government the townspeople still leave their porch Reform Committee chairman lights on for the team as a show of support. Rep. Henry Waxman lobbed the When a heavy snowfall hits the area in the first compliment at commis- days before a game, the Packers’ front of- sioner Bud Selig in his opening fice — as it did Tuesday, for the fifth time statement. this season — puts out an announcement “To his credit,” Waxman said, asking volunteers to show up at Lambeau “Mr. Selig listened and did the to grab a shovel. For $8 an hour, citizens right thing.” come by the dozens to clear the stands. Right about then, you sus- pected lawmakers were resting See LAMBEAU, page D3 their arms for Feb. 13, when Roger Clemens, Brian McNamee — his increasingly desperate personal trainer — and a fresh round of villains have been asked to testify. That, or else some congressmen suffer from the same attention-deficit disorder plaguing so many baseball play- ers today. Either way, it was hardly the last bon mot thrown baseball’s MICHELLE STOCKER/THE CAPITAL TIMES way. MATC guard Jason Jensen’s basketball odyssey will take him next fall to Brownsville, Texas, Credit Bud for being crafty, if where he will be on a full scholarship to play at NCAA Division I Texas Pan-American. not downright clairvoyant. He He’s believed to be the first MATC player to sign with a Division I school. saw this day coming. CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/ASSOCIATED PRESS Although Congress provided Packers linebackers Nick Barnett (right) plenty of the impetus, it still took and A.J. Hawk celebrate during the courage for Selig to commission second half of Saturday’s playoff victory the former Senate majority lead- over Seattle at snowy Lambeau Field. er to investigate baseball’s murky Hoop dreams performance-enhancing past. Selig didn’t have to, and as we’ve MATC’s Jason Jen- know me, I grew up basically with heard several times now, most Defense nothing,” said Jensen, who admit- in his inner circle counseled him sen earns scholarship tedly has had an up-and-down not to roil the waters. family life. “Now that I finally have The last time this committee continues to NCAA Division I something, I feel blessed. I had a lot dragged MLB up to the Hill, in of controversy growing up, and I March 2005, it hit the ball out of Texas Pan-American. had to deal with a lot of things. But the park a few times. Committee I’m telling you, I’m blessed.” members unmasked Mark McG- to grow By signing with Texas-Pan Amer- wire, unintentionally vindicated By ADAM MERTZ ican last month, Jensen achieved a Jose Canseco and embarrassed By CHRIS JENKINS The Capital Times pair of firsts. He’s the first person Selig and union chief Don Fehr. Associated Press from his family to attend college, Naturally, that made it tempt- ither way you look at it, Jason GREEN BAY — The clock said 10:59. The and he’s also believed to be the first ing for Congress to swing from Jensen has taken a circuitous scoreboard said 14-0. NCAA Division I men’s basketball the heels again. Only this time, route to his dream. After being backed into a corner by a pair E recruit out of MATC, which typi- the best it could do was a few From St. Francis, a small south- of from running back Ryan Grant, cally operates in the shadows of scratch singles, not to mention a ern suburb of Milwaukee, to Madi- the Green Bay Packers’ defense had given up powerhouse junior college hoops few glorious whiffs. It was a bad son, to Brownsville, Texas. two in just a tick past the first factories in Kansas, Iowa and other day for Miguel Tejada and maybe From a kid who was hanging on four minutes of Saturday’s divisional playoff states. Giants general manager Brian to high school by a thread, who game against Seattle at Lambeau Field. The residual effect for MATC Sabean, but that was about it. needed some rounding out physi- MICHELLE STOCKER/THE CAPITAL TIMES Much has been made of Grant’s comeback is that other players on the roster This time, Selig and Fehr knew cally, emotionally and academical- Jensen, currently sidelined after the fumbles. But lost in the shuffle of — notably first-year guard Chris how to play the game — agreeing ly at junior college, to a full-fledged while he recovers from hand Green Bay’s dominant 42-20 victory was Davis, formerly of Madison East, with the committee and promis- scholarship recruit at an NCAA surgery, averaged 22.4 points an equally impressive rally by the Packers’ and second-year forward Jason ing to do better in the future. Division I basketball program. defense, which held Seattle to a pair of field per game and made 54.1 percent King of Minneapolis — are also Most important, Mitchell, just So even now, as the sharpshoot- goals the rest of the way. of his shots last season. getting attention from Division I like Selig and Fehr, wants to leave ing guard has been forced to watch The performance might pro- programs, and that may enhance baseball’s past in the past. And his Madison Area Technical Col- border. If his medical redshirt re- vide a confidence boost for the Green Bay the program’s status for future it sure didn’t hurt that Mitchell’s lege team from the sidelines while quest is granted, as expected, he’ll defense going into Sunday’s NFC Champi- recruits. still revered by his former recuperating from hand surgery, have three years of eligibility re- onship game against the New York Giants “For as much as we’ve done for colleagues. Jensen can’t help but be upbeat. maining. And he plans to use that at Lambeau. But Packers defensive players Jason,” MATC coach Scot Vester- He faced just one tough line of In the fall, he’ll begin a new life time well, to finish out a bachelor’s weren’t exactly lacking confidence to begin dahl said, “he did just as much for questioning about the credibility at Texas Pan-American, an inde- degree in criminal justice and per- with, and certainly weren’t going to let us.” of a report that begs several. pendent program located a hop, haps earn a minor in education. See DEFENSE, page D2 skip and leap from the Mexican “For a lot of people who don’t See JENSEN, page D3 See BASEBALL, page D2 The Capital Times Wednesday, January 16, 2008 D3 Lambeau Continued from page D1 Spartans find “And if we announce we want people here at 8 a.m., they start lining up outside at 4 a.m. because they want scoring touch to be a part of it,” says Bob Harlan, the Packers CEO Associated Press and chairman of the board. Drew Neitzel flicked his “A lot of people bring their wrist and pumped his fist af- children, too, because they ter finally seeing a 3-pointer say, I can’t get tickets and I go through the net. know this is the only way It was not just another basket my children will ever see the for the preseason All-Ameri- inside of the stadium.’ At the can, or an ordinary game for current pace, the wait (for No. 11 Michigan State. season tickets) is 40 years.” Neitzel scored eight of 13 Visitors from far and wide points in the first half, help- still stop by Lambeau and ask ing the Spartans start strong to be shown the exact spot in and regroup from a humiliat- the south end zone where, in ing performance with a 66- the 1967 NFL Championship 60 Big Ten Conference men’s Game, better known as the basketball victory over Ohio Ice Bowl, Bart Starr made State on Tuesday night in East AL GOLDIS/ASSOCIATED PRESS the 1-yard plunge CAROLYN KASTER/ASSOCIATED PRESS Lansing, Mich. that gave the Pack a 21-17 win University of Wisconsin guard Jason Bohannon (left) tries to take the ball away from Penn Michigan State’s Kalin “Yeah, we made some steps Lucas looks to pass as he is over the . State guard Danny Morrissey during the first half of Tuesday’s game in State College, Pa. in the right direction — as a Grainy black-and-white pressured by Ohio State’s team and individuals,” Neit- Evan Turner (right) Tuesday photos show Starr burrow- Stiemsma started it on a zel said with a smile. “I’m not ing across the goal line with night. Lucas had 13 points in By the numbers tip-in of a Bohannon missed fully up to my potential, but 13 seconds to play, his arms Badgers 3-pointer, then followed with a I’ll get there.” the Spartans’ 66-60 victory. hugging the football as if he 3 — Greg Stiemsma has Continued from page D1 jumper and a left-handed jump Neitzel, who is nursing a were protecting a newborn blocked at least three shots hook to make it 64-46. sore wrist, finished 3-for-8 on from the minus 46-degree Four Badgers finished in in four different games Big Ten men Flowers continued the run 3-pointers against Ohio State, wind chill. double figures, including ju- this season. His three with back-to-back 3-pointers. matching the total he made Conf. All Thurston’s many vivid nior forward Marcus Landry, against Penn State were the first since Wisconsin’s Krabbenhoft followed with beyond the arc in 16 attempts Wisconsin 4-0 14-2 memories of that game who had 16 points on 7-of -10 win over Georgia. a score from the paint and in the previous three games. Indiana 3-0 14-1 include his undying gratitude shooting, along with six re- 4 — Four different Badgers Landry finished the run with “The ball was coming off Michigan State 3-1 15-2 about Lombardi’s gamble bounds and four assists. have scored 20 points or a 3-pointer and another score my hand better,” he said. “I of running the ball on third Butch called the victory a Minnesota 2-1 12-3 more during Wisconsin’s from the paint on a nice pass was snapping my wrist again, Purdue 2-1 11-5 down with no timeouts, classic Wisconsin basketball first four Big Ten games. from Butch that made it 77-46 eliminating the possibility of game. and the wrist felt better than Ohio State 3-2 12-5 They are Jon Leuer (25 with 3:57 left. it had.” Penn State 2-2 10-6 a game-tying that “A different guy stepped at Michigan), Brian Butch Stiemsma was thrilled to would’ve only extended the up,” added Butch, referring to The Spartans led by as Iowa 1-3 8-9 (22 against Iowa), Trevon contribute, particularly on many as 21 points in the first agony. Not that he’d have how Flowers became the sev- Hughes (22 against Illinois) the road. “It felt really good Michigan 1-3 5-11 admitted it then. enth player to lead the Badgers and Michael Flowers (23 half and held off the Buckeyes Illinois 0-4 8-9 to be out there in the flow of in the second in a bounceback “It was like I had no hands, in scoring over their first 16 against Penn State). the game and just to be play- Northwestern 0-4 5-8 had no feet, and oh, gawd, the games. “I’ve been saying it all 23 — Flowers’ career-high game after being held to their ing well and producing for the lowest point total in more than field was so hard it felt like along that there were going point totals included career guys and the team and stuff Today's games hitting concrete,” Thurston to be different guys stepping highs in field goals (nine) a half-century. MSU lost 43-36 Purdue at Iowa, 6:05 p.m. and extend our lead,” he said. at Iowa on Sunday. says. “But we were never up every single night. That’s and 3-pointers (five). His Ryan applauded Stiemsma’s Michigan at Illinois, 8 p.m. allowed to use the word a nice thing to have.” five assists were one off his Jamar Butler scored 21 Northwestern at Chicago career high in that category. efforts on both ends of the points to give Ohio State a ‘cold’ around Lombardi. Flowers also was the fourth floor. State, 7 p.m. (nc) We would’ve had to find a Badger to score at least 20 10 — Stiemsma reached chance to stay in the game, but double figures in scoring for “He did a nice job defen- Thursday's game new job. Cold was not in his points in as many Big Ten none of his teammates scored the first time since scoring sively on making them change more than eight. The Buckeyes Indiana at Minnesota, vocabulary.” games. 10 against Savannah State some shots and making sure 8 p.m. The Giants shouldn’t utter “He’s such a dynamic scorer opened the second half on a 13- during the Badgers’ second people couldn’t get to the rim,” 3 run to pull within three, but the word this week, either. and a dynamic player,” Krab- Ryan said. game of the season. could get no closer. The current nattering about benhoft said of Flowers, who Stiemsma was also part of in the league for the second 2.9 — Badgers’ average Spartans reserve Kalin Lu- Manning’s ineffectiveness in made 9-of-12 shots overall and a strong rebounding effort by straight season. margin of victory during cas scored 13 points and Drew bad weather traces back just 5-of-6 3-pointers. “He does so their seven-game winning the Badgers. They held a 41-22 Naymick added a season-high a few weeks to the Giants’ many different things in so streak over Penn State. rebounding edge on the Nit- Top 25 women 11. Dec. 16 game at the Meadow- many different ways to help 70.6 — Overall shooting tany Lions, who entered the Ohio State has dropped two No. 1 Connecticut 65, at lands, where the Giants fell the team — steals, 3-point percentage by Wisconsin game leading the Big Ten in Syracuse 59: Maya Moore guards Michael Flowers straight after winning eight in to the Redskins 22-10. Man- shots today, driving the hoop, offensive rebounds and re- scored all 13 of her points in ning completed just 18-of-52 finding the others. He does (9-of-12), Trevon Hughes bounding margin. a row. (2-of-2) and Jason the second half and grabbed 17 passes in the swirling wind. everything for us and when “That was a big focus. Re- rebounds to help the Huskies The fact the Giants he’s clicking he’s as good as Bohannon (1-of-3). bounding was huge,” said Top 25 men 77.8 — Combined 3-point (16-0, 4-0 Big East) earn their coaches even asked Manning anybody.” Krabbenhoft. At Boston College 76, No. 29th straight regular-season to attempt 52 passes under The Nittany Lions came into shooting percentage by guards Flowers (5-of- [email protected] 21 Miami 66: Rakim Sanders win. such conditions is far more the game leading the Big Ten scored 20 points, Tyrese Rice Mel Thomas led UConn worrisome to this week’s in field goal percentage (47.4 6), Hughes (1-of-1) and Bohannon (1-of-2). had 14 points, eight rebounds with 15 points, but injured her outcome. The Elias Sports percent), but Flowers’ defense WISCONSIN min fg fga ft fta reb pf a to pt and six assists, and Tyrelle right knee with about 2 min- Bureau says Manning has a helped the Badgers force their Landry 28 7 10 0 0 6 3 4 2 16 Blair had 11 points, 12 re- utes remaining. Geno Auriem- quarterback rating under 60 opponent to shoot just 36.7 with 9:36 remaining. But Wis- Krabbenhoft 35 5 8 1 1 6 0 3 0 12 Butch 27 3 10 3 4 12 1 3 3 9 bounds and five blocked shots ma did not know the extent of and a completion rate under percent (22-of-60). consin responded quickly with Hughes 23 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 1 7 to power the Eagles (12-4, 3-0 the injury but said she would 50 percent when the temper- “Both he and J-Bo (Jason Bo- an 11-0 run. Butch scored on a Flowers 35 9 12 0 0 6 2 5 4 23 Bohannon 18 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to be examined Wednesday. ature is 39 degrees or below. hannon) did a great job of chas- put-back of his miss, Landry Bronson 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 their 13th consecutive victory Syracuse (14-3, 2-2) was But it’s too bad Elias didn’t ing,” said UW coach Bo Ryan. hit a 3, Krabbenhoft scored on Cain 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jarmusz 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 over the Hurricanes. within a basket with 74 sec- get its super computer to run “They have got very good 3- a three-point play and Bohan- Leuer 13 0 2 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 Jack McClinton scored 20 onds to play but couldn’t get an over/under on how often point shooters, they have very non drilled a 3-pointer to make Stiemsma 11 4 4 2 2 3 2 0 2 10 Nankivil 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 points and James Dews added any closer. Giants offensive coordinator good offensive rebounders. it 33-13 with 6:20 left. Totals 200 31 52 8 9 41 15 19 15 80 15 points for the Hurricanes Kevin Gilbride has persisted The way they’ve been playing The Badgers got sloppy af- Tuesday’s other results: PENN STATE (14-2, 1-1), who would have tied in calling 40 or more passes isn’t by accident.” ter that point and committed min fg fga ft fta reb pf a to pt the best start in school history No. 5 Rutgers 57, at George- in squall-like weather. Flowers looked like he was five turnovers during their Cornley 31 6 10 1 2 4 2 0 1 13 town 47; at No. 23 DePaul 91, Claxton 7 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 with a win. Harlan said Tuesday that everywhere at once while next six possessions. But Hassell 20 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 0 6 The Eagles had lost two of St. John’s 80. the forecast for Sunday’s scoring seven points and dish- Penn State did little with it Battle 23 3 10 0 0 2 0 1 1 7 Morrissey 23 1 9 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 three — a 25-point defeat to game is “a high of about 7 ing out three assists as the and could only close to 40-24 Walker 15 2 7 0 0 0 0 2 0 6 No. 3 Kansas and another that Free throws or 8 above zero. Game time, Badgers jumped out to the 18-2 at the break. Obravdovic 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oklahoma men’s freshman Pringle 17 1 7 1 2 2 0 2 5 4 was even more embarrassing: it will probably be about 4 lead with 11:49 left in half. The Penn State had a couple of Jackson 24 3 5 0 0 2 2 0 0 7 57-51 at home to Robert Morris standout Blake Griffin won’t above, with the possibility of Badgers made eight of their runs early in the second half Jones 11 1 1 0 0 2 3 0 1 2 need sugery, but still could King 11 0 2 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 last Monday. snow showers.” first 13 shots while forcing the but Flowers and Stiemsma Brooks 16 3 4 1 5 2 0 0 0 7 miss as much as four weeks Then he added, “If it’s not Nittany Lions to make just one made sure the Nittany Lions Totals 200 22 60 5 11 22 12 8 9 55 No. 24 Clemson 70, at after spraining a ligament in windy, that’s not that bad.” of their first 12. never cut the deficit to less Rebounding totals include team rebounds North Carolina State 54: Ter- his left knee against Kansas Told now that he sounded Making matters worse for than 11 points. rence Oglesby scored all of on Monday. The 6-foot-10 for- Wisconsin 40 40 — 80 like those Palm Springs na- Penn State was Claxton’s in- After a 3-pointer by Mike Penn State 24 31 — 55 his points on four 3-pointers, ward leads Oklahoma in scor- tives who insist the 120-de- jury, sustained when he came Walker brought Penn State three in a first-half run that ing (15.4) and rebounding (9.1) 3-point goals — W 10-18 (Flowers 5-6, Landry 2-4, Hughes gree days there aren’t really down awkwardly after miss- within 58-46 with 11:47 left, 1-1, Krabbenhoft 1-2, Bohannon 1-2, Butch 0-1, Bronson 0-1, gave the Tigers (14-3, 2-1 ACC) this season. hot because it’s a “dry” heat, ing a shot with 13:21 left in the Stiemsma scored the first six Leuer 0-1), PS 6-24 (Walker 2-6, Jackson 1-1, Pringle 1-3, a 32-21 lead. n Pitt women’s sophomore Battle 1-5, Morrissey 1-7, King 0-2). Field goal percent- Harlan laughed and said, half. points of a 19-0 run that sent ages — W .596, PS .367. Free-throw percentages — W Courtney Fells had 19 points point guard Jania Sims (9.6 “Aw, you get used to this.” The Nittany Lions tried to the remaining spectators from .889, PS .455. Steals — W 5 (Landry, Krabbenhoft, Hughes, for the visiting Wolfpack (11-5, ppg, 3.4 apg) was ruled aca- Flowers, Bronson), PS 4 (Battle 2, Morrissey, King). Blocked “Like hell you do,” Thur- rally and cut the deficit to 22-13 the sparse crowd heading to shots — W 5 (Stiemsma 3, Butch 1, Leuer 1), PS 2 (Hassell, 0-2), who had a season-high 23 demically ineligible and will ston scoffed. on a Stanley Pringle 3-pointer their cars. Walker). Att. — 8,600. turnovers and dropped to 0-2 miss the rest of the season.

game) and rebounded (6.0 per ‘For a lot of people who don’t know me, I put a scare into the Universi- Jensen likely could have re- game, second on the team), all ty of Wisconsin in the NCAA turned for the stretch run of a Jensen while playing more than 34 grew up basically with nothing. Now that tournament last spring. promising season for MATC, Continued from page D1 minutes per game. I finally have something, I feel blessed. “I like to say they’ve got a which stands at 14-5 (2-0 Wis- “I like playing against bigger healthy chip on their shoul- consin Technical College Con- I had a lot of controversy growing up, ders. They’re not bitter. They ference) heading into today’s 7 A natural shooter athletic guys, even though I’m not the most athletic person,” and I had to deal with a lot of things. just wish more schools re- p.m. showdown with Milwau- So how does a kid from little said Jensen, who also was re- cruited them. No one in this kee Area Technical College in old MATC attract the eye of a cruited by UC Irvine, Portland But I’m telling you, I’m blessed.’ program had another DI offer Madison. fledgling, independent basket- State, Loyola (Ill.) and Rider. on the table when they signed But because of the uncer- — MATC’s Jason Jensen tain recovery time, Jensen ball program in the southern “All it is, is confidence. I don’t their papers. I tell them, that’s opted to sit out this season in plains of Texas? think at that time ‘Coach V’ OK — I didn’t have any other campus visit with Schuberth hopes of playing three years at The short answer is, by knew exactly how good I am. ‘A healthy chip’ job offers, either. We use that — he is the type of person in a healthy way. It’s an us- Texas-Pan American. Vester- being talented. “He’s quite I opened his eyes, and once I Texas Pan-American head possibly the best shooter I’ve who “is going to find a posi- against-them attitude. dahl said the decision was a opened his eyes, he believed in coach Tom Schuberth asked ever seen at this level,” said tive in a negative, regard- “We’re 10-10 right now and “no-brainer.” me. And when the head coach that, too, although he had al- Vesterdahl, who has guided ready received a positive eval- less,” Schuberth said — but he headed in the right direction “Selfishly, we would have the WolfPack for six years in believes in you ...” seemed to fit in well with his and I wanted Jason to be a part loved to have him back,” He talks you up to the four- uation of Jensen from assistant two stints. coach Grant Leonard, who had teammates, a battle-hardened of that.” Vesterdahl said. “But the year colleges who express Jensen made 54.1 percent of been a coach at Shorewood group that lacks prima donnas. one thing we tell kids when interest, and vouches that his shots last season as a first- High School, a conference foe Schuberth likes to joke that A good break we recruit them is, if you get you have embraced his re- year player at MATC while av- of St. Francis. Texas-Pan American “may not A sure sign that things are an opportunity — the right eraging 22.4 points per game. quirement of eight hours per Jensen is a good fit basket- lead the nation in wins, but we going right in Jensen’s life: opportunity — we’ll be the Not only did the slender 6- week in the Learning Center ball-wise for Texas-Pan Amer- lead in tattoos,” and Jensen’s Even a bad break turned out to first one to shove you out the door.” foot-4 Jensen prove he could at MATC. ican; the Broncos graduate all arms are to ink what a NAS- be a good break, figuratively And Jensen is grateful for the get off his shot against long “I’m smart enough to real- their shooters from an offense CAR hood is to decals. speaking. doors that have been opened and athletic opponents, he dis- ize that a lot of our guys have that made 220 3-pointers last “We’re not going to get He injured his non-shoot- along the way — from John pelled doubts about whether ability, but their ability to get season, so Jensen will be ex- the blue-chip, top 100 kids ing hand in MATC’s fourth Kloppenburg, his coach at St. his game was well-rounded to the next level depends on pected to slide into an impor- in America, but we get kids game; had it occurred a week Francis, who took him into his enough to make the jump to academics,” Vesterdahl said. tant role, especially with the with their best years ahead of later, he would not have been home during a rough stretch, Division I. He got stronger, im- “Invariably, it’s the first ques- 3-point line moving back a them,” said Schuberth, who is eligible for a medical redshirt. to Vesterdahl and Schuberth. proved his defense (team-best tion that comes out of the two years into his first head foot next season to 20 feet, 9 Jensen underwent surgery and “I didn’t do it by myself,” mouth of a Division I coach: coaching job and aims to rep- 2.38 steals per game), proved inches. had four pins inserted into his Jensen said. he knew how to find the open What kind of student is he? Is And Jensen not only made licate the rise of nearby Texas ring finger and the bone that man (team-best 2.7 assists per he a character kid?” a good impression on his A&M-Corpus Christi, which connects it to the wrist. [email protected]