NIPs Hamilton headed for Europe
By Darren Ivy
Co-editor
When practice for the first
ever Big 12 All-Star basketball
team starts Monday in Dallas, it
will not be for the meek.
That’s because Texas Tech
Basketball Coach James Dickey is
a firm believer in having physical
ly-fit players - even if it’s not Big
12 basketball season.
“Coach Dickey said, ‘If you’re
not in shape, I won’t play you,”’
said Nebraska senior center
Venson Hamilton, who was one of
12 players selected to the team
that will travel to England, France,
Germany and Belgium in August.
Hamilton has taken Dickey’s
words to heart and said he is in the
“best shape” he’s over been in at
this time of the year. The 6-foot
10 center from Forest City, N.C.,
said he lifts weights and runs on
his own, as well as playing ball
with his NU teammates each day.
In addition, Hamilton went to
Mexico, Mo., for three days last
week and played ball all day,
everyday with former Comhusker
Tyronn Lue and some current
Missouri players.
The honorable mention All
Big 12 selection in 1997-98 hopes
his hard work and experiences
playing against some of the best
European players will allow him
to grow as a basketball player.
That way he can assume a greater
leadership role on the NU basket
ball team this year.
This is not the first interna
tional basketball experience for
Hamilton, who played on an all
star team last summer that went to
Italy, but he thinks this year’s com
petition will be better.
“Last summer we played
mediocre players,” he said. “This
year we are playing the real pros.”
Hamilton is looking forward to
playing against quality players on
other teams, but NU Assistant
Coach Jimmy Williams couldn’t
say enough about the other players
on the Big 12 team.
“There is going to be some
good competition, not only on
other teams, but on his own team,”
Williams said, “If players want to
play, they will have to earn it. That
will make them better players.”
Williams said playing with dif
ferent coaches,-different players
and in a different environment
should be a positive learning,
experience for Hamilton.
“It is part of the maturing
process that every player should
experience,” Williams said.
“Whenever you go and play in a
different venue, you always learn
something. You learn ‘maybe I
need to work harder or focus more
on something.’
“It’s good to play for other
coaches because we want our guys
to see things from a different per
spective. There is more than one
way to skin a cat.”
For Dickey, the trip to Europe
will be his first, although he’s
u-—
If players want to
play; they will have
to earn it. That will
make them better
players”
Jimmy Williams
NU Assistant Coach
been to Japan and Hong Kong.
“I’m really excited. This is an
outstanding group,” Dickey said.
“I’m really pleased the conference
decided to do this because this is
an outstanding basketball and cul
tural experience for the kids.”
The team boasts five players
taller than 6-foot-9 including
Hamilton, Eric Chenowith of
Kansas, Chris Mihm of Texas,
Martin Rancik of Iowa State and
Shawn Rhodes of Kansas State.
After two days of practice, the
team will leave for London on
Wednesday and then play its first
game Aug. 7 against the England
Select team.
Hamilton said one hidden ben
efit of the trip for himls being
seen by European basketball
coaches and scouts.
“If I don’t make the next level
(NBA), I may have to go over
there and play.”
Newcombe adjusting
to role as team leader
NEWCOMBE from page 7
ready before the season started,"
Newcombe said. "I wanted to feel that
when the season started, that over the
past three months I had worked hard
enough and prepared well enough that
when it comes game time I am ready
to play."
larc fkon n
about how the fans will treat him.
"You just try to go out and have
fun and play the game you love,"
Newcombe said. "If I start worrying
about the little mistakes, I am going to
make even more and more mistakes.
But if I just play the game I love, I will
make less and less mistakes.
"Even if I do make mistakes,
month before the
first football game
against Louisiana
Tech, Newcombe
sat down and eval
uated his progress.
"I feel I defi
nitely have worked
pretty hard and that
I am prepared,"
Newcombe said.
"But I guess that all
will be determined
when the season
starts."
inrougnouttne
summer, Newcombe
has put himself
through a strict, self
imposed workout
Scott McClurg/DN
BOBBY NEWCOMBE was named the Huskeis’ starting
quarterback after his performance in the Spring Game.
scneauie max mciuaes gening up eacn
morning before class and throwing the
ball with NU senior tight end Sheldon
Jackson, taking 15 hours of summer
school, lifting weights and then run
ning each night.
Even with such a busy schedule,
Newcombe still finds at least an hour
a day to be a student of the game -
studying defenses and learning the
■ NU offense.
which I will, they will be more posi
tive than negative because I always
look on the positive side of the game."
Coach Frank Solich is confident
in Newcombe's ability and thinks he
will do as good of job as Scott Frost
did. Solich said Newcombe is physi
cal player like Frost, but Newcombe
has a stronger arm and more accelera
tion and ability as
a runner.
"Coach
(Frank) Solich
and Coach
(Turner) Gill pro
vided me with the
resources that I
can learn the stuff
on my own time
and own pace,"
Newcombe said.
"That has really
helped me pro
gressed dramati
cally over the last
couple of
months,"
NU senior
fullback Joel
Makovica said he
sees the motiva
tion behind
Newcombe's
work ethic.
"He knows
U—
If I start worrying
about the little
mistakes, I am going
to make even more
and more mistakes.
But if I just play the
game I love, I will
make less and less
mistakes.”
Bobby Newcombe
; NU Quarterback
As a freshman
•w t n g b a c k ,
Newcombe
rushed 16 times
for 158 yards and
scored one touch
down.
But it was dur
ing the spring
game April 25 that
Newcombe turned
people's heads. As
a quarterback, he
rushed 13 times
for 175 yards and
completed 4 of 9
passes for 64
yards including a
43-yard touch
down pass to
Casey
Vanderhoef.
Quarterback's
Pnanh Turner frill
he's the starter, and wants to be the
best he can be," Makovica said. "I hate
to put that expectation on him but he
has the potential to be die best ever."
Piloting the winningest team of
the 1990s, the calm, quiet Newcombe
knows there will be a lot of expecta
tions to win, but he doesn't let it both
er him.
"I don't think about the pressure
too much," Newcombe said. "Sheldon
(Jackson) has really helped out with
that. He probably doesn't realize it, but
he has. A lot of other guys have helped
me out as well.”
Newcombe also isn't worried
liked the big-play potential lie saw
from Newcombe in the spring game.
t "When a young main gets into
positions, he has to make a big play
out of it," Gill said. "That’s something
you caift coach and it’s something you
can't teach. Definitely, Bobby has that
ability to make a big play out of some
thing that may not be there."
One NU player who knows all
about Newcombe's big-play ability is
MIKE linebacker Jay Foreman.
"He's electrifying," Foreman said.
"You think you have him and then he
make a little burst and he's in die end
zone." V.. : M1
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