A blue glimpse of the future

By Jeff Christian
The Collegian

If you’ve gone to the Save Mart Center this season, at some point you’ve undoubtedly asked someone sitting near you for information about the Bulldogs wearing blue suits at the end of the bench.

Rumors then fly recklessly: perhaps they are injured or academically ineligible.

For four Fresno State players this season will be the longest basketball season of their lives. Transfer students —- Rekalin Sims, Bryan Harvey and recent USC transfer Kevin Galloway are being forced to sit the season out due to NCAA transfer rules, Dwight O’Neil is red-shirting and James Tchana will be probably be petitioning for a medical red shirt at the end of the season.

Although the four players would’ve added depth and skill on the floor for the Bulldogs this season, their absence helps secure the strength of the program in the future.

And by the way, the tall gentleman with braids, wearing blue warm-ups and sitting at the end of the Bulldogs' bench is far from the team’s ball boy.

Rekalin Sims

Forward Rekalin Sims’ transfer from the Univeristy of Kentucky to Fresno State was pure happenstance.

The Vallejo, Calif. native graduated from De La Salle High School and attended Salt Lake Community College.

While at SLCC, Sims was named to the Junior College All-American team.

The talented forward also happened to catch the eye of then Brigham Young University coach Steve Cleveland.

Sims transferred to Kentucky and started six games for the Wildcats, but his playing time diminished during South Eastern Conference play.

Frustrated over playing time and the distance from home, he submitted a transfer request.

“I had to leave there,” Sims said. “ I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t playing as much as I wanted.”

With one-year of eligibility remaining it was Fresno State’s vicinity to the East Bay and Fresno State head coach Steve Cleveland’s relationship to Sims' junior college coach helped land him in the Central Valley.

Standing 6-feet-8 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds, Sims' body screams versatility. Cleveland believes that Sims will provide the Bulldogs offense with a presence on the perimeter and in the paint.

“Rekalin is an inside-outside guy that can score in the low-post and who can shoot the three,” Cleveland said. “He’s not going to jump out of the gym but he’s got a very high basketball IQ and he’s an old school guy.”

Bryan Harvey

Sophomore shooting guard Bryan Harvey traded his cardinal red jersey for the opportunity to play in front of the red wave at the Save Mart Center when he transferred from the University of Louisville to Fresno State.

Harvey, a Carson, Calif. native, was ranked as one of the top high school guards in the country during his senior season at Dominguez High School. With the ability to attack the basket offensively, shoot from the perimeter and play physical defense, Harvey was recruited heavily by Kansas and Louisville.

Despite a relationship described by Harvey as “good” with Louisville coach Rick Pitino, the scorer decided to move back to California and transfer to Fresno State.

Coach Cleveland’s rebuilding efforts attracted Harvey to Fresno State.

“I want to be able to look back and see that I played a part in turning the program around,” Harvey said.

While sitting out this season, Harvey decided to have surgery to repair chronic shoulder pain. Harvey is recovering from the surgery, which has prevented him from participating in full contact practices with the team.

Dwight O'Neil

Bulldogs junior guard Dwight O’Neil started 20 games last season and during his two years he was recognized as a guard who was a defensive stopper.

O’Neil made the decision to red shirt the season after the team’s trip to Canada for an exhibition tour last September. O’Neil struggled to get playing time behind seniors Ja’Vance Coleman and Quinton Hosley and the additions of Eddie Miller, Tyson Parker and Dominic McGuire cut into his minutes as well.

“I felt out of place for a little while because it was up and down the whole way,” O’Neil said. “First I was playing, then I wasn’t.”

The transition from the game floor to sitting on the bench can create several different obstacles and advantages.

Sims said that while sitting out during games is the hardest part of sitting out a season, the other difficulties in the transition have been learning the tendencies of his new teammates on the court.

Junior forward Dominic McGuire understands how difficult it is to be forced on the bench for an entire season. McGuire sat out last season after transferring from University of California, Berkeley.

“It’s tough sitting out,” McGuire said. “It’s difficult, but in the long run it can help you out if you take advantage.”

Red shirt and transfer players are allowed to practice and work out with the team but are prohibited from dressing and playing in games.

“I think players can learn a whole lot,” Cleveland said. “They can learn the system so that when next September come there won’t be any surprises.”

When practicing with the team, players sitting out work with the reserves on the “blue squad” to help prepare the team for upcoming games.

“There’s been times when they’ve beaten us in practice and the coaches have gotten on us,” forward Quinton Hosley said.

Having a more competitive preparation squad leads to better scrimmages and improves the entire team.

“I’m so competitive in practice and in practice you compete for playing time but right now that doesn’t really matter,” O’Neil said.

While many fans might think that players unable to dress for games might sit and relax on the bench, they are only partially correct.

“You kind of feel like a coach on the bench,” O’Neil said. “We’re extra eyes and ears for the players. We can pick out tendencies and weaknesses that they might not see.”

While O’Neil said he tries to act as another coach on the floor, sitting through games is sometimes unbearable.

“Sitting on the bench is the most difficult,” O’Neil said. “Especially when you feel like you could’ve made a difference.”

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