Shane Rinner: Understanding the man behind the whistle

Former TAMIU head men’s basketball coach Shane Rinner (in white) was one of more mercurial and successful coaches I’ve covered in my seven years as a sports journalist. Here he is talking with me (in black) along with star guard Ryan McLucas after winning the program’s first conference tournament championship in 2011.

(Since 2009, I covered Shane Rinner’s stint as head coach of the Texas A&M International men’s basketball team. I was the beat writer for the program – and was from June 2007 through January 2012 – and recently learned of him leaving the program last week for a job in California. As one of the more mercurial and successful figures I’ve had the joy of reporting on in my career, here is my recollection of Rinner’s tenure in Laredo, Texas).

One of South Texas’ most brilliant and calculating basketball minds resigned last week to head to California for a better gig. But what Laredo’s Texas A&M International men’s basketball program lost in head coach Shane Rinner was not only a man who revived what had been a scandalous doormat of an athletic institution, but an individual presided upon ethics who embraced right from wrong and expected his staff and players to follow suit.

As complex as Rinner, who will be the first assistant head women’s basketball coach at Fresno State, may seem, he’s actually not. The fiery, no-holds-barred tornado that whirled the sidelines in the “Gateway City’s” north side is actually, in essence, an affable, thoughtful, considerate human being without a selfish bone in his body. All the evidence necessary is the reason why he took the Fresno State gig, and that was to get his wife Amanda, a Cali native and Fresno State alum, back home to be with her family, knowing that’s what she’s wanted all along. That was priority No. 1: do what’s right by his family.

See, there’s Shane Rinner, the coach, and there’s Shane Rinner, the person. It’s important to learn how to differentiate between the two.

In a brief but substantially rewarding three years at the helm of the Dustdevils, Rinner – who accepted what appeared to be a career death sentence in 2009 when he accepted the position following a cheating scandal the prior spring in which the program had six players who cheated on a spanish exam, resulting in the NCAA stripping the program of all wins in 2008-09 and putting it on probation for following seasons – led TAMIU to its first NCAA conference tournament postseason appearance in his first year and earning two consecutive conference championships in his next two seasons. He won a school-record 21 games in each the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, and in 2010-11 he guided the program on an epic run toward the NCAA Division II tournament, where the Dustdevils fell to No. 1 seed and site host Central Oklahoma by nine points in overtime in the first round. In his three years at TAMIU, Rinner’s Dustdevils won 54 games. In his final campaign last year, he earned the conference’s Coach of the Year honor and helped Evan Matteson (his first recruit to TAMIU) nab MVP.

It was easy to assume that basketball is all Rinner eats, sleeps and drinks. It’s true that his work ethic is legendary. It’s also true that he is incredibly meticulous on all matters in his program, nothing was void of his fingerprints, and is the definition of “hands-on,” from the style of marketing posters made for the team to the way a player closes out on a potential shooter. But there is certainly a method to his perceived madness, and if you can say one thing about Rinner it’s that it’s blatantly clear that he cares way too much. That goes for any waters he dips his toes into. If he pleads his allegiance, it will be done, and it will be done right.

But basketball is not the end-all, be-all with Rinner. In a sit-down chat right after a heated practice before the start of the 2011-12 season last winter, I found out a few cool things about a leader who is as multi-faceted as he is demanding. Rinner actually does not necessarily aspire to be a head coach at a prominent Division I university. He’d be perfectly fine as an assistant coach at a mid-major DI. He boasts other interests, vastly different from his current vocation. He loves politics. He’s been known to sit in on campaigns and craves that kind of stuff, even going as far as tinkering with the idea of running for office back home in Alaska.

He also likes fundraising. Loves it, in fact. In previous conversations, he has mentioned how he doesn’t necessarily have to coach and he would still be happy in college athletics. He’s talked about his passion for building a program. He also joked that he would like the lifestyle involved in fundraising, which is “little more than playing golf and going out to dinners.” He has a passion for helping others, for building, for structure. It’s a cliche, but Shane Rinner is all about the journey, all about being immersed in the process.

While I was taken aback a bit at the sudden nature of Rinner’s departure for Fresno State last week, I was far from totally surprised. His move not only achieved the goal of getting his wife closer to her family and back home, but also opened the door for former player, longtime associate head coach and dear friend Bryan Weakley to run his own program and keep TAMIU afloat all at the same time. It was a no-brainer for Rinner. It was a calculated move. It was an unselfish move. No one loses. Everyone wins.

It’s the end result to a past three years that have been hellaciously tiring and emotional. It’s why Rinner busted his tail in otherwise deplorable circumstances.

Consider:

– The Dustdevils are one of three Heartland Conference teams not fully funded. TAMIU, in the 2011-12 conference championship season, played with 5.2 scholarships. The rest of the 5.9 went to redshirts. TAMIU played with 5.8 schollys this year, 6.8 total.

– In the Heartland Conference, Laredo is considered the second-least desirable attraction other than Oklahoma’s Panhandle State. The program is also second-worst in scholarship allotment, also behind OPSU, and TAMIU has the fewest number of students on campus (approximately 600). The next fewest is 1,600 in Odessa at Texas-Permian Basin.

– Any increase in Rinner’s budget has come from his own fundraising, which is approximately $2,000 in his three years. That money helped for upgrades in the men’s locker room as well as the women’, due to Title IX. He was the program’s chief fundraiser and drove the initiatives, finding little support from department administrators.

The only plus of being in the situation in Laredo, Rinner told me, is how bad it was before he got there. It was a program mired in scandal and mediocrity; a program of apathy and a revolving door of head coaches, philosophies and principles. For a first-time head coach, it was also a beneficial one. Anything and everything Rinner and his staff would be able to accomplish in Laredo would be seen as the next great thing, simply because the program had never escaped the depths of college basketball purgatory. Had Rinner failed, it would have been thought of as nothing. But if he succeeded – he would be seen by university leaders as nothing less than a savior. It was win-win. Low risk, high reward. Much like his move to leave TAMIU, interestingly enough.

Give Shane Rinner this: No move goes unplanned. He’s always thinking 2-3 steps ahead, on and off the court. He is a throwback to the old age of coaches who demanded excellence on the court, off it and in the classroom. The plus is that TAMIU won’t skip a beat with Weakley. Weakley shares Rinner’s thrill for helping student-athletes succeed, in the classroom first before on the court. And while I have no doubt the Dustdevils – who graduated eight seniors and are in an ideal rebuilding situation with a motivated, hungry teacher like Weakley running the show – will maintain the program’s integrity and growth initiated three years ago, it’s important to take a moment and understand what Rinner truly accomplished, coming to Laredo like a dark knight from his home of Alaska, willing to put his career on the line and sacrificing for the greater good of the university.

And now that sacrifice has been rewarded, for the greater good of his family.

TAMIU’s “game-changers”

TYREE MURRAY.

JOE REID.

JAYVIN REYNOLDS.

The following story I wrote as a preview for TAMIU men’s basketball’s conference opener earlier tonight, which they won 65-59 over rival Texas-Permian Basin.

The Dustdevils initiated defense of their conference title and are off to a fast start. If they are to repeat, they’ll need to expect big seasons from JUCO transfers Tyree Murray, Joe Reid and Jayvin Reynolds.

Here’s my story on TAMIU’s “game-changers.”

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In sports lexicon, they’re called “game-changers.” In other words, players that can change the complexion of any game simply by their presence on the court or field.
For the Texas A&M International men’s basketball team, they’re sophomore forward Joe Reid, junior guard Tyree Murray and junior center Jayvin Reynolds, all junior college transfers acquired this year to bring more depth, speed and strength to an already blossoming program coming off its first NCAA Division II conference championship.
Through 13 games, 10 of which are wins, the answers are clear for the aforementioned trio. There is no more uncertainty, no more doubts about whether coming to Laredo was the right move, and no more questions about how they fit into a veteran roster that returned eight players from last year’s champion.
Whether it’s via Reid’s length and athleticism, Murray’s pure scoring or Reynolds’ stability in the paint, know this: As the Dustdevils initiate defense of their conference title with a four-game road trip starting today in Odessa against rival Texas-Permian Basin, they do so as a more dynamic group than the one UTPB saw last spring when it fell to TAMIU in the conference tournament title game.
“I’m excited,” TAMIU coach Shane Rinner said of his prized recruits. “We brought them here to help us get some wins. All have the chance to really do that and to help us there at the end when it’s time to win a championship.”

Balanced bigs

When the Dustdevils produced the finest campaign in the program’s nine years last season, they did so deliberately.
They were methodical in approach, relying upon a dominant defense to accompany an efficient offense predicated upon motion and sharp shooting from 3-point range.
But when Rinner went shopping for more talent during the summer, he sought speed, athleticism, quickness. He wanted a team that could play just as easily in transition as it did in the halfcourt.
A little less than halfway through the season, consider that goal accomplished. While TAMIU does not officially keep track off fast-break points or points off turnovers, there is no question the Dustdevils get easier baskets.
Most of that starts with the 6-foot-7 Reid, who is averaging 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and is second on the team in blocks. After struggling early in the season staying on the floor, thanks to his happy hands on defense, Reid has settled into a groove, adjusting to Rinner’s disciplined system sooner than many thought.
“Playing in a system was tough at first,” Reid said. “I haven’t really played in a structured system before, and that was hard. I had to take awhile to learn not to be as loose as I used to be on the court.”
While Reid figures to be vital against the Arkansas-Fort Smith’s and UTPB’s of the world, Reynolds holds down the fort inside, surely to be an asset against the likes of St. Mary’s and St. Edward’s.
His numbers are modest (4.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg), but there’s a reason Reynolds has started eight of the 12 games he’s played. Alongside Reid, he gives Rinner nice depth and balance at a position that is perhaps the most evolved in college basketball.
“Jayvin stepped up early and was really good in the wins against Incarnate Word and on the road against West Texas A&M and Abilene Christian, and here lately Joe’s stepped up of late and Jayvin hasn’t had as much time,” Rinner said. “But I’m fine as long as one of them steps up.
“They’ve kind of taken turns and that’s nice to see.”

TAMIU’s wild card

The true wild card, however, may indeed be Murray. After posting a gaudy 17 points per game on 48 percent 3-point shooting at Los Medanos Community College last year, the 6-foot sharpshooter had to all but reform his game.
When you shoot as well as Murray, almost any shot is a good shot. But under Rinner, where the ball and offensive possessions are valued, that’s not the case, and instead of learning how to get open, Murray had to also learn how to reverse the ball, look for open teammates and pass up good looks for better ones.
Not the easiest assignments for a player that’s been a top scorer all his life. Interestingly enough, however, they weren’t the toughest.
“The hardest part, to me, was defensively,” Murray said. “I’ve never been known as a defender, but coming in and playing with a group of guys that emphasize defense, it changes your mentality.
“With everybody else out there working hard defensively, it forces you to straighten up and not be the one that gets beat.”
Murray has certainly grown in that regard, and his offense is improving as well. While his 7.6 points per game on 41 percent shooting aren’t near his standards, he’s doing other things like getting teammates involved, moving the ball quickly and just knowing when and where to be offensively.
Just as he’s learning how to adapt to Rinner’s style, Rinner is also learning how to adapt to Murray.
“If Tyree can continue to grow into what we do offensively and score the ball for us, it’s going to be a huge advantage for us,” Rinner said. “I’m worried about getting him more shots and him learning where to get those.
“He’s got to continue to learn where to get shots in our offense, but we also do need to get him a few more shots per game.”

Game time

Throughout the season, players have raved about how this team is more talented than last year’s. That has to do with Reid, Murray and Reynolds.
On more than one occasion, each has affected a game significantly and made more than their share of footprints en route to the best start in program history.
“They’re huge for us. I really think they’re the key,” said senior center Evan Matteson. “They provide a whole other dynamic altogether for this team. They’re great guys to have and they’ve fit in just fine.”
But, as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. As a result of their vast skills and game-changing ability, much is resting upon the shoulders of the three to help lead the Dustdevils to not only another conference title, but also a NCAA tournament win or two.
It’s why as conference play tips off today, there is a great sense of anticipation amongst them.
“It’s more anxiety than anything,” Murray said. “These guys won a championship last year. There’s some pressure on the new guys to continue the excellence, but we don’t feel it.
“The guys who came back are making us feel comfortable and we really do feel like we fit right in.”

Dustdevils looking at spectacular finish

Junior guard Tyree Murray, along with sophomore forward Joe Reid, is a big reason why this year's Dustdevils are destined for an outstanding finish to the season. (PHOTO BY JOEY SANCHEZ | JSPHOTOSTUDIO.COM)

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated on the TAMIU men’s basketball team. It’s been an off-and-on month consisting of a nine-day holiday break and four games against cupcakes so that preparatory work is at a minimum while the team focused on finals and improving on last season’s program-best GPA.

However, these Dustdevils being defense of their conference title on Thursday on a record roll. They stand at 10-3, the best non-conference record in the program’s nine years, barely nipping last year’s 9-4 mark. Among those wins are demonstrative tallies against Incarnate Word, West Texas A&M, Abilene Christian, Notre Dame College, and most recently on Saturday, Cedarville.

In my opinion, Incarnate Word was the most impressive of the bunch, with Cedarville a close, close second.

The Dustdevils are beating their opponents by a little less than 18 points per game. They average 78.2 points on 51 percent shooting (including 40 percent from 3) and also compile an unheard of 18 assists per game. There are NBA teams that don’t even sniff that many.

But, as we know, offense is not what drives TAMIU. It’s defense.

On that end, TAMIU allows just 60.5 points per game on 39 percent shooting. Opponents shoot just 32 percent from deep and have amassed 28 more total turnovers than assists against the Dustdevils.

Every aspect of the game has been upgraded for the Dustdevils’ from last year to this year. But what’s the big difference? In my opinion, it’s the fact that TAMIU has some wild cards this year, and I mean that in the best light possible.

Last year, you knew what you were getting when you faced TAMIU. A precise, halfcourt-oriented team that used defense as its fuel. Aside from Brian Schaeffer, who has almost doubled his scoring average from last year to become a primary scoring threat, most of the eight returners are pretty much set in who they are.

However, this year, there is some nice change of pace off the bench in sophomore forward Joe Reid and junior guard Tyree Murray, both junior college transfers. Reid, in particular, is a huge factor, simply because of his versatility, length and shooting ability. He averages 8.1 points on 57 percent shooting. He takes good, smart shots, but he can really frustrate a defense, particularly off the bench.

Murray is a pure scorer, but he’s really improved as a facilitator. He had big trouble with shot selection earlier this season, but he has moved the ball extremely well and seems to have a much better grasp on when and where to get his shots.

I know for a fact both guys had a real tough time acclimating to coach Shane Rinner’s system earlier this season. At one point, I even thought there was a chance they may not be much of contributors after all. It seemed they were fostering a mindset that Rinner’s emphasis on structure, discipline and teamwork was too much to overcome.

But there’s a reason Rinner recruited them. Of course for their skills, but also because of their toughness. And their ultimate acclimation to buying in and sacrificing numbers and glory for the team is a testament to just that. In fact, how quickly they have turned things around is why I’m even more optimistic this team is more than capable of defending their conference title and winning a NCAA tourney game or two. I seriously thought it wouldn’t be until four or five more games until they really hit their strides, but they’ve proven me wrong.

It’s going to be interesting. I think Arkansas-Fort Smith and St. Mary’s are the top threats to TAMIU’s crown, but at this point, having watched the Dustdevils grow and mature over the last couple of weeks, it’s hard to see anyone taking down TAMIU for the title. TAMIU is well equipped to deal with teams of size, quickness and/or versatility. All I needed to see was the wins over Incarnate Word and Cedarville to know they can really play with anyone. And while it’s fine for me to be optimistic about their chances, I know Rinner isn’t even thinking that far ahead.

“I’m pleased, but nervous,” he said about where his team stands at the moment. “Now it really starts.”

 

Dustdevils ready for DI test

TAMIU junior forward Justin Lafitte and the Dustdevils play NCAA Division I UTPA tonight. (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

In a winter schedule full of finals and games against inferior competition, the Texas A&M International men’s basketball team finally gets a chance to see precisely where it stands 10 games into the season.

The Dustdevils are in Edinburg today to face its lone NCAA Division I opponent this season, Texas-Pan American. The program has never defeated a DI school in regular-season play and is 0-9 all-time.

“We tried to get more DI’s and just couldn’t get anyone down,” TAMIU coach Shane Rinner said. “We tried to get as many as we could, but couldn’t get anyone to play us. We’d play as many as would play us, but it’s hard to get games.

“When you start to get better, they don’t really want to play you. They’re looking for a night off and for someone they think they can beat.”

The Dustdevils are 6-3 heading into tonight. The Broncs are 2-8, but have played a rigorous early schedule, with losses to DePaul, Northwestern, UT-Arlington, and, most recently, No. 2 Ohio State.

The Broncs are 6-0 all-time against the Dustdevils in a series that dates back to 2003, but this will be the first time Ryan Marks, formerly the head coach at St. Edward’s and in his third year in the Valley, faces TAMIU while at the helm of UTPA.

When Marks was the head coach for the Hilltoppers, he competed against the Dustdevils for three years as a Heartland Conference foe. Marks has a 6-0 record against TAMIU.

“They’re going to be ready to play someone they think they can beat. They’ve played a tough schedule,” Rinner said. “They’re going to be hungry. They play hard, but it’s tough to get a read on them because they’ve played such superior talent. It’d be like watching us against the teams we played last weekend and trying to get a feel for how good we are.

“I just know they’re tough, well-coached and they’re going to be hungry.”

TAMIU athletic director Leonard Nardone guessed that tonight’s game brings in a guarantee of “about $4,000” for the Dustdevils.

The Dustdevils are coming off an encouraging week, posting two wins against programs from the Christian collegiate athletic association last weekend and following that up with a demanding week of practice, with players starting to put the pressure on each other and holding one another accountable.

“We’re coming off a pair of games where I felt they were kind of hard to play. I felt we showed up focused and played for 40 minutes each game,” Rinner said of last weekend’s blowout wins against Hillsdale Freewill Baptist and Arlington Baptist. “That’s easier said than done. The scoreboard says that it’s easy, but it’s not.

“We saw a team of our caliber (Texas-Permian Basin) who couldn’t do that (maintain focus), so I’m pleased in that we’ve made a lot of strides from this time last week to now.”

If the players consistently sustained that concentration and intensity last weekend, one can only imagine how revved up they’ll be for UTPA.

“It’s always fun, playing a DI,” said senior guard Brian Schaeffer, the team’s leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. “We always take it personal. We feel that’s where we should be (DI), so it’s always something to look forward to.”

Last weekend, the Dustdevils embraced a motto of “playing against perfection,” as in playing to their own standard and not the name on the front of the opponent’s jersey. Rinner said if his team can “equal the mental with the physical,” it can be good.

Players have willingly adopted that thinking.

“We’re looking at it as TAMIU versus perfection,” junior guard Tyree Murray said of tonight’s affair. “We’re thrilled to be playing a DI, but the games we’ve lost, we’ve beaten ourselves.

“It’s just another opponent. We’re going up against perfection.”

Playing against perfection

Joe Reid and the TAMIU Dustdevils have won six of nine games this season. (PHOTO BY DANNY ZARAGOZA | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

It’s been a while since I blogged about the TAMIU men’s hoops team. This is a period of trial-and-error that generally serves as a time for the team to find itself and hopefully gain some momentum heading into the start of conference play in January.

So how do they look? What’s the latest? Well, the Dustdevils are playing great basketball, winning five of their last six games for a 6-3 record heading into Saturday’s bout against NCAA Division I Texas-Pan American. Up to this point, they’ve been without the services of senior forward James Silvie, still out with a pulled groin. That’s about 12-15 points and 6-8 rebounds missing from the lineup.

In short, they’ll only get stronger and bigger once the 6-foot-6 Silvie gets back on the floor. It’s important to remember that, because as well as TAMIU has been playing of late, I tend to forget it as well. Things will only get better.

Last weekend’s slate against Hillsdale Freewill Baptist and Arlington Baptist – christian collegiate athletic programs that TAMIU defeated by an average of 56.5 points per game – were hardly telling about where this team stands right now. Those teams were cupcakes. They tried and gave a nice effort, but they’re about 2-3 levels below where TAMIU stands on the ladder.

What you had to look at was how the Dustdevils played in regard to accomplishing goals they wanted to achieve.

TAMIU has adopted a motto of “playing against perfection” of late. It’s meant to keep the team focused on playing against its own standard opposed to the name across the front of the opponent’s jersey, whether it’s an Arlington Baptist or UTPA.

The players, for one, have bought in. After last weekend’s games, they didn’t talk about beating Hillsdale or Arlington so much as they talked about limiting turnovers, playing better positions defensively and playing with full effort from the opening tip. They weren’t patting themselves on the back for scoring 100 points against Hillsdale or shooting 60 percent against Arlington.

They harped on the spurts of lack of focus and too many turnovers. Against Hillsdale, the Dustdevils were sloppy. They played hard, but they didn’t play TAMIU basketball.

Against Arlington, they did. And that’s what matters. They won the games within the game.

“If we just focus on what we have to do, we’ll be fine,” senior guard Ryan McLucas said. “We’re not worried about (other teams).”

Even when it comes to the thought of playing a DI, it doesn’t affect them. Just another day at the office.

“We have a lot of players that could be playing at the DI level, so we’ve just got to worry about what we’ve got to do. If we do that, we’ll be successful,” McLucas assured.

Their actions support their words. From Friday’s 62-point win against Hillsdale to Saturday’s 51-point victory against Arlington, the Dustdevils cut down on turnovers (from 16-10), fouls (20 to 13) and cleaned up other subtle, yet relevant, nuances, such as cutting strong in their motion sets, employing a relatively fresh fullcourt defense and doing an all-around better job as far as moving the ball and knowing when and where to get shots.

From the starters to the third-stringers, every single Dustdevil worked. And that’s not easy to do when you could probably beat those respective teams by starting just your third-stringers. I get sloppy just playing a Minnesota or Washington in NBA 2K12, so I can only imagine how disciplined you have to be to keep your intensity and focus consistent in a college basketball game.

It’s obvious this team is settling into its groove, and for that, all you need to do is look at how fast the new kids on the block are acclimating themselves to a veteran unit.

Sophomore forward Joe Reid has grown more comfortable in his role. He’s not pressing as much and his production is impressive (7 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes per game). He still can get in foul trouble — hence the few minutes — but he’s aggressive and he attacks. He is getting into a nice rhythm offensively (he hit all seven of his field goals against Arlington Baptist) and that, in turn, has delivered more confidence defensively.

Junior center Jayvin Reynolds has stabilized the inside, which was desperately needed with the graduation of all-conference forward Will Faiivae. His numbers aren’t mind-blowing (5 points, 3.2 rebounds), but he does what coach Shane Rinner wants from his bigs: he runs the floor hard, screens well, protects the paint and takes advantage of the few opportunities afforded to him on offense (64 percent shooting). It helps that Reynolds is a quick study and carries a studious persona. It’s all business with him, and that’s as obvious off the floor as it is on it.

But where you can really see the Dustdevils’ growth is with junior guard Tyree Murray. A scorer by nature, all you have to do is see Murray whip the ball around and make the extra pass to know this team is very close to putting it all together. Before, he would shoot ill-advised shots and pass up on good looks. Now he makes that extra pass and shoots with authority.

“I have a good group of teammates to pass the ball to and we have an unselfish team,” Murray said. “It helps when you have great players to pass the ball to. I definitely have more room to grow, but I’m feeling a lot more comfortable. It’s getting there.”

The Dustdevils have acquired this fast start even with a relatively unstable starting rotation. Only Evan Matteson and McLucas have started all nine games. Reynolds has started seven, Brian Schaeffer 6, Scottie Payne 5, Armando Brito 4, Murray 3 and Ian Salter 2.

It speaks to the team’s depth and versatility that it can keep a nice flow going with so many transient parts.  It all comes back to Rinner’s motto of playing against perfection. Even he is not too concerned about other teams. He’s too busy trying to figure out exactly what he has in his cupboard, and if that might even cost a few non-conference games, so be it.

“It takes some adjustment as far as the idea of playing against yourself,” McLucas said with a smile. “But it makes sense, because we’re trying to be the best team we can be. We have to compete against ourselves, so then it doesn’t matter what kind of team we’re going up against.”

Rinner can sleep soundly at night knowing he has a good team with all on the same page. It’s clear everyone is drinking the kool-aid. You can tell he wants this team to succeed badly. He knows he has the tools. He knows he has the talent. It’s because of that that he’s barking at a player for not cutting hard enough with three minutes left on the good side of a 40-point game. It’s because of that that he, more so than any other season, finds himself teaching, molding, shaping, growing his players.

Let it be understood how fast this team’s aura has changed. Just three, four weeks ago, some of the new guys privately questioned whether or not they thought it was a good idea to come to Laredo. They were dealing with the typical doubts of whether their talents could fit within Rinner’s meticulous, demanding system. There was a fair amount of uncertainty and self-evaluating. But they buckled up and refused to leave the car. Why? Well, it’s my opinion that they know Rinner’s style – as physically and mentally exhausting as it can be – pays off.

And now? Now they smile. Now they laugh. Now they walk with a swagger. Now they no longer worry about where they fit in. They just worry about where the team fits.

That’s pretty much all you need to know about how far this team has come in a relatively short amount of time.

“We’re looking at it as TAMIU versus perfection,” Murray said in reference to the upcoming DI game against UTPA. “We’re thrilled to be playing a DI, but the games we’ve lost, we’ve beaten ourselves.

“It’s just another opponent. We’re going up against perfection.”

Dustdevils right wrongs, get back on track

TAMIU senior guard Brian Schaeffer has emerged as arguably the top leader for the Dustdevils this season. (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

Following a maddening two-game losing streak, complete with everything from poor shooting to a lack of attention to details, the Texas A&M International men’s basketball showed a sense of urgency in practices before departing for a four-game, 11-day road trip last Thursday.
Players spoke up to remind others of what they were there for. They preached of following head coach Shane Rinner’s methods, proven yet demanding. There were one-to-one, heart-to-heart chats.
It was the first true sign of the players policing themselves, and the result was a brilliant two-game weekend that saw the Dustdevils topple Lone Star Conference perennial power West Texas A&M on Friday and then 18 hours later upend promising Abilene Christian on Saturday.
“We played the way I’d envisioned us,” Rinner said. “We were really tough. Our communication was great. We showed a lot of resolve. These were two really good teams. West Texas is a perennial NCAA tournament team and Abilene Christian is actually more talented than West Texas.”
In both games, the Dustdevils’ (3-2) penchants for smart halftime adjustments and closing strong down the stretch were on full display.
In Friday’s 53-50 win against West Texas A&M, the Dustdevils held the Buffs to 26 points on 36.8 percent shooting in the second half. In Saturday’s 71-69 victory against ACU, made possible thanks to Armando Brito’s buzzer-beating bucket as time expired, the Dustdevils held the Wildcats to 25 points on 34.8 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes.
Each of those wins gave defeats to teams that had previously been undefeated. West Texas A&M, which rebounded from the TAMIU loss to beat Heartland Conference power Texas-Permian Basin 81-75 on Saturday, is 4-1 overall. ACU is 3-1.
“Through adversity, you either shrink or you rise up, and this team rose up,” Rinner said. “They did a good job of doing what we do.
“People stepped up. Guys rose up.”
While Rinner applauded the defense, he did mention his team can still be “miserable offensively,” but that improvement is being made in players being patient and being in the right spots more often than not.
The biggest improvement over the last two days has been the leadership, which was practically non-existent through the first three games of the season.
“Our leadership has started to step up and guys are demanding from other people,” Rinner said. “We didn’t do a good job of preparing as a staff against (the two losses to) Texas A&M-Kingsville and we’ve gotten back to the basics and preaching the message.
“Now it’s not just us coaches preaching, it’s the guys themselves. They’re holding each other accountable on the court now and it’s making a big difference.”
Rinner specifically noted senior guard Brian Schaeffer as the one leading the charge. After delivering a passionate and emotional speech emphasizing unselfishness and taking responsibility during last Wednesday’s practice, Schaeffer backed up the talk with a team-best 17 points, 12 rebounds and three steals against West Texas A&M, a LSC juggernaut predicted to place third in the conference in preseason polls.
“He’s been the best leader,” Rinner said. “He’s the guy.”
However, while Rinner expressed a good amount of pleasure with the two wins, he also knows work is far from being done.
It’s been a tough early schedule for TAMIU, and since it figures to get no easier with next week’s slate in the Fresno Pacific Classic starting Friday in California, he knows it’s a team headed in the right direction, but with quite a few more miles to go.
“I thought we had a chance to be 4-1 at this point, maybe 5-0,” he said. “But we also could easily be 1-4 … playing five Lone Star Conference teams in 12 nights is not easy.
“So, it’s a start. This will help get us going to where we need to be.”

Dustdevils’ warts minor, yet significant all the same

Sitting at 1-2, Ryan McLucas and the TAMIU Dustdevils have more than a few concerns just three games in. (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

As the Texas A&M International men’s basketball team embarks on a four-game, 11-day road trip starting today in Odessa, there are a fair share of warts three games into what figures to be a lengthy season for the defending conference champs.

Those warts are specifically three: 1. Too many turnovers. 2. Poor defensive rebounding. 3. Lethargic offense.

Simple, basic stuff that a team returning 12 starters, including eight seniors, probably shouldn’t be worrying about right now. Problem No. 3 is understandable, but a club predicated upon smart, precise execution and physicality should not be having issues with the first two.

Because of the relative simplicity of the concerns, however, head coach Shane Rinner essentially sees no real trouble.

“The guys know what they’ve got to do,” Rinner said Wednesday. “Basketball’s not rocket science. I think we have guys who know what they’ve got to do; the thing is, are they going to do it?”

From a player’s standpoint, they do, in fact, know what they have to do. And it is indeed a bit disconcerting that a veteran team is having trouble with simple stuff. That’s what the 16 days of fall practices were for, cleaning up any loose ends as far as the basics.

“You would think, with 12 returners, we wouldn’t have that problem (turnovers, running poor offense), but I think that’s part of the problem,” senior wing Armando Brito said. “When we’re on offense, we’re not getting into our man with the proper foot angles so that our teammate who has the ball can get it to us safely. It’s simple fundamental things we’re not doing at a high level right now and it’s costing us games.”

The Dustdevils have proven to have trouble with rangy, athletic teams, as the two consecutive defeats to Texas A&M-Kingsville proved. When teams push the ball and attack the rim and penetrate, TAMIU doesn’t have the foot speed or lateral movement to compete. Not yet anyway. To beat the Dustdevils, from what I’ve seen at this point right now, you have to not allow them to get set defensively and get into their stance, where they do a decent job of forcing contested jumpers and putting bodies in the driving lanes.

But that – better defense in one-on-one situations – will come with time, once the Dustdevils get more sure of themselves defensively and the newcomers become more comfortable in the plethora of demands Rinner holds them accountable for on that end of the floor. What’s more worrying is how they consistently get beat out of position of their space and pushed around. That, more so than anything in itself, is the reason for the turnovers, which have led to so many points at the other end.

The Dustdevils simply are not strong with the ball, almost to the extent of being uncertain with it.

“We’re just not paying attention to details, like getting into our man and being physical and owning a spot,” senior guard Ryan McLucas said. “We’re lacking that. Being physical and owning spots on the floor is a mentality that, even though it’s early, we need to get there.”

That’s not the only thing.

On Wednesday in practice, senior guard Brian Schaeffer preached to his teammates about taking things personally. He emphasized sacrificing for others. For 10 minutes, he held court – literally – and spoke of his disdain of what he was seeing. Players and coaches quietly listened, and I have to imagine it was a nice sight for Rinner.

“It’s something minor right now, but you don’t want it to get bigger,” Schaeffer said of the slow start. “We started 0-7 last year, including exhibitions, and we don’t want that again. We have a good enough team to where we can fix this right now.”

McLucas said that Schaeffer did have the team’s complete attention.

“It has to deal with us listening to each other,” said McLucas, who hinted that there may have been a sense of dissension among the team during the first three games. “We can’t disregard what someone tells us, because that’s a brother telling us, and if a brother is telling you something, you take it in and listen.

“We’re all here for the same goal and that’s to win.”

The fact that players are starting to hold themselves accountable so early in the season is a welcome sign, which is why Rinner, all be told, isn’t too preoccupied with the warts. He sees a team that is not happy with how things have gone and know what they have to do to fix it.

It’s not a team that is lost or lacks an identity. Just as we’re talking about a 1-2 team, it’s a squad that could easily be 5-2 by the time it returns to Laredo in a week and a half, all because there is a sense that players desperately want to right the ship, not sink it further.

“They’re disappointed,” Rinner said. “I think they’re mad. I think it’s a wake-up call for them, but it’s still early. It’s hard to know the complete pulse of my team three games in. We’ve been dealing with adversity – a sprained ankle for (junior guard) Tyree (Murray), who can barely walk, and (senior forward) James (Silvie) hasn’t even played yet, so there’s 12-15 points out of our lineup – so the guys just have to respond. We have to find ways to win games.”

Silvie’s return from a pulled groin will be crucial. He is expected to return next week and will be a much-needed help. He provides mismatches, is one of the team’s top rebounders and helps considerably with sustaining offensive flow and establishing an interior threat.

So there is, let it be known, plenty of daylight at the end of the tunnel. It must be reminded that the Dustdevils have played without one of their top three players. The warts are, by all means, minimal and not permanent, but Rinner’s expectations are that of perfection. Where we may see a team having early jitters like any other team in college basketball in the country, he demands excellence, especially when it comes to the basics.

“Nothing’s concerning me except getting this team ready to play,” Rinner said. “My focus is just getting this group to a place where they can function at the highest level.”

The Dustdevils have an immediate opportunity to rectify all starting with today’s game against West Texas A&M in Odessa, followed by another chance Saturday against Abilene Christian.

“As a team, we don’t want to start slow,” McLucas said. “Nobody wants to be in the position we’re in with two straight losses, especially to the same team. Nobody likes to lose, so as of right now, we’re practicing hard and trying to turn it around.

“It has everything to do with just playing basketball and what’s in your heart.”

 

 

Dustdevils stay in the moment as season approaches

After 26 days of practice, including a plethora of two-a-day sessions, the Texas A&M International men's basketball team finally gets to see what it's made of Friday night at home. (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

Fall practices for the 2011-12 men’s college basketball season began 26 days ago, but Friday night’s season opener at home for the TAMIU Dustdevils began as a work in progress on March 13.

As soon as the Dustdevils left Central Oklahoma following a historic campaign that featured a conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance – both firsts for the program – they immediately began work toward Friday night’s contest against regional foe Incarnate Word.

So what do we know of these ’11-12 Dustdevils? Well, we know they’re more athletic and versatile, thanks to junior college transfers Joe Reid (sophomore forward), Jayvin Reynolds (junior center) and Tyree Murray (junior guard). We know, in spite of the graduation of their top two scorers in Will Faiivae and Luis Gomez, they return a great chunk of last year’s core in senior center Evan Matteson, senior forward Armando Brito and senior guards Ryan McLucas and Scottie Payne. We know that they have issues communicating on the floor consistently, talking and directing, and they had turnover troubles during recent practices.

Most importantly, however, we know they’re all on the same page. Even for the newcomers, it didn’t take long for them to buy into head coach Shane Rinner’s mindset.

“Excellence is the standard,” Murray said. “That’s our motto and that’s what’s on our posters everywhere. He doesn’t expect anything less, and that’s good. Even if you’re not excellent, you’ll fall somewhere around there.”

Coaches are generally pessimistic by nature. but even TAMIU’s leaders are having a difficult time pinpointing much to be concerned with.

“Our practices are more consistent and the unity and the closeness of the group is a lot higher than at the beginning of the year last year,” associate head coach Bryan Weakley said. “We have eight seniors preaching our system daily and that’s a huge benefit. Now we’ve got to see who steps up in a leadership role.”

Even Rinner, normally high strung and as stressed as can be about his team, is relatively assured. Perhaps that comes with having 12 returners, including eight seniors. Perhaps that comes with not having to preach about effort or intensity, two things the Dustdevils do well. Or perhaps he finally sees a complete team with size, shooting, athleticism, scoring and versatility.

“I like where we’re at,” Rinner said. “The guys are getting better and they’re really working. You just have to try and get them to be as edgy as you can, so you overemphasize everything to make sure they can get there. But I like where they are.”

If you’d like to know where these Dustdevils compare to last year’s record-setting unit or of any in Rinner’s tenure here, don’t bother. Rinner loathes comparing teams and is all about the process, the journey, opposed to the destination.

He literally lives day by day, practice by practice. In practices he encourages players by saying he sees them getting better, which is perhaps the highest compliment you can receive from Rinner, who scrutinizes everything to the max and prioritizes detail after detail after detail.

“I don’t get caught up in wins or losses or anything like that,” he said. “I always try to stay involved in the process instead of setting my eyes on the destination. When you set in on the destination, it’s easy to skip steps and there are no steps you can skip. If you climb a ladder, you go one rung at a time. If you miss one, you fall down.”

The most glaring flaw of these Dustdevils, from what I’ve seen through six preseason practices and a scrimmage, is they don’t communicate consistently. There are bursts where everyone is talking, directing, in sync like an orchestra. And there are others where there’s, well, nothing. No talking, no anything.

For a team predicated upon defense and spacing and movement on offense, communication is absolutely a necessity. It’s not to say the Dustdevils are bad at it, not by any means. It’s my opinion, however, that they’re not communicating up to the standards of last year’s bunch or even other Rinner teams in the past.

Rinner, for his part, does not see it as a significant issue.

“If the average person came into our practice, they’d say we communicate at an above-average rate,” he said. “As a coach, it’s not what you coach, it’s what you emphasize. We emphasize communication, so I’ll hit them over the head with it every day.

“We’re pretty good at communicating. But we want to be the best.”

That’s fair. And it’s, to be honest, nit-picking. This Dustdevils team is tantalizing because it, for the first time in Rinner’s tenure, has the ability to make up for mistakes due to its speed, athleticism and quickness. While it’s not something you’d like for them to fall back upon, at least it’s there.

TAMIU tips off its season Friday against Incarnate Word at home. The Cardinals were ranked No. 15 in the country last season before injuries precipitated a drop from the rankings. They opened some eyes in the exhibition season with a 69-65 win over NCAA DI A&M-Corpus Christi, though they were picked to place seventh in their 10-team conference’s preseason poll.

The Dustdevils then play A&M-Kingsville on Saturday before going up there to play them again on Tuesday. Then they head next week to Odessa for a tournament to play West Texas A&M and Abilene Christian.

These next two weeks are absolutely crucial. All four teams are Lone Star Conference foes, which, if TAMIU is to do well and thrive, could help in its bid for an at-large spot for the NCAA tourney.

All four are picked within the bottom half of their 10-team conference, though the conference is said to be 5-6 deep in title contenders.

“If we want to accomplish what we hope to accomplish in the preseason and get some regional points so we can get an at-large bid for the NCAA, that’s what we’re urgent about,” Weakley said. “Ever since (Rinner) called the team out a couple of weeks ago on the lack of urgency, that’s risen. But it’s still not where we want it to be.

“We measure this team to the team in Alaska when we went to the (NCAA Division II) Final Four (in 2008, with the University of Alaska-Anchorage), where we had great practices and the leadership was intact.”

It remains to be seen whether these Dustdevils are deserving of being mentioned in the same sentence as that UAA squad. But the mentality is right, the tools are in place and the system is proven.

“I just take it game by game,” Payne said. “Every game plays out a different way and it’s a long season, man. The focus is winning every game you can so that when the big games come you’ve been through the battles and you can compete.

“It’s about the process. You can’t look down the line.”

 

Dustdevils lack urgency

Following a poor defeat to Blinn in a scrimmage on Saturday, the TAMIU Dustdevils find themselves having to answer more questions with the start of the season 11 days away.

At the middle of Monday’s afternoon practice, Texas A&M International men’s basketball coach Shane Rinner gathered his team. What he said next was stirring.

“I’m scared to death,” Rinner said. “I’m not feeling the sense of urgency.”

16 days since the start of fall practices, and coming off a sloppy, underwhelming 18-point defeat in a scrimmage to Blinn on Saturday, the Dustdevils’ lack of purpose was startling. They reacted slowly. Their was a constant lack of communication on the floor.

It was a startling turnaround from just a week and a half ago, when this was a team of purpose and acted like it. But now the Dustdevils find themselves discombobulated offensively and too loose defensively.

Rinner does not wish to concern himself with such basics just days from the tip-off to the season next Friday against regional power Incarnate Word. But that’s where he finds himself, having to coax, urge and prod.

“I’m always scared,” Rinner said after practice. “I just feel like the way we were practicing isn’t the way you have to practice in order to win games. It doesn’t mean I’m fearful long-term, but we’ve got to get significant gains. Practices are going by, days are clicking off. I’m always fearful of an opponent.”

Leadership, or lack thereof, is apparently at the heart of the issue. Rinner specifically pointed out his team’s inability to coach each other through drills. Two weeks into practices, and the Dustdevils often find themselves fatigued and having problems with such basic principles as spacing, flashing to the ball and filling spots.

Defensively, they close out poorly and often find themselves in poor position to help.

And while Rinner openly expressed concern with his team’s lack of urgency, his players don’t necessarily see it that way.

“I do think we have a little bit of that, but we also do have a lot of guys who are new and are having to learn on the fly,” senior center Evan Matteson said. “He is right in that we do have to step it up from where we are now, but I think we’ll be ready to go once that first game gets here.”

It’s a domino effect. The lack of urgency – and don’t be mistaken, there is indeed a lack of it – can be attributed to the lack of leadership. The only consistent leader, vocally or otherwise, is senior guard Ryan McLucas. And while others have stepped it up at times, like senior guards Brian Schaeffer and Winston Harris, it’s not enough.

Because of the lack of leadership, there is little to no accountability, a big, big emphasis of Rinner’s. It’s obvious Rinner is getting tired of hearing his own voice and not hearing that of players’. Will Faiivae was the team’s vocal and emotional leader, on and off the court. But now he is gone and that void is painstakingly apparent.

“I do believe we have guys who know how to do it and can do it,” Matteson said of being a leader not only by example but vocally. “They just have to. That’s the bottom line.”

OTHER NOTES:

– The Dustdevils will redshirt junior guard Ty Condie and junior wing Johnel Gray. Gray was expected, but Condie? Rinner had talked highly of him all preseason as if he was ready to step into the starting lineup and contribute. But apparently that’s not the case and Condie will sit out this year. “It’s the right decision for him and our school,” Rinner said of Condie. “He’ll be here a couple of more years. He could have certainly played this year, but he was the only one to have a redshirt year (available). That’s what it came to.”

– Laredo native and Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Kaleb Canales watched a bit of today’s practice. Canales is visiting around, attending different schools’ practices and studying gameplans. He plans to attend another practice or two of the Dustdevils’.

 

The Dustdevils’ sense of purpose

TAMIU's men's basketball practices are aggressive and intense, emphasizing a stingy defense that makes it tough on playmakers. (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)

The end of a three-hour TAMIU men’s basketball practice – the second in as many days – was near. The final drill would be a fullcourt shooting exhibition in which the team tries to top 100 points in three minutes on layups, 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers.

Fail. The Dustdevils got to 93 points, but, hey, it was the last drill of a tiring, stressful, physically dominating session. Falling seven points shy after the effort they had just given all day would be understandable.

But no.

“Let’s do it again!” All eyes turned to the baseline, where the players stood, breathing heavily. Tired or not, the goal of the drill was to score more than 100. Not 93. Not 99. One hundred.

“Guys,” head coach Shane Rinner belted with a knowing look. “Practice is over. Are you telling me you’re going to go again?”

No answer. The next sound heard was a long pass that started the second time around for the drill. Throughout it, Rinner applauded, encouraged, clapped loudly. Still, the Dustdevils fell short. Ninety-seven.

Wash, rinse, repeat. Turns out the third try was the lucky charm. The Dustdevils didn’t just pass 100, they scored 112. What had just occurred was an impressive sharpening of concentration and commitment. Sure, practice could have been over after the first time of the drill. Heck, Rinner would have understood.  But there is a bigger picture in mind for this team – defending conference champions – and leaving practice, no matter how tired or worn down, after failing was not an option.

“They’re starting to coach themselves,” Rinner told me after the practice. “And when that starts to happen, you have a chance.”

The first nine days of fall practices for the Dustdevils have been incredibly intense. From the first day, when 11 players were on the court ready to go 26 minutes before the first practice started,  it has been go-go-go. Whether it’s in learning how to control your body on closeouts, proper ball reversals or applying deceiving pressure via talking, your hands and feet, it’s been anything but introductory. Which is admittedly how it should be when you have 12 returners and five new guys, all JUCO transfers.

Rinner implores his team to be tougher, deeper and better conditioned than the opponent. He threw one of those new guys out of the first practice of the season because he was going at “lackadaisical speed.” When asked why, Rinner said he would rather punish the player than punish the team, as practice was supposed to be about learning, not running sprints because of a rookie’s mistake.

Days ago there was an interesting dynamic between Rinner and assistant coach Kemmy Burgess. During a drill, Rinner wanted Burgess to deliver the basketball to him a proper way – bounce pass, at the exact right moment. It took Burgess three or four times before he finally got it down. It was a perfect example of how Rinner demands perfection, whether from team manager Chris Gill (who hustles just as hard as anyone on the floor), his assistant coaches or, of course, his players.

One thing you cannot question during these first few weeks of practice is the team’s work ethic. Aside from that initial incident and a few times here and there when a player or two doesn’t quite run as hard as he’s supposed to, the Dustdevils are a high effort unit that has learned to hold itself accountable (i.e. the shooting drill). But is that supposed to impress Rinner?

No. It’s expected.

“I know you guys are working hard,” Rinner told his team during that three-hour session a few days ago. “But every team in this country is. We have to work harder. We have to work smarter.”

And then there was this:

“Don’t retreat from your mind when you know your body is tired.”

In many ways, Rinner has taken his hands off some of the controls, simply because he does have players who will coach the others and make sure his way is what takes place. But you can also sense a sort of tension and sense of anticipation in the gym. This is a team that returns 12 from last year’s Heartland Conference champion. It’s a team that’s even more dynamic and versatile with the additions of guards Tyree Murray, Ty Condie and forward Joe Reid and center Jayvin Reynolds.

It’s a program that may take awhile to be able to be in this state again, as eight seniors will be lost to graduation of this year. It’s also the final year of Rinner’s contract.

In other words, the Dustdevils are in perfect position to deliver a second conference title and maybe win a game in the NCAA tourney. They are in perfect position to stabilize the program even more so and add some more banners.

All the pieces are in place. The team that finished third in the conference in scoring last year added more shooting, playmaking and speed. The team that finished second in the conference in defense added more rebounding. It’s a team that won’t only thrive in halfcourt sets, but also figures to get easier baskets with its newfound ability to penetrate and get to the rim faster.

It’s a team with a purpose. Last year was nice. Unexpected. Above expectations. Beyond what was required. What would have qualified for a successful year last year would have been a win in the conference postseason tournament. What was delivered was a conference title and a trip to the NCAA’s, where the Dustdevils gave No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma all it could handle in overtime on its own floor.

But this year? The bar has been lifted considerably. Can the Dustdevils live up to the grand expectations now that the community, the university expects nothing less than excellence?

They’re sure practicing like it.