Fernandez’s Biggest Challenge

Posted Feb 20, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Feb 20, 2010 at 04:12 AM

The winningest coach in University of South Florida basketball history looked tired and sounded sick.

Jose Fernandez celebrates NIT title

Jose Fernandez hadn’t been back in town but a few hours when he met with a couple of reporters Thursday morning. The night before, Fernandez’s Bulls, with only eight players available, nearly pulled off their most improbable victory of the season at No. 14 Georgetown. USF’s late rally fell short, and the Bulls (14-11, 5-7 in Big East) returned home in the wee hours of Thursday morning having lost for the third time in four games.

The Bulls host No. 9-ranked West Virginia (23-3, 10-2) this afternoon at the Sun Dome, still in contention for a seventh consecutive postseason berth despite numerous suspensions and the loss of two key players – point guard Jasmine Wynne (knee injury) and senior forward Porche Grant, who opted not to play for personal reasons this season but remains part of the team.

“This season has been challenging,’’ Fernandez said. “We lost our leading rebounder [Grant] before it even started. We knew we had some holes to fill. We were very realistic in that. I wouldn’t want to call it rebuilding, because I really thought we had some good kids coming back.

“But this team has had a lot of adversity and has had to deal with a lot of different issues, more off the court than on the court – probably more than we have ever had to deal with in the 10 years that I have been here.’’

After winning a school-record 27 games and an NIT championship last season, this season started on an ominous note when the raising of that NIT banner had to be postponed while Fernandez remained away from the team for several days battling a stomach ailment that required multiple trips to the hospital.

Fernandez watched the Bulls lose their season opener to Florida A&M from his hospital bed, knowing there was work to do when he returned.

Shortly after Fernandez returned, USF reeled off a six-game winning streak despite the distraction of senior guard Janae Stokes’ shoplifting arrest at a Wal-Mart near campus. But with only four regular-season games remaining, that stretch remains the highlight of the season.

The Bulls’ problems have peaked of late, as Stokes and teammates Dominique English and Sequoyah Griffin are in the midst of serving at least a four-game suspension for violation of team rules.
The trio did not play in USF’s win at Seton Hall a week ago or in Wednesday’s loss at Georgetown.

Fernandez said they will remain out today and Tuesday’s home game against Providence. If that’s not enough, Fernandez, who is in the final year of his contract, has also been sick recently with flu-like symptoms that have sapped him of some much-needed energy.

Instead of harping on what he doesn’t have, Fernandez and his staff have turned their attention to the eight players they do have, four of whom are freshmen.

“We’ve had some off-the-court disciplinary issues, and it’s totally uncalled for,’’ Fernandez said. “I’ve never put our program in the backseat over winning a game or a student-athlete not doing what they are supposed to off the court. They are here to get an education, to graduate, and to be representatives of our basketball program, our athletic department and this university.

“We also prepare them for life after basketball. I can look myself in the mirror and say I’ve done that here since Day 1. Our rules have never wavered and they will not.’’

Through it all, the Bulls can still reach the postseason again by finishing strong, likely another trip to the NIT thanks to the stellar play of sixth-year senior center Jessica Lawson.
Lawson has been the one constant this season, averaging 15.2 points and 10.8 rebounds while leading the Big East with 15 double-doubles.

After the way the season has gone, another trip to the NIT might seem like a winning lottery ticket for a program that has taken its lumps of late.

“I think everybody can do the math,’’ Fernandez said. “For us to be eligible for postseason, we probably need to get to 15 wins. Right now, the NCAA realistically is a hard shot just because you would have to win out and then probably win a couple in the Big East Tournament.

“We can only worry about what’s in front of us and what we do have. If our kids give that type of effort that we did at Georgetown and when we won at Seton Hall, with everything we’ve fought through, this will be another year of going to the postseason.’’