Changing Of The Guard UI Guard Shawn Dirden Is Straightening Out His Life

Want to get on a coach’s bad side? Ask Idaho basketball guard Shawn Dirden, he can give you some pointers.

First, there was Dirden’s girlfriend problems. Next, he punched his hand - shooting hand, no less - through a window during a bruhaha and messed up his thumb, just before the Vandals were to embark on a two-week tour of Europe last summer.

Then, the capper. Dirden informed coach Joe Cravens that Dirden’s younger brother, Thomas, needed to move to Moscow and come under Shawn’s supervision. Thomas, now a student at Moscow High, has been in his fair share of trouble.

“This summer, he (Cravens) let me know where I stood in some very different language,” Dirden said. “He wanted me to move into the dorms. He really wanted me to simplify my life. He told me I needed to grow up.”

“I forbid Shawn (to watch over Thomas) because Shawn couldn’t run his own life,” Cravens said. “I was down on Shawn because he had a lack of focus. I told him time after time, you’re here to get an education and become a better basketball player. I told him exactly where he stood.”

Thing is, Dirden can now give pointers on how he worked his way back to Cravens’ good side.

By showing an indisputable work ethic, by getting decent grades, by giving Thomas proper guidance, by generally becoming a better person, Dirden somehow has managed to orchestrate normalcy into a chaotic life.

Dirden’s routine day begins with a call from a Moscow High secretary, who phones each morning to make sure Thomas is awake and coming to school.

That’s followed by Shawn’s own classes and basketball practice. Then, he returns to his apartment to cook dinner for his younger brother and teammate Marvin Thomas. Studying or playing video games occupies evening hours.

“Coach was really worried that maybe I was doing too much,” said Dirden, whose sincere concern about Thomas’ care finally won over Cravens. “But he let me make a decision with my younger brother moving up. I told him if he let me do that, I’d take what he had to say seriously.”

So far, so good.

“If Shawn continues to push himself as a person and player, the world is his oyster,” Cravens said. “While he’s made great improvements, I still expect more of him, because he has so much potential as a person and player.”

“I’m a lot more responsible person and I’m a lot more honest person than I’ve ever been,” said Dirden, whose silky shooting touch will be on display tonight at 7:05 in an exhibition matchup with Brewster Packing in Memorial Gym.

Shawn said it was necessary for him to look after Thomas, a talented football and basketball player in his own right.

“I just want to be some kind of figure in his life,” Shawn said. “Probably the biggest thing I want to impress upon him is work hard and be a good person. I’d like for him to see me in school right now and influence him to go to college and play sports.”

“He (Shawn) is cool,” said Thomas, who lived with mom in Houston in recent years while Shawn stayed with dad, Johnnie, a former pro football player, in Colorado. Their parents are divorced. “He’s a positive role model. I’m just chillin’ with him.”

Thomas got off to a rough start in Moscow. He was in a fight on the first day of school and he missed a few Moscow football games for discipline reasons.

When Thomas breaks the rules, Shawn gets the phone calls.

“I’ve had to go to the school three times, but I think the principal sees where I’m coming from and the fact that I’m concerned,” said Shawn, who last year was engaged to be married but that has since been called off. “Thomas is a good kid. It’s been a difficult transition for him. He’s very talented.

“He just has a very short attention span.”

Dirden said housing his brother has the side effect of “giving my mother a chance to get her life together, too, financially.”

By now, it should be apparent Dirden won’t shy away from challenges. The 6-foot-3 senior guard out of Otero Junior College (La Junta, Colo.) once moved out of a predominately black high school to a suburban, mostly white school for academic reasons, he said.

At Idaho, his challenge has been consistency. He started off the 1994-95 season hot, suffered a lull for a month, then finished as a dependable scorer. He averaged 11.4 points per game (13.6 in Big Sky games) and made 53 3-pointers.

“He very quietly had a very good conference season,” Cravens said.

Dirden figures he’ll be better this season. Weight lifting has added 10 pounds of muscle and his mindset is stronger, too.

“It’s taken me becoming a senior to learn what it takes,” Dirden said. “It takes playing hard every play.”

Dirden and Cravens like the looks of this year’s Vandals. JC newcomers Eddie Turner, Reggie Rose and Jason Jackman add athleticism to returners Harry Harrison, Nate Gardner and James Jones.

Rose is a playmaker and aggressive defender, Turner’s a scoring threat and the 6-9 Jackman can run the floor.

“I think we can contend for a conference championship,” Cravens said.

“I hope we push the ball, with as much talent as we have,” Dirden said. “Our common goal is to win the Big Sky.”

That might not be easy. Then again, Dirden seems to excel the tougher the circumstances.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: University of Idaho The roster and schedule of the Vandal men’s basketball team, 12-15 overall last season, 6-8 in the Big Sky Conference. Rosters Name Ht Position Year Hometown Kris Baumann 6-1 Guard Sophomore New Plymouth, Idaho Shawn Dirden 6-3 Guard Senior Denver, Colo. Nate Gardner 6-8 Center Junior Salt Lake City, Utah Harry Harrison 6-7 Forward Senior Brunswick, Ga. Jason Jackman 6-9 Forward Junior Hurricane, Utah James Jones 6-6 Forward Senior Tuscaloosa, Ala. Bjorn Magnussen 6-9 Center Freshman Issaquah, Wash. Jared Mercer 5-10 Guard Sophomore Kamiah, Idaho Reggie Rose 6-0 Guard Junior Chicago, Ill. David Sturing 7-0 Center Freshman Kirkland, Wash. Marvin Thomas 6-4 Guard Sophomore McKees Rocks, Penn. Eddie Turner 6-3 Guard Junior Seattle, Wash.

Schedule (Times PDT) Nov. 20 vs. Brewster Packing 7:05 p.m. Nov. 25 vs. St. Martin’s 7:05 p.m. Dec. 1 at SE Missouri St. Tourney (Idaho vs. Miss Valley St.) 4 p.m. Dec. 2 at SE Missouri St. Tourney (conso., title) 4 or 6 p.m. Dec. 6 vs. Washington 7:05 p.m. Dec. 9 at Southern Utah 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Washington State 7 p.m. Dec. 22 vs. Rocky Mountain College 7:05 p.m. Dec. 27 at Sacramento St. Tourney (Idaho. vs. Old Dominion) 6 p.m. Dec. 28 at Sacramento St. Tourney (conso, title) 6 or 8 p.m. Jan. 6 at Cal Poly-SLO 1 p.m. Jan. 12 at Idaho State 6:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Boise State 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16 vs. Cal Poly-SLO 7:05 p.m. Jan. 19 at Eastern Washington 7:05 p.m. Jan. 25 vs. Weber State 7:05 p.m. Jan. 27 vs. Northern Arizona 7:05 p.m. Feb. 2 at Montana 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at Montana State 6:35 p.m. Feb. 9 vs. Boise State 7:05 p.m. Feb. 10 vs. Idaho State 7:05 p.m. Feb. 13 vs. Washington State 7:05 p.m. Feb. 17 vs. Eastern Washington 7:05 p.m. Feb. 22 at Northern Arizona 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Weber State 6:30 p.m. Feb. 29 vs. Montana State 7:05 p.m. March 2 vs. Montana 7:05 p.m. March 7-10 Big Sky Tournament TBA