Bender Challenges His Huskies Washington Head Coach Opens The Competition For Minutes As Team Looks To Make Final Push

Twelve games remain for the University of Washington, or 12 opportunities as Bob Bender likes to call it. But in a sense, it’s almost like Oct. 15 all over again, the start of the basketball season.

Only the Huskies’ window of opportunity is much tighter.

Fifteen games into Washington’s 1996-97 season, a season of high expectations and NCAA Tournament dreams, Bender is throwing open the competition for minutes as a challenge to his group.

After a disappointing two-game road swing through Stanford and California, change is inevitable. UW was defeated by the Cardinal and Bears by an aggregate margin of 39 points and fell to 3-4 in the Pacific-10 Conference. Home games this week against Arizona State on Thursday and Arizona on Sunday are critical to the Huskies’ postseason chances.

“In the next few days of practice,” Bender said, “people are going to decide some things. Someone has to step up to help us make this a better team. If the people are willing to do it in the first few minutes of the ball game, we’re going to keep them on the floor.”

Bender doesn’t expect wholesale changes. The eight-man rotation is set, this gut-check is for minutes.

“Somebody is coming right back out if they’re not doing the job,” Bender said. “All the spots are open, it’s just a matter of who’s going to be tough enough. I’m not saying this is a panic position. I guarantee some people will step up.”

The word of possible changes was news to the players, but all agreed something was needed to trigger the team.

“It should be like that everyday,” said sophomore Donald Watts. “We should be fighting for jobs everyday.”

Said senior Jamie Booker: “That’s the first I’ve heard about it. That’s his decision to make. We just have to go out and play basketball. If he goes out and gets five different starters, he’s the coach, it’s his decision and we have to live with it. Coach knows what he’s doing.”

While Bender refused to be specific, junior Chris Thompson has struggled at point guard since UW’s victory over Washington State two weeks ago. Coincidentally, the emergence of junior Jan Wooten began at the same time.

“Yeah, I would have to say my job’s in jeopardy,” Thompson said. “I haven’t been playing well lately and I haven’t been that confident over the last couple of games.”

Over the last three games, Thompson, who averaged 21 points over his final two seasons as Edmonds-Woodway High School, has played 59 minutes and taken only two shots from the floor. He has six assists and nine turnovers.

“We need him to look for that open jump shot,” Bender said.

Wooten, a 5-foot-10 JC transfer from Elizabeth, N.J., is averaging nine points, 2.3 assists and two turnovers in 70 minutes during the same three-game span.

“If Jan takes over at the point and it helps the team, more power to him,” Thompson said. “I know a lot of people say that, but I really mean it. I want to do what’s best for the team.”