Perry remains optimistic despite Idaho’s 0-5 start

In each of Leonard Perry’s first three seasons as University of Idaho men’s basketball coach, his teams endured early dry spells.

Just never this early. The Vandals are 0-5 at the outset of Perry’s fourth season, equaling Idaho’s worst start since the 1975-76 season, as they entertain rival Boise State tonight at 7 at the Cowan Spectrum. The 1975-76 Vandals defeated San Francisco State in their sixth game.

BSU (3-2) was responsible for the first of Idaho’s losses, a 76-66 decision in Boise two weeks ago. Jermaine Blackburn had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Ellis added 12 points and six rebounds as the Broncos overcame a four-point halftime deficit.

Both teams will probably be without their starting point guards. Idaho’s Jerod Haynes injured his knee when a teammate fell on him at practice about a week ago. He didn’t play in Idaho’s 37-36 loss to Washington State on Tuesday. BSU’s Eric Lane is expected to miss a couple of weeks after he was stabbed near his rib cage in downtown Boise on Nov. 25. McNeal Thompson replaced Lane in the starting lineup.

Without Haynes, Tanoris Shepard moved to point guard and did a commendable job, Perry said. Reserve center David Radlovic has been sidelined after aggravating a damaged ACL in his knee that he’s played with for several years, Perry said.

Prior to this season, Idaho was 3-0 in season openers under Perry, but those were soon followed by trying times. Before the calendar reached January in each season, Idaho had losing streaks of five, four and four games. Each time, they recovered. Perry has long stressed his goal is for his team to be playing its best in February and March.

“We’re playing a younger cast in terms of our core guys,” Perry said. “We’re playing with a lot of freshmen and one junior college kid. Last year was more of a grind in the sense that we had JC kids who had no idea it was this much hard work. It took them a while to understand exactly what we have to do to win.”

Perry sounded optimistic that Idaho will eventually find its way.

“Our young kids are our strength,” he said. “Getting them to execute at this level takes some time, but they understand what we have to do to win. We’ve put them in positions to win games over and over, but we haven’t got over the hump.”

BSU is aiming for its eighth straight win over Idaho, which would be the Broncos’ longest streak in the series. Idaho had an eight-game winning streak in the early 1980s. BSU has played four of its five games at home, losing its only road date, 74-55, to Utah Valley State last Saturday.