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Noles Are Still 'Work In Progress'

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By SCOTT CARTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - If you're around Florida State basketball coach Leonard Hamilton long enough, you'll quickly learn one of his pet phrases.

"We're a work in progress," Hamilton often says of his teams.

He might say that early, late or in the middle of a season. He said it describing last season's team, and he'll say it about next year's squad. Hamilton used the phrase again Sunday, offering his perspective on where the Seminoles (8-2) stand following a victory against Samford.

In short, Hamilton expects the Noles to start shooting the ball better from the outside and develop some kind of inside scoring presence, something they've been inconsistent at in the first 10 games. Hamilton likes his team's defensive effort, but is still waiting on freshmen Julian Vaughn (6-foot-10) and Solomon Alabi (7-1) to develop more.

At this stage of the season, what has Hamilton most excited is the schedule - or better yet, the lack of one. FSU's win against Samford capped a 24-day stretch in which the Noles played 10 games, including wins against Florida and Minnesota.

"It's been kind of like an NBA schedule," Hamilton said. "We have had very little time to practice. So now we go to more like a football schedule. It gives us a little more time to concentrate."

FSU will play only five more games until New Year's Day, and just two - against Maine on Saturday and at Butler on Dec. 15 - in the next two weeks.

The break is crucial for Alabi, who remains a true "work in progress" because of a fractured right shin suffered over the summer. Alabi has played in only five games, logging just 38 minutes. However, he played 23 minutes in the past two games, scoring a season-high six points in the win over Samford. Hamilton hopes Alabi can return to full speed by the time FSU opens conference play on Dec. 30 at Georgia Tech.

If Alabi and Vaughn (5 points, 2.3 rebounds in 10 games) can start contributing more inside, that will help FSU's strong guard quartet of Toney Douglas, Ralph Mims, Jason Rich and Isaiah Swann shoot the ball better. Rich is especially struggling, shooting 38.5 percent (35 of 91) from the field.

HISTORIC BOWL: FSU football coach Bobby Bowden added another all-time record to his resume when the Noles accepted a bid to play in the Music City Bowl on New Year's Eve in Nashville. This marks the 26th consecutive season Bowden has led the Noles to a bowl, breaking the previous record held by former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne. Nebraska played in a bowl for 25 consecutive seasons (1973-97) under Osborne. Michigan currently owns the longest active bowl streak at 33 consecutive seasons.

NOLE NUGGETS: Final details are being worked out between FSU and Bowden's agent, Russ Campbell, on Bowden's one-year contract renewal. An official announcement is expected later this week or early next ... Swann set the school record for most consecutive free throws made to start a season, making his first 27 before missing one against Samford. Dating to last season, Swann made 32 in a row, one shy of the school record held by Mims ... Kyle Long, son of former NFL star Howie Long, has signed a letter-of-intent to play baseball at FSU next season ... El Camino Community College RB Tavares Pressley, FSU's 20th verbal commitment for the 2008 class, is a former standout at DeSoto High in Arcadia.

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