Liverpool Reds
Whenever the topic of health came up Saturday for the Stanford men's basketball team, there was much knocking of the wood table in the interview room. Matt Haryasz did it. Coach Trent Johnson did it.
Because the team was down to just eight scholarship players near the end of last season, health is perhaps the biggest factor for the 16th-ranked Cardinal. And a full squad was on hand for the 87-52 exhibition victory over Division II Sonoma State on Saturday at Maples Pavilion, including senior guard Dan Grunfeld, playing his first game since tearing a ligament in his right knee Feb. 12.
"Talk about bringing a smile to your face,'' Haryasz said of playing with a complete roster.
Grunfeld had nine points, four assists and two rebounds in 15 minutes, and he moved with ease despite a bulky brace on his knee. His playing time probably will increase gradually (Grunfeld noted that he's accustomed to Stanford's two-hour practices) but Johnson said that he wouldn't mind keeping Grunfeld at 15 minutes or so when he can.
"It felt really good, definitely nice,'' Grunfeld said of his return to action.
Also back was guard Tim Morris, who was academically ineligible for the team's final 19 games last year but was in the starting lineup Saturday along with Grunfeld, Haryasz, Chris Hernandez and Fred Washington.
"It was tough, I love basketball,'' Morris said of his eligibility problems last year. "It was unexpected. It hurt, but I'm over it.''
Morris and Grunfeld hooked up on the game's most glamorous highlight, too. Less than two minutes into the second half, Grunfeld lobbed an alley-oop pass to Morris, who slammed it home to give Stanford a 41-33 lead.
"I saw Dan and I knew I had the angle to the hoop, so I pointed up and when I pointed, he put it up there,'' Morris said.
"Very organic,'' Grunfeld said.
Morris finished with eight points and two steals, and Haryasz, who has been battling plantar fascia problems in his right foot, had 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Stanford starters.
The team's top scorer was 6-foot-8 forward Lawrence Hill, who had 14 points, a game-high four blocks, and tied for the team lead with eight rebounds. The freshman has impressed his teammates in practice -- especially with his arms outstretched.
"He's so long,'' Morris said. "He looks like an alien, almost, with his wingspan.''
"I think it's 18 feet,'' Grunfeld joked of Hill's reach from fingertip to fingertip.
Another freshman, Mitch Johnson, had four assists and played 18 minutes. Fellow first-year guard Anthony Goods played 16 minutes, so Stanford has some real depth in the backcourt, enough so that Johnson plans to give Hernandez some time at the 2-spot to keep him fresh.
"He won't have to guard the opposing point guard (full-time) and it will allow him to relax a little and look for his shot,'' Johnson said.
Sophomore center Peter Prowitt scored 13 and made 7-of-8 free throws. Johnson said Prowitt has improved "leaps and bounds.''