Seven-footer arrives at FSU

October 14, 1993
Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

Twas the dawn of the 1993-94 season and the ’Dogs were stirring. But no one had a grim outlook, not even Gary Colson.

Visions of a Bulldog juggernaut have been dancing in the heads of long-suffering FSU basketball fans.

Dear St. Nick, they said. You were supposed to bring us a big man.

And that big man has arrived in a seven-foot, 260-pouind package. Could Anthony Pelle be the big man that Bulldog basketball has long awaited?

Pelle, a senior transfer from Villanova, plans to make the biggest impact on FSU roundball in years. He has all the skills a big man could want--size, speed, quickness and a mean streak to match. He is also a true seven-footer.

"This year, I hope everybody plays and works together," Pelle said. "Next year, it’s gonna be fun."

Next year is when Pelle will be in action. As a player with three years already under his belt by arriving at FSU, he must meet NCAA requirements and sit out this year as a redshirt.

That’s the only negative for FSU fans. But when he does come back the next year, he will have already made the Bulldogs stronger.

Colson can’t be faulted for treating Pelle like the concealed weapon he is. This season, Pelle will practice with the squad although he will not appear on the active roster or play in any games.

"Sure, he will make an impact," Colson said. "By practicing against him every day, we’ll learn his killer instinct. He’s had experience playing against the cutthroat Big East opponents like Mutombo and Mourning."

Mutombo is now with the Denver Nuggets and Alonzo Mourning was a rookie last year with the Charlotte Hornets.

"He will definitely help us in practice," Colson continued. "He has the possibility to be the best big man we have had here."
Assistant Jim Saia said the key to Pelle’s development will be his training this season.

"He’s got two years to do it," Saia said. "This season, he has to get in shape and be ready to play in our system. Off the court, he looks like a talent. But he’s got to produce and show results, and do it on the floor."

Pelle has no problem with that.

"I just want to go out and play," he said bluntly. "I don’t want to miss any time."

As bright a prospect as he looks for FSU, it comes with a shock that he was riding the bench at Villanova. It was suspected that he left the Wildcat program over playing time disputes.

"I wasn’t getting any playing time," said Pelle. "Not a little bit, not that it wasn’t what I wanted. I just wasn’t getting any."

"I don’t want to say that they play favorites (at Villanova), but the coaches seemed to have other people in mind and I wasn’t a part of it. I needed a change. And I wanted to play."

He likes to block shots, he’s physical, and he doesn’t back down. How well these skills all come together for Pelle will no doubt determine the course of the Bulldogs this season and next.

"It all depends on how good Anthony wants to become," Saia said. "He has tremendous potential. I think the others respect him knowing that he could be our solid big guy in the middle."

The ’Dogs will look forward to the battles in practive between Pelle and the incumbent big man, Lee Mayberry.

Said Colson, "He will raise our practice tempo and upgrade the competition between players. This is a big move. This shows that we are taking bigger steps to bring in better players."
Mayberry is a senior and will graduate this year. So is Pelle ready?

"That’s the time when Anthony will step in and fill (Mayberry’s) shoes and take us to another level," Colson said.

The next level has to arrive soon for impatient ’Dog followers. FSU has had three losing seasons in a row under Colson. In 1990-91, the ’Dogs went 14-16. The 1991-92 season saw FSU finish 15-16. In 1992-93, FSU was never able to get untracked as they ended the season at 13-14 in their inaugural WAC season.

Pelle said he knows the ’Dog faithful are counting on him to be a savior, but he downplays it.

"This year, I’m not going to do much that people can see on the court," he said. "I’m just going to work hard and play. I know people are expecting things from me, but I’m just going to go out and play."