Tide high on Brock at point BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama junior point guard Anthony Brock, a former Little Rock McClellan standout, is off to a good start with his new team.

“I absolutely love him,” Crimson Tide Coach Mark Gottfried said. “He’s got the point guard mentality. He knows how to run a team.” Senior guard Alonzo Gee said Brock fits in well with the team.

“He’s a winner,” Gee said.

When Gottfried signed Brock last spring after he averaged 18. 5 points, 4. 7 assists and 3. 4 steals in at Itawamba (Miss. ) Community College, Ronald Steele was contemplating whether to leave Alabama and enter the NBA Draft.

Steele decided to come back as a fifth-year senior and appears to be fully recovered from a knee injury that caused him to redshirt last year.

“We had to make a decision to take Anthony prior to knowing what Ron would do, so we weren’t sure about Ron,” Gottfried said. “But I have been very impressed by [Brock ].

“ How it plays out with he and Ron together, I don’t know that.... But I think [Brock’s ] going to be a pretty good player in our league.

“ I like that fact that we have two really good point guards.” Steele is the starter, but Brock should contribute off the bench.

“A lot of people are going to be surprised by Anthony Brock,” Steele said. “He’s done a great job in practice.

“ He’s really quick, he can pass and can shoot the ball. He’s a natural point guard, so I think he’s going to be a real asset for us. He just has that point guard feel for the game.” Get defensive Alabama senior guard Alonzo Gee, who averaged 14. 5 points last season, is known more for his offense than his defense. But Crimson Tide Coach Mark Gottfried said it’s time for the 6-6 Gee to be a force on both ends of the court. “He’ll laugh if you ask him this question, but I believe with his body he can be one of the best defenders in the country,” Gottfried said. “Sometimes players that have that scorer’s mentality, it’s hard for them to buy into [playing defense ] all the way.

“ But we need him to be a great defender this year. I think he’ll accept that role for us.” Gee did laugh when his defense was brought up, but agreed it’s time for him to improve that part of his game.

“I believe I can do what Coach said,” Gee said. “Being older and more mature, I know I’ve got to be a better defender.” Rebels grounded Andy Kennedy has done a solid job repairing Ole Miss’ basketball program, leading the Rebels to the NIT — including a trip to last season’s semifinals — in his first two seasons as coach.

Kennedy joked during an impromptu teleconference Thursday that he tried to repair the problem that prevented him and the rest of the Rebels’ contingent from traveling to Birmingham to meet with media members.

“I had my wrench set in the trunk, and as I was preparing to fix the mechanical problem, we ran into some issues beyond our control, and sometimes those things happen,” Kennedy said.

“Truthfully, I don’t know what happened. We were on the plane and they said something was wrong. We tried to find an alternative plane and weren’t able to do so, so my apologies.” Straight talk Vanderbilt Coach Kevin Stallings didn’t mince words when asked what advice he would give first-year South Carolina Coach Darrin Horn. “Strap it up, baby,” Stallings said with a laugh. “Strap it on because it’s going to be harder than you think it is.” Stallings’ advice presumably also would apply to LSU Coach Trent Johnson, the SEC’s other first-year coach. Good impression Mississippi State Coach Rick Stansbury said he was impressed by North Little Rock’s Alltel Arena as a site for NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games last year.

The Bulldogs beat Oregon 76-69, then lost to eventual national runner-up and No. 1 seed Memphis 77-74.

“Everything was great, except we had to play Memphis,” Stansbury said. “If [Alltel Arena ] is a venue for the NCAA Tournament again, I think that would be great.”