PROMINENT COACHES INTEREST IN SEMO; ANDERSON, WEAVER, GARNER THOW HAT IN RING

Southeast Missouri State University officials have said that they expect to attract some impressive candidates for the school's vacant position of head men's basketball coach.

They evidently weren't kidding.

While the university is not releasing names of people who have already contacted the school regarding the position, three fairly prominent coaches -- Missouri assistant Kim Anderson, Iowa State assistant Sam Weaver and Fort Hays (Kan.) State head coach Gary Garner -- confirmed Wednesday that they are interested in coming to Cape Girardeau to take over the Indians' program.

The Southeast men's basketball coaching post came open last week when 16-year head coach Ron Shumate was dismissed amid an NCAA investigation.

Anderson is probably the most well known of the three. For the past six seasons he has been one of the top assistants on Norm Stewart's Missouri staff after previously spending six seasons as an assistant at Baylor.

Anderson was also a standout player at Missouri, earning Big Eight Conference Player of the Year honors in 1977. He later became the third Missouri player ever to be chosen in the first round of the NBA draft when he was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers.

"I'm interested in the job," said Anderson. "That's really all I can say. Not to be rude, but I just don't want to get into anything else right now."

Anderson did not say if he had already spoken to Southeast officials, but sources told the Southeast Missourian that Stewart was an early caller to the school to make a pitch on Anderson's behalf.

Weaver might be even more well known than Anderson in this area because he served as Shumate's top assistant from 1981-85. During that time, Shumate was building the Indians' into a national Division II powerhouse.

Weaver was also an assistant at Southern Illinois for four seasons and he spent three years as head coach at Alcorn State before recently completing his first season at Iowa State.

"I'm interested in the job," said Weaver. "I've talked to some people (at Southeast) already."

Asked about his interest in the Southeast program even though the possibility of some NCAA sanctions exists, Weaver said he would be able to handle that situation, citing his experience at Alcorn State.

Weaver took over the Alcorn program while it was under NCAA investigation. Several games into Weaver's first season, the school was hit with some pretty severe NCAA sanctions, including a reduction of scholarships and a ban on post-season play.

Still, Alcorn officials said Wednesday that Weaver did a more than admirable job and had the program headed in the right direction when he left, even though he coached all three seasons under those NCAA sanctions. Weaver went just 20-58 in three years at Alcorn, but the squad went 10-15 -- including 7-7 in conference play -- during his last season.

"It (the possibility of NCAA sanctions at Southeast) doesn't bother me," he said. "We handled it well at Alcorn. I would know how to handle it."

Garner has the most extensive head coaching background of the trio.

Also a former Missouri assistant under Stewart, Garner was the head coach at Drake for seven seasons from 1981-88, compiling a 95-104 record.

Garner was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year during his first season at Drake. His best record at Drake was a 19-11 mark in 1985-86, when he led the Bulldogs to the NIT. That season still stands as Drake's last post-season appearance.

Drake went 17-14 under Garner in 1986-87, which still stands as the school's last winning record. He was dismissed after a 14-14 mark in 1987-88.

After a couple of years away from coaching, Garner resurfaced at Division II Fort Hays State. He's been at the Kansas school the past six seasons, compiling a 63-2 record the last two years and leading the squad to the Division II national title in 1995-96 with an undefeated mark.

This past season, Fort Hays was ranked No. 1 most of the season before being upset in the regional finals. Fort Hays' 49-game winning streak under Garner is the fourth-longest in NCAA history.

Garner did not wish to say much about the Southeast position, but asked if he was interested, he said, "Yes. Let's leave it at that."

Two other fairly well-known coaches who have reportedly contacted Southeast officials to express their interest in the position are J.D. Barnett and Mike Newell.

Barnett, a former head coach at Tulsa and Virginia Commonwealth, is currently the head coach at Northwestern (La.) State.

Newell, a former head coach at Lamar and Arkansas-Little Rock who previously served as an Oklahoma assistant, is currently the head coach at Southern (La.).