Larry Jewell

3, 2, 1. We're talking with Gary Colson, head basketball coach at the University of New Mexico. Coach selecting Tim Fulmer as one of your top choices this year. The recruiting battle must have been tough to get him. Well, we felt like Tim was our number one choice, and we spent a lot of time and effort, and Dave Edmonds, our number one recruiter, he fell in love with Tim early and of course, spent a lot of time trying to get Tim, and we felt like it was good. Of course, we're in the wac, and the people here in Utah, of course, keep up with the WAC probably as much as any league in the country. And we think Tim will come into the league and just do an excellent job. He's versatile in the fact that he can play the big guard, he could play the small forward. You know, he could. You know, he's just. He's a very talented young man, but on top of all that, we think he's just a great person, the type of person we want in the program. We've, of course, went in there and tried to clean it up, and we've taken giant steps forward, and I think Tim coming with us is just another step in the right direction. As you know, we host the finals in 1983, and nothing would be better than that, be Tim's senior year. For us to be involved in that there in Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico in the wac. The wac. This year, you got a big boost with the three teams in the ncaa. This has got to be a plus for your program. Also, you. Yeah, I figured that eventually we could come in fourth in our league, as El Paso did, and get an NIT bid because of our attendance. We averaged nearly 17,000 this year. We set the second highest attendance record in the history of the school. And as you know, we're just rebuilding. So it's definitely there, the potential to. To do anything, NCAA wise, nit wise. And of course, our main objective is to win the WAC and get that ring. They talk about the one thing that intrigued you most about Tim or attracted you most to Tim in the recruiting battle. Well, first of all, we were interested in people with good attitudes in the past. And maybe I shouldn't say it, but I will. But, you know, the kids that have been there in the past have not been good citizens, most of them, and they haven't cared about their education. And what we've tried to look for is for good people that want to get their degree, that could play the game of basketball. And Tim had All these qualities. And when we found him, we just set in on him and tried to make a relationship where he felt like he'd feel comfortable coming to the university and it worked out good. You mentioned that he could play large guard, small forward. Do you have specific plans right now for next year? Well, right now we plan on to play him at the big guard. We think that he can handle it there. And you know, you look around the league, you look in the pros and whatever, and you see the guards get bigger and bigger. And Tim, I think stands about six' six and he'll probably put on some weight and he might grow some more, but I think he'd be ideal big guard. And if we need him at the small forward, I think he can do that too because he jumps well and he's just a smart player. And I think Coach Roberts done a tremendous job with him. I know he struggled a little bit his freshman year and just all of a sudden he blossom out and he's got, I think he's games ahead of him. I really do. And I wasn't kidding when I said minute ago that, you know, my hope and I hope his is that, you know, he makes all whack. He's got the potential to do it. Coach has taught him to play good defense and I think he's going to get better and better. And I just, you know, I just think he's a great addition to our program. Looking at the style of basketball you play, the style Tim has been playing, are they complementary? Will Tim be able to fit in easily? Tim will have no problems. If we open practice today, he'd fit right in beautifully. We'll do some things to compliment him, but we play similar style. We like to run when we get a chance. When we don't, we get into the motion game. And Tim's a good passer. He does it all very well, so he will have no trouble at all. Gary Colson, thank you and best of luck. Thank you very much. 3, 2, 1. We're talking with Tim Fulmer. Tim Dixie High grad. Dixie College grad, Soon to be. Now you're going to the University of New Mexico. Is this a dream come true? Yeah, I'm sure it has to be be for everybody, you know, so everybody that plays basketball wants to go to major college and you know, as far as they can. Did you honestly think that you had a shot coming out of high school, then going to junior college to go on to major college? Well, you know, I didn't know for sure. I thought I might have a chance at maybe a smaller school because Coach Roberts gets all his sophomores somewhere, you know, puts him somewhere. And so I thought I at least had a chance at a small four year school. Was it a tough decision to pick New Mexico? Not really. From the time I went to my visit there, I pretty well knew I wanted to go there, you know, but I was just looking at the other schools to make sure and stuff. What was the key? So like in New Mexico, well, it had to be. The coaches and the staff and the people down there are real nice and everything. I feel I can relate good to Coach Colson and his assistants and you know, it's in the whack and I like that's a good conference. Western Athletic Conference was part of the decision. Yeah, yeah, it's definitely part. What about education wise, what would you like to follow at the University of New Mexico? I haven't really decided what my major is going to be yet, but probably some type of business, I think, you know, business management or something like that. Biggest growth that you've made in each of your two years at Dixie College. First of all, as a freshman, what was the biggest thing that you learned? I learned that you have to play hard if you want to play, because Coach Ramos tries to get the best out of you and he does the best for you. So if you play hard, you're going to play As a sophomore. The biggest development, well, probably to be more as a leader because he brought in a lot of freshmen this year and I had to show them the ropes and stuff like that, you know, was there. Did you feel a sense of pressure coming into the season being the only returning sophomore? Not really, because my freshman year, you know, I didn't play that much and so I didn't really have a spot all to myself, you know, so it was pretty well open. So like I was out there battling against everybody else. So it was just, you know, like starting new. So there wasn't really much pressure. University of New Mexico, you must be excited about going there. It's going to be a bigger school, significantly. How is that adjustment going to be? That'll be all right. You know, I just might not know as many people, you know, like I do here, but I'm sure I'll meet people and stuff. How do you look for your career at the University of New Mexico to go? What would you like to be able to do next year with unm? Some goals that you set out? Well, I'd like to win the wac. That's for sure. And, you know, just have a winning team. What about individually? I just don't like to play the best that I can. Just so the team wins. Are you glad the recruiting battle's over? Yeah, we'll go ahead. Has it been tough? At times, yeah. At times. Tim, congratulations. Best of luck to you. Thanks. Thanks.