KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily WIldcat UA sophomore forward Dennis Latimore created havoc all night for Team Nike as a key component of Arizona's newly implemented full-court press. Latimore had nine points in the Wildcats' 100-83 win.

It only took one word from the team to sum up the entire first half ÷ defense.

That was the only thing said by the Wildcat's in their team huddle right before the start of the second half.

Last night was the first of what's going to be many times that the much-anticipated full-court press will leave the opposing team without an answer to get by it.

At one point in the first half, Team Nike couldn't get the ball past halfcourt on seven-straight possessions.

"We take pride in playing defense," freshman guard Hassan Adams said. "It can be scary if we come to play and have that intensity we had at the end of the first half, nobody could stop us."

With the score tied at 20 with 10:27 left in the first half, UA began what would turn out to be a 27-3 run that left what was once a close game a laugher.

The press was anchored by sophomore forward Dennis Latimore, who played the point man on the press. His role was to guard the player taking the ball out of bounds and then trap the guy he passed it in to.

"I was running like a chicken with my head cut off," Latimore said. "I just run around and, if there is a player on the sideline, trap him so guys in the secondary can get steals."

And that happened many times against Team Nike during the late first-half run.

"We had Îem scared and we had them on their heels, and they started to become indecisive," Latimore said.

One of the few Team Nike players that had some success against the press was Dayrl Cunningham, a former Kansas State forward. But even Cunningham, who tried to slow the game down at times as he walked the ball up the court, said that opposing teams that the Wildcats play this year better be prepared.

"Their press is going to go by a lot of people, because they are quick and can force the tempo," Cunningham said. "We like to play with two quick guys, but we had to play with four tonight. They took advantage of us, anyways."

Many players said after the game that pressing like they did last night brought back memories of junior high school basketball and AAU games, where opposing teams would have nightmares trying to get the ball to the basket, let alone past halfcourt.

That is no knock on Team Nike, but the traveling team that has only been playing competitively together for a month really has no chance of matching up with the Wildcats' depth.

"The demoralizing part to the other team is when suddenly, they see the guys who have been out there harassing them sitting down having their water, and five other guys are in just all over them," UA head coach Lute Olson said. "It can really wear on the other team."

But freshman Andre Iguodala was quick to remind everyone last night that the team's best defender ÷ injured sophomore guard Salim Stoudamire ÷ was not even out on the court.

But that won't be the case Saturday, which can't be good news for Western Kentucky.