By Craig Degel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 4, 1997

Dickerson wants promotion to chairman of the boards

Adam F. Jarrold Arizona Daily Wildcat UA junior center A.J. Bramlett finger rolls during Midnight Madness. With several players dinged up, head coach Lute Olson has given Bramlett nothing but praises for his physical and mental improvement since last season.

With the goal of becoming a more physical player and stronger rebounder in mind, UA senior Michael Dickerson dedicated himself to the weight room in the offseason.

Dickerson is known as a finesse forward who, despite possessing great scoring ability, has a tendency to go "soft" to the hoop. He has said, though, that all that will change this season and his coach is noticing the improvement.

"Michael Dickerson is playing really well and it's not just scoring," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said. "He has been a bigger factor on the boards. He has a lot of confidence right now"

Dickerson assured Olson that he would be the most physical player on the team this year. That would most certainly mean extra rebounds. He averaged 4.5 a game last year. In the Red-Blue scrimmage on Saturday night, he had six - five of them offensive. To him, that's more special than his 24 points.

"For me the rebounds (are more important)," Dickerson said. "They allowed my teammates to stay in the game so that was important."

The Postmen cometh

Two weeks into practice, Olson said his biggest problem has been keeping everybody healthy. Bennett Davison, Donnell Harris and Quynn Tebbs have all been hobbled with various ailments. Consequently, the two post players who have been healthy have drawn Olson's praises.

"A.J. Bramlett is definitely not the same guy we saw at the end of last year," Olson said. "He's stronger, quicker, more aggressive and very confident.

"Gene Edgerson has been maybe the most consistent player next to A.J."

Calling Mean Gene

Consistency aside, Edgerson said he just hasn't been himself lately.

"I'm learning to score more and I'm a little kicked back," he said. "One day, though, I'll click something and be Mean Gene again."

For now, just call him "Clean Gene" because, alas, the afro hairdo is gone. He began to grow it during the team's summer trip to Australia and promised not to shave it but apparently upkeep became to much to bear.

"I just got tired of getting up early to pick it out and take care of it," Edgerson said.