Cal State Fullerton Finds Its Strength in Numbers, Expectations This Season : College Basketball: Titans, who started last season with nothing to look forward to, have depth and everything to look forward to in 1989.

FULLERTON —  What Cal State Fullerton didn’t have last season, it has as it begins the 1989-90 basketball season.

There were no expectations for 1988-89, not for a team with no starters and no head coach returning.

There was no depth. There didn’t even appear to be five players who should be starting, not at first.

This season, the Titans have depth, which really is more of a necessity than a luxury.

And they have expectations, the result of a 16-13 season in which Fullerton went 5-1 in overtime games, upset Nevada Las Vegas on Wayne Williams’ three-pointer at the overtime buzzer, and basically hired themselves a coach, getting a job for John Sneed with their performance.

If the Titans had won only five or 10 games last season, no one would have complained very much except Sneed, who probably would have been unemployed.

This time, there is room to fail.

“Considering the difficulty of our nonconference schedule and the improvement of so many Big West teams, winning 16 games again this year will be a challenge,” Sneed said.

The Titans will take on that challenge with four starters back, led by Cedric Ceballos, who is gaining notice as one of the most underrated forwards in the country.

Sneed, listening to other conference coaches brag about their new talent, almost managed to turn his abundance of returning players into a negative.

“I’ve got the same players,” he said, jokingly.

He’ll take them. But he’ll take advantage of the chance to diminish the growing expectations for his team, picked to finish fourth in the Big West Conference.

“If they have better players coming in, I hope our experience and better substitutes will make us a better team,” Sneed said.

A closer look at the team:

GUARDS

Wayne Williams, who made a reputation as a buzzer-beater with his three-point shots last season, returns at the point, a veteran as a sophomore. He started all 29 games last season and averaged eight points and five assists a game. Williams has put on about 10 pounds and already has shown the potential to score more this season. He had 25 points in Fullerton’s exhibition game against East Melbourne, surpassing his career high of 20.

Mark Hill, the shooting guard, surprised even Sneed by finishing second in conference scoring, averaging 19 points a game.

“He did more at the Division I level than he did in high school or junior college,” Sneed said. “He has athletic skills, and we want him to do more than shoot the three-pointer.”

Hill, a senior, hit 42% of his three-pointers last season, setting three school records for three-pointers.

Depth in the backcourt will be provided by Marlon Vaughn, a senior backup point guard, and Dareck Crane, a transfer from Orange Coast who can back up Hill. He averaged 17 points a game at OCC.

FORWARDS

Cedric Ceballos, whom Sneed would like to play at small forward, will start the season at power forward until sophomore Agee Ward or transfer Ron Caldwell prove they can play the position.

Ceballos, first-team all-conference last season, led the Big West in scoring with a 21-point average.

“We need to find a power forward,” Sneed said. “Derek Jones will be hard to replace.”

Jones, who returned from critical gunshot wounds to play and fill the role of emotional leader last season, is the only key player Fullerton lost.

Ward, ineligible under Proposition 48 last season and recently recovered from an ankle injury, isn’t yet in shape, Sneed said.

Caldwell, a transfer from Washington who can become eligible Dec. 16, is coming off knee surgery and did not practice last season.

Van Anderson, a senior, will play on the wing until Ceballos can make the move over, giving Fullerton a lineup that is smaller, but good for pressing.

Freshman Aaron Wilhite should threaten for playing time at power forward as he learns the system, and returning David Moody could also play some at the position.

CENTER

John Sykes, who is called Psycho by teammates and fans alike, has been playing the best of his career, Sneed says. Sykes, who had been inconsistent on offense and somewhat overzealous on defense in the past, finished strong last season, helping the Titans to some of their close victories. Moody backs him up.