SDSU’s Fuller Starts by Trying to Expunge ‘91-92 : Basketball: New Aztec coach vows not to dwell on last season’s 2-26 mark as he begins to rebuild.

SAN DIEGO —  The big Pac 10 championship ring wraps around one of the fingers on new San Diego State basketball coach Tony Fuller’s right hand. A 2-26 record last season hangs around his players’ necks.

A coach and players who have spent recent seasons on vastly different ends of the basketball spectrum come together today for the start of practice at SDSU, hoping to put to rest the most embarrassing season in Aztec history.

As they do so, they make one thing clear: Last season will be forgotten.

“That’s history,” said junior forward Terrence Hamilton, who spent three seasons (including a redshirt year) with former coach Jim Brandenburg, who was fired last February. “We’re moving on. We’re looking forward to this year. We’re just concentrating on what’s ahead.”

Fuller agreed. He is not even using that 2-26 mark as a motivational device.

“We forgot about the past,” said Fuller, 33, a former UCLA assistant. “I told them that they’ve all started with clean slates with me. Everybody is the same. I’ve communicated with them exactly what I expect individually and collectively as a team.

“That’s the key. If you can continue to tell them exactly what you want and what you don’t want, they’ll know.”

There are nine returning players, six of whom started at times a year ago, but past status does not concern Fuller, either. Like many other first-year coaches, he has opened the competition at every position.

“Everybody starts the same,” Fuller said. “There have been some guys who have really done well in preseason conditioning, and those guys have shown me a real commitment.”

Chief among that group is Marcus Banks, who played sparingly a year ago as a true freshman. Fuller asked Banks to drop from 280 pounds to 245 coming into this season and, surprise, a svelte, almost-unrecognizable Banks emerged.

The Aztecs, who are scheduled to practice twice today and will open Dec. 1 against the University of San Diego, start camp at less than 100%. Tony Clark’s back is hurting again; Keith Balzer, who redshirted a year ago because of tendinitis in both knees, has been slowed by a shoulder that keeps slipping out of its socket; Courtie Miller, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last year, has a strained hip flexor; Terrence Hamilton has a strained hamstring; and freshman Jason Hamilton has a strained back.

All are expected to be participate in practice, though Clark will be limited in certain drills.

“This is a lifetime situation he will have to deal with,” said trainer Mark Haines. “He will always have to be concerned with his back, whether he’s 22 or 52.”

Fuller said he will concentrate on fundamentals during his first camp.

“Basketball, in my opinion, is over-coached and under-taught,” he said.

So the Aztecs will shoot, dribble and pass--none of which was a simple maneuver last season. And, all are things they have yet to be able to do under Fuller.

“I’m ready to go; I’m fired up,” Fuller said. “A lot of this other stuff has been new to me. Hiring a staff, figuring out a budget. . . . I’ve been dealing with basketball a very long time--that’s where I’m comfortable.

“It seems like I’ve done everything since I’ve been here except coach basketball. This is the fun part.”

Sometimes.