Rebels rely on big man

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As a preseason candidate for numerous national awards, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Runnin' Rebel forward Kaspars Kambala has made his presence very well known in his first three years on campus.

Scoring 18.5 points and pulling down 9.3 rebounds per contest last season, Kambala led UNLV to the inaugural Mountain West Conference title and on to the NCAA Tournament. It marked the program's fourth year in the postseason and second time in the last three years the team made it to the NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot-9 senior from Riga, Latvia, knows that if the Rebels are to be successful in defending their conference crown, then he is going to have to take the lead.

"Leadership is just part of being a senior and is something that I am willing to do," Kambala said. "I have to go hard in practice and be a role model both on and off the court. People can't just be looked up to when you're not actually leading things, and I know I have to do that by example."

Kambala says repeating as conference champions would be rewarding, but he is setting his sights above and beyond that. "Obviously my goal is to win the conference title for a second consecutive year."

Named a top 25 vote-getter as a preseason Top 50 candidate for 2000-01 John R. Wooden Award All-American honors and on the on the list of preseason candidates (one of 30) for the Naismith College Player of the year award, Kambala says his motivation is simple.

"The will to win," he said. "There is nothing better in basketball than winning. It is always nice that people recognize what you've done. A lot of players feel like they are under-appreciated. But I am not too concerned with the personal accolades. I just want this team to win."

Entering this season, Kambala ranks 17th in scoring in UNLV history with 1,226 career points and ninth in school history with a career field-goal percentage of .551. He has scored in double figures in 63 of his 85 games and has scored 20 or more points in a game 21 times including 13 last season.

Looking back on his first three years as a Runnin' Rebel, Kambala wouldn't change a thing. "I am very happy with the way things have gone, but you can never be content with what you have done. If you sit back and admire your accomplishments you most likely stay there. I always strive for more."

In early October during Mountain West Conference media day, Kambala was named the conference top returning player as voted by the media. He has also been named as the favorite to win MWC Player of the Year award by Basketball Times .

The awards will no doubt continue through the 2000-01 campaign and Kambala takes great pride in the respect he generates as a basketball player. He takes an equal amount of pride in the way the city of Las Vegas has received him.

"When I came here I didn't know how it was going to be and where it was going to go, " Kambala said. "But this town is great. I love the people and especially the kids. I am very grateful for the way people treat me here and I appreciate that."

Kambala credits his success to the small things, mainly hard work and effort. When asked how he wants to be remembered when his career as a Runnin' Rebel is over, he responded with just as simple of an answer. "I want people to remember like I am now. Somebody who works hard and wants to win games."

This past summer, Kambala was married to wife Jessica, which has given him the stability and support that had been missing during his first couple of years in Las Vegas.

"Once you marry you find that other person and you have someone you can count on and turn to," Kambala said. "Before, I didn't have family here.

"My family was overseas but now I have that other part that everybody else here has in their lives, whether it be a mom, a dad or brothers and sisters. All that was miles away for me, but now I have my own family. Jessica gives me great support and she really keeps going."