Just like the floor at McKale Center, this floor will have two layers of wood over a series of pads. Unlike McKale Center, there will be no seating.

BENJIE SANDERS / arizona daily star

More Photos (2):

Other articles by Bruce Pascoe:

UA's 3 of a kind beats Jacks Arizona Wildcats Basketball: UA beats NAU 74-57 NAU coach happy to take his lumps, play at McKale Cats catch break with mediocre schedule 4 games into season, Budinger displaying clear leadership skills Cats on brief break from hoops, but not mentally Arizona 69, Santa Clara 66 Loss is Santa Clara's fourth close one this year Judkins, in starting debut, blossoms as forward option Horne plays, sounds fine in Georgia

Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor

In theory, the timetable of Arizona's new volleyball and basketball practice facility is ideal.

The new building, part of a $20 million project that includes a diving/water polo pool and expanded gymnastics facility, is scheduled to be finished just in time for this year's mid-October crunch — when the men's and women's basketball teams begin full-length practices, and the volleyball team is in midseason.

The only problem is, the timetable has thrown the flooring job smack in the middle of the monsoon. The moisture has been causing problems for workers setting down the tightly locked maple tiles, according to Steve Kozachik, UA's athletics facilities and capital projects director.

"It's an issue because if we do it too soon, then the wood will continue to absorb moisture, and it will either raise up or crack," Kozachik said. "If we do it too late and the wood is already expanded, then when it gets dry, it will shrink down, and we'll have gaps in the floor."

Still, Kozachik said, the project should pull through on time without trouble. Mostly what remains to be done are wall decorations that include a Richard Jefferson mural — since the former UA star pledged $3.5 million toward the facility last summer — as well as the installation of a security system and the completion of the floor.

"That's the last major basketball thing," Kozachik said. "Everything's moving forward on schedule."

When the building is finished, teams will have a choice of using either two full courts running east-west or four short courts running north-south, with a total of 12 baskets.

The wood flooring, featuring two layers of wood over a series of pads, will have exactly the same surface as McKale Center has.

"Their goal is to allow them to train on the same surface they're competing on," Kozachik said. "There are the same cushions and everything so they're not training on one surface and playing on another."

The facility does not have seating — just two viewing platforms for videotaping — in order to avoid the more costly construction costs of meeting codes for a venue with seating. But it will be decorated with volleyball and basketball graphics, in addition to Jefferson's mural.

The exterior, meanwhile, is designed to honor the look of Bear Down Gym at a time when many other schools' practice facilities are more generic-looking.

"The other ones just seem to be like Costcos," said Scott Mackenzie, a UA senior associate athletic director. "This has some character to it."

Arizona will be getting an athletic, coachable player with considerable upside in newly committed guard Reger Dowell, his summer-circuit coaches say.

"He's a great kid," said Jonathan Moore, assistant coach for the Dallas Showtyme club Dowell spent two years with. "He's one of those special kids. He definitely can play at the next level, and he's got a great work ethic."

Moore described Dowell as a strong penetrator who has a respectable outside shot. Erven Davis, the Showtyme's head coach, said Dowell also plays rugged defense.

Because Dowell just turned 17, Davis added, he has plenty of room to grow on the court.

"Being in a program like Arizona's gives him everything possible to offer," Davis said. Lute Olson "is a great coach of point guards."

Dowell, who gives UA a firmly committed 2009 point guard in case Tacoma, Wash., point guard Abdul Gaddy does not recommit, had committed to Alabama but decommitted in July. Gaddy decommitted from UA in May.

In a world where elite recruits sometimes commit before their sophomore or junior years begin, center Anthony Stover is taking an old-fashioned approach: He is taking the official visits that seniors are allowed in the fall before deciding.

Stover's father, Craig, said Anthony is planning to visit Washington, ASU, UCLA and UA. Stover attended UA's elite camp this month but will return for an official visit sometime this fall, his father said.

"He really likes Coach Olson a lot," Craig Stover said, adding that the elite camp experience "most definitely helped. He enjoyed it a lot."

Arizona has three commitments from 2009 players: Dowell, plus wing forwards Solomon Hill and Mike Moser.

The Wildcats are expected to seek a commitment from at least one or two other players before the fall signing period in November.