With Bruce Haertl in Denver, Wichita State in market for new basketball voice on TV

Wichita State is looking for a new play by play voice for its men’s basketball television games on Kansas 22.

Bruce Haertl, who started broadcasting WSU games during the tenure of coach Randy Smithson (1996-2000) moved to Denver this summer and is a sports anchor and reporter at TV station KDVR. He notified WSU recently he was not interested in continuing with the Shockers. Haertl, former anchor at KWCH, Channel 12, had lived in Tulsa since 2012 and worked freelance jobs that included WSU games.

Interim athletic director Darron Boatright feels prepared for the search. He gets a head start because of Kansas 22 and ESPN3, both outlets that broadcast a variety of WSU sports. With men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and baseball on screen regularly in recent years, plenty of audition tapes are available. Shane Dennis, who works for Shocker Sports Properties, Chris Solwecki of KGSO radio, and Mark Ewing all offer experience with WSU broadcasts.

“We know we have good talent here in the city that can fill this role very strongly,” Boatright said. “We have plenty of options available to us right here.”

It is important that the new voice enjoy a flexible schedule at their primary job. Boatright wants the play by play person to do all games in a package that last season featured 14 games, five on the road. He wants fans to know they can count on one person as the TV voice of the Shockers.

“Consistency is important,” he said. “I like to have similar broadcasts, where ever the game originates from.”

Dennis, a former WSU baseball player, probably is prominent on the minds of most fans. He did color with Haertl on road games. He is best-known for providing analysis for baseball on the radio and TV. He also did play by play for women’s basketball for several seasons.

“He absolutely will be considered,” Boatright said. “He’s excellent in the color role and I think he can carry the water just fine in the play by play role, should we ask him to do that.”

Baker meets Mr. 13 Rings — New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is forever linked with the Triangle offense that helped him win 11 NBA titles as a coach (he also won two as a player). In his current job leading the Knicks, he prefers the team use aspects of the offense, if not more.

Former WSU guard Ron Baker sees himself as a good fit in the Triangle, which emphasizes passing, often out of the post, cutting and spacing the floor. Playing at WSU, he said, helped prepare him for moving without the ball and playing as part of a five-man system.

“It’s one of those offense that takes five (players) to work, so having a good I.Q. and understanding where the ball is and where you’re supposed to be, positioning is very important,” Baker said. “The Triangle is way more team-based, because you’ve got to understand, not only your positioning, but where the ball goes and how the point guard cuts. As good as a cutter as I am, I think it definitely helped me in their system.”

Jackson spent time with the team during the Orlando Summer League.

“He actually did quite a bit of sideline coaching and getting us into the Triangle and helping us with situations and different cuts and different actions,” Baker said. “He’s still very wise when it comes to the game.”

Bohm takes care in the water — Shockers sophomore Alec Bohm started the summer hitting for power with the Wilmington (N.C.) Sharks of the Coastal Plain League. He will end it as one of the league’s top hitters.

Entering the weekend, Bohm ranked second in the league with 10 home runs with a .322 batting average and a .541 slugging percentage in 47 games. His 46 RBI were tied for first and his 99 total bases led the league.

“With hitting, it’s been trying to stay simple and not try to do too much and over-swing,” he said. “I haven’t really changed anything. I’m a big kid and all I need to really do is get the bat on the ball.”

Bohm, who plays first and third base, hit six home runs in his first 20 games It took him longer to raise his average after an 18-for-73 (.246) start. Since then, he is hitting .372 (41 of 110).

“It seemed like every ball I hit was right at someone,” he said. “I started getting hot about halfway through the summer and I carried that through, really not panicking at all.”

Bohm, from Omaha, hit .303 with six home runs and a team-leading 13 doubles as a freshman at WSU.

On off days, the Sharks hit nearby Wrightsville Beach.

“Some of the guys like to go surfing,” he said. “I haven’t tried it. Don’t plan on trying it. I don’t think it would go too well.”

This story was originally published July 30, 2016 at 7:46 PM with the headline "With Bruce Haertl in Denver, Wichita State in market for new basketball voice on TV."