Justin Burns has gone from a gangly suspect to a prospective
All-Big West Conference performer during his two-season career at
Cal State Fullerton... He was the Titans' most improved player
between 2004-05 and 2005-06 and made major strides as last season
played out... Didn't even play in three games early in 2004-05 but
started all 29 last season... Excellent shot blocker and effective
slasher who has developed into a solid back-to-the-basket
performer... Tremendous leaper and excellent at taking charges...
Needs to add strength and bulk to take his game to the next
level.
CSF IN 2005-06: Reached double-figures in scoring (10.4 points
per game) with a strong finish... Fourth in the Big West Conference
in rebounding at 6.7 rpg (first in offensive rebounds with 77) and
fifth in blocked shots at 0.93 per game... Posted five
double-doubles... Averaged 16.3 points over the final four games
including a career-high 22-point game against South Dakota State on
March 5... Had career-high 16 rebounds in triple overtime win at UC
Davis on Jan. 28 while playing 53 minutes... Had the best
field-goal percentage on the squad at .545 (114 of 209) and would
have ranked No. 2 in the Big West but was two baskets shy of the
minimum qualification... Shot more free throws (136) than any other
Titan... Scored in double figures 13 times or 12 more times than
previous season.
CSF IN 2004-05: Junior college wing player who played sparingly
at the season's outset yet found himself starting at the post in
what turned out to be the season finale at Georgetown in the
post-season NIT... Showed flashes of brilliance... Played in 29 of
the 32 games, starting at Utah State on Jan. 20 and at Georgetown
on March 22... Best game was in a win at UC Irvine on Feb. 10...
Had a career HALF with 6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 1
blocked shot in only 11 minutes of the first period... Had season's
best scoring total with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting vs. Hope
International on Nov. 27... Blocked 3 shots at Utah State on Jan.
20.
CYPRESS COLLEGE: Averaged 14.8 points and 6 rebounds in 2003-04
with the Chargers for Coach Paul Bottiaux and a 16-11 team (7-7 in
conference)... First-team All-Orange Empire Conference selection...
Led team in scoring and blocked shots... Shot 45 percent from the
floor... Earned All-Cuyamaca Classic honors as team placed third...
Had high of 26 points in one game.
HIGH SCHOOL: One of the Top 200 players in the nation as a
senior for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas according to
Street and Smith magazine... Nominated for the McDonald's High
School All-American team... Had 27 points for the Gaels vs. Clark
HS and 26 in a triple overtime win over Clark... Played his junior
season at Georgetown Prep in Washington, D.C., earning first-team
all-district honors... Graduated from Central Park High School in
2002 in Birmingham, Alabama.
PERSONAL: Nickname is "Spider"... Born on Aug. 19, 1983, in Las
Vegas, Nevada... Parents are Michael Burns and Betty Kincaid... His
father ("Spider") played four seasons (1978-79 thru 1981-82) of
basketball for UNLV and Coach Jerry Tarkanian (Michael played one
game against CSF on Dec. 19, 1980, at the Anaheim Convention
Center, scoring 8 points in an 85-71 Runnin' Rebels win)... Has a
brother, Jason (25), and three sisters -- Jasmine (11), Deja (9)
and Michelle (17)... Communications major... Goal is to become a
millionaire... Plays the piano... Credits his mother and
grandmother for most influence on his career: "They coached me
through life."