Thursday, February 24, 2000

UC NOTEBOOK

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Grove's hard work turns into minutes

BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Freshman guard Leonard Stokes played 20 minutes. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        B.J. Grove earned his playing time the hard way: He lost weight.

        Grove, UC's 6-foot-11 freshman center, ballooned to 289 pounds before the start of fall practice. Coach Bob Huggins put him on a strict conditioning and diet plan, and Grove has lost 44 pounds to weigh in at a more coach-pleasing 255.

        That's one reason Grove earned his first significant action Wednesday, playing 18 minutes and scoring four points. He had played only once in the previous 12 games — one minute against DePaul.

        “B.J. has worked hard in practice. He earned it,” Huggins said. “He shut up and did what he was supposed to do. You ought to be rewarded for doing the right things.”

        Grove said was still surprised when Huggins approached him Tuesday and told him to be prepared to play.

        “I couldn't believe it,” Grove said. “You never play, then all of a sudden he comes over and says be ready. It does a lot (for my confidence), getting big minutes in a game like this.”

        Freshman guard Leonard Stokes also saw an increased role, playing 20 minutes, scoring six points. He was shaky in the first half, but calmed down later and said he began feeling more comfortable.

        “They're good,” Huggins said of the freshmen. “I don't think anybody's ever doubted their talent.”

Lineup shuffle
        The Bearcats had a new look for the start of the game, and it wasn't just the headbands they wore in support of DerMarr Johnson.

        Johnson's suspension put Steve Logan in the starting lineup for the first time in eight games, and Ryan Fletcher started in place of Jermaine Tate.

        Tate and backup center Donald Little dressed but did not play because, Huggins said, they didn't work hard in practice.

        “If you don't lay it out in practice, you don't play in the game,” Huggins said.

        The 6-foot Logan, who started UC's first 19 games at point guard, started at shooting guard Wednesday and scored 16 points. He hadn't started since the Jan.23 game at Marquette and had been splitting time at the point and shooting guard positions.

        With Johnson out, Logan played mostly as the shooter Wednesday, a role that suits him well; he leads Conference USA in 3-point shooting at .453.

Headband day
        The Bearcats wore black-and-white headbands in solidarity for Johnson, who wears one during games. “It was a team thing,” center Kenyon Martin said.

        Huggins didn't wear one. “I thought about shaving my head a few days ago, but no headband,” he said.

Player of the year
        Martin on Wednesday was named a finalist for two player of the year awards: the Naismith and Oscar Robertson trophies.

        Martin a 6-9 senior, is one of 15 finalists for the Naismith, along with Ohio State's Scoonie Penn and Indiana's A.J. Guyton. Martin is generally considered the front-runner, averaging 18.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.8 blocks a game.

C-USA awards
        Martin was also UC's nominee for Conference USA defensive player of the year, an award he has won the last two years. UC nominated Fletcher for the sixth man of the year award, then started him Wednesday. Fletcher has started just two of the Bearcats' 27 games, averaging 6.8 points.

By the numbers
        • 17-0: UC's record, according to Huggins, in games in which it had at least one player suspended.

        • 6: Number of points Martin had in the first four and a half minutes Wednesday.

Up next .
        The Bearcats play host to Lousiville at 7:30p.m. Sunday at the Shoemaker Center. UC won the first meeting at Freedom Hall 75-65. Johnson had 21 points in that game, all in the first half

       

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