Tuesday, March 14, 2000Little trying to fill UC's center spot
Team helping redshirt freshman learn role
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati EnquirerAt least a half-dozen times since Kenyon Martin broke his leg in Cincinnati's loss to Saint Louis last Thursday, coach Bob Huggins has made this comparison between his All-American and redshirt freshman Donald Little: “Donald blocks shots as well as Ken does.”
Huggins is saying this for a reason. Or two, actually. He wants opponents to be wondering about this Little guy they keep hearing about. And he wants Little to be wondering if Huggins might know something.
“Coach says I'm a better shot-blocker. I don't think so,” Little said. “Not right now, I'm not. But in time, maybe I will be.”
Of course, Little does not have the luxury of time. A 6-foot-10 center, Little recognized from the moment he saw Martin was not getting off the floor that his role with the Bearcats (28-3) was about to change.
He has three more days to get ready for his NCAA Tournament debut against UNC Wilmington (18-12) 12:30 p.m. Friday at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center. Little talks each day to family, and they tell him the same thing he hears around campus and in practice.
“I'm tired of people saying things, to tell the truth,” Little said. “Every five minutes, a phone call: "You've got to step up.' I know.”
It's possible Little will start in Martin's place against UNCW. Ryan Fletcher could then remain as sixth man and the changes to the Bearcats' rotation wouldn't be so drastic. That also would keep a shot-blocking presence in the middle.
Little is as physically gifted as any big man Huggins has recruited to UC, with an ideal frame, a soft shooting touch and excellent timing. He plays with goggles to protect an eye that was damaged by a childhood infection; he has a small blind spot that inhibits his peripheral vision, although he said that has nothing to do with his occasional problems catching the ball.
“It's a lot about comfort,” Little said. “When I'm ready to play, I catch the ball every time. When I come in lazy, I won't ever catch it.”
It has been a curious season for Little. With his physical ability and the year of experience he gained in practice with the Bearcats while redshirting, it seemed in the preseason there might be a prominent place for him in the rotation.
Ultimately, with three senior post players to employ and none of them routinely encountering serious foul trouble, Huggins ran out of minutes.
Between Dec. 1 and Dec. 18, Little averaged 4.2 minutes per game. He played late in the win over Gonzaga, when Fletcher and Huggins were at odds, but Little let a crucial pass go through his hands in the final minutes. Huggins had to put Fletcher back in the game.
Little sat through the entire loss to Xavier. He began to perceive no reason to continue working, because there seemed no way he could force his way past three veterans.
“I wasn't playing as much, and I started being lazy in practice, and things started to go downhill,” Little said.
Huggins sent Little home early for Christmas to consider his future with the program. Little watched UC beat the Sooners on ESPN and knew what he needed to do.
“I had to sit down and realize ... seeing my team on TV really hurt,” Little said.
There still have been moments. He was benched along with forward Jermaine Tate for the win against Southern Mississippi for not practicing well.
He played 15 minutes in the comeback victory over DePaul, though, and contributed two blocks and two rebounds.
“He's going to have to learn what shots to block and which ones not to,” Tate said. “If he goes up and doesn't get the shot, he's going to be out of position to block out. So he has to make good decisions. We're going to try to help him this week in practice.”
One of those blocks against DePaul put at least a little credibility into Huggins' proclamation. Wide-bodied post man Lance Williams swept his way into a hook shot in the first half, and Little swatted it back with his left hand.
That was something Martin did only occasionally: reject a shot launched by the player he was guarding. The majority of Martin's blocks were of shots from guards who entered the lane or big men preoccupied with Tate or Fletcher.
“Kenyon did such a great job of studying people's tendencies, where they were going to come from,” Huggins said. “We've got Donald more into that. We're going to spend a lot of time with Donald.”
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