Show Dez goes on defensive By Jeff Hunter staff writer — ’ In preparation for the production of this year’s Utah State basketball : media guide Desmond Penigar was asked to answer the following question: "USlTs fawlrathall team will be fun to watch because?" The senior power forward's response? "We are a TEAM first the individuals come second" A somewhat surprising statement from a guy who led die Aggies in scoring last season and is just about every preseason publication's pick to be named 2003 Big West Flayer of the Year Utah State's Stew Morrill just hopes it's true because the veteran head coach is already putting it to die test "What we're asking Desmond to do is improve his game" Morrill explained "We're asking him to be better defensively and we're also asking him to step up his rebounding "We could be a better team and have his scoring be about what it was or maybe even a little below" In his first season of Division I basketball Penigar finished second nd Mitcti MascaraHerald Journal Utah State senior forward Desmond Penigar shoots over a Global Sports defender during Friday's game in the Big West Conference in scoring at 179 points per game from The Upland Calif poured in 34 points in a victory over Brigham Young in just his fourth game as an Aggie one of nine times he'd seme 20 or more points in a contest1 Penigar also recorded four dou- and ended up sixth in the league in rebounding with 69 boards pm game But as the 2001-0- 2 season wore on Morrill was left wanting more Although Penigar’s final field goal percentage was a sparkling 487 — seventh-be- st in the Big West — that percentage fell all season long And defensively Penigar was simply found lacking after two 245-pound- er years of junior college basketball It's something he readily admits to "On offense I gave 190 per- cent" Penigar explained "And on defense I'd be trying to save my energy sometimes so I could go 190 percent on offense "I'd play defense pretty good most of the game for like 28 sec- onds on a possession Then I'd let up for last seven seconds and that's when my man would get the ball duck around me and score : ' "That's what I'm working on now" After serving under Morrill for well over a season Penigar said he has come to a stunning understand- ing Giving your all on defense doesn't necessarily translate into less offense at the other end of the court "You know it really doesn't mat- ter because no matter how tired you are you're still going to play 100 percent on offense because you want to score" Penigar explained As for his rebounding and field- goal percentage Penigar hopes to up those averages through "desire" — "You just have to be hungry" he said — and "better shot selec- tion" Penigar said he shouldn't feel as much pressure to score this season because the team is deeper and more balanced whereas last year if sharpshooter Tony Brown wasn't dropping in jumpers Penigar was about the only offensive option the Aggies had "If I'm open I'm shooting" he said "But if I'm not then I'm See DEZ on Page 7 transmission rebuilding & QuoWy Servt or Ycflrt for 36 ' KmMoPaits moiLmin Ttf mp Transmission Problems? Don’t Stress - See the Best! a N Logan UT 1456 N 300 V? Logan 752-275- 5 752-85- 41 Mon Fri 8-- 5 Visa and Mastercard Accepted 2002 21 2002 : Herald The 5 Page |