Ags’ Nelson rebounding in style
As hard as it may be to believe, in some cases, suffering a serious injury in athletics can be a blessing in disguise.
At least that’s the attitude Utah State basketball player Spencer Nelson has when discussing his season-ending injury from a year and one-half ago.
Less than a week after finishing with team highs in points (18) and rebounds (12) in USU’s final intrasquad scrimmage, the sophomore forward/center tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments just two days before the team’s first exhibition game of the 2001-02
season.
Perhaps even more frustrating for Nelson was the fact he had been anxiously awaiting a return to the hardwood after serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oklahoma. Nevertheless, Nelson said he was able to take the injury in stride and grow as a
player.
“The injury was a blessing,” he said. “It sounds stupid, but it was exactly what I needed. Being able to sit out a year gave me a greater appreciation not necessarily for basketball … but just being able to walk and those type of things. So when I come out to the court, I just bring it 110 percent.”
Of course playing hard and giving 110 percent is nothing new to Nelson’s style of play, said Aggie assistant coach Tim Duryea and freshman forward Nate Harris. It is this work ethic that has no one on the team surprised by how well Nelson has recovered from his injury, Harris said.
Although he wasn’t able to play at full speed for more than eight months after his injury, Nelson has been a force on the low blocks for the Aggies. Nelson leads USU in rebounds (7.2 per game) and blocks (0.69 per game), and is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 10.5 points a contest.
“Spencer works his butt off every day, so it’s not surprising at all that he’s doing as well as he is,” Harris said.
Nelson’s hustle on the court has many Utah State fans thinking of former Aggie Brennan Ray. However, the comparison to Ray was a bit surprising to Duryea.
Although Duryea said the two players are a lot alike in regards to being blue-collar players, Nelson and Ray are two completely different players. While Nelson is a lot more versatile on the offensive end than Ray, Duryea said he has a lot of work to do if he wants to become the defender Ray was.
“I think the biggest similarity between the two is that they both are ‘gamers,’ and they’re both very emotional on the court,” he said. “But as far as their traits as players, there’s not that many similarities.”
On the other hand, Duryea was quick to point out another similarity between Nelson and Ray, and that is the ability to hit the glass. Nelson is second in the Big West Conference in rebounds, trailing Cal Poly’s Varnie Dennis by the slightest of margins (7.3 to 7.2 rpg), and Dennis plays seven more minutes a game than Nelson.
“Another similarity [between Nelson and Ray] I guess, is they’re both terrific rebounders,” Duryea said. “Neither one of them do it with shear size or strength, but they do it with a nose for the ball.”
Whether its by grabbing rebounds, making his presence in the paint, or pumping up the Spectrum crowd, Nelson said he just tries to energize the team.
“I think I kind of have a niche where I try to provide energy,
and I think people can feed off of me a little bit,” he said.
Not only have the Aggies been able to feed off of Nelson’s spirited play on the boards, but also his improving offensive game. After averaging 4.5 points per game during the 1998-99 season — his freshman year — Nelson has more than doubled that figure.
Nelson, who was Idaho’s A-1 Player of the Year as a senior at Pocatello High School, credits his continued improvement on the offensive side of the ball to the team’s confidence in his abilities.
“I knew that they were confident in me back then [my freshman year] but I think I’ve proved myself a little bit more to where I feel like I can go out there, and I’m free to create and do things I feel I can do,” he said.
That confidence has transferred over into his shooting percentage as Nelson is hitting an astounding 66.2 percent of his shots (94-of-142). In fact, Nelson would be leading the Big West in field goal percentage, but he is 10 attempts short of qualifying.
“He’s a very efficient offensive player which is really what you’re looking for from all your players — the most numbers of points on the least number of shots,” Duryea said.
Perhaps as important as his contributions on the court is Nelson’s ability to keep the mood light, and be the “team jokester,” Harris said.
“I’m not very self-conscious, so I’m willing to embarrass myself a little bit,” Nelson said. “Not be a complete idiot, but just try to get a laugh out of someone.”
Duryea agreed, and said Nelson’s ability to make people laugh and treat them with respect are qualities that he possesses.
“He meets people very easy,” he said. “People are kind of drawn to him, and I think that’s because he to treats everybody like a friend and nobody like a stranger.”
As easy-tempered as he is, all Nelson has to do is look back at his injury to prime his competitive juices. This, coupled with playing in front of a raucous Spectrum crowd, more than reminds him how much he loves the game.
“I love the competitiveness of the game,” he said. “I love when it’s down to the wire in a tight game, and you have 10,250 fans in the Spectrum absolutely screaming, and it really comes down to who [which team] wants it more.”
–jasonwturner@cc.usu.edu