Utes Don't View Drca as a Problem
Coach Jim Boylen does not believe suspended guard Luka Drca has an anger problem, and the player himself said, "I don't get angry," despite what it might have looked like when he flagrantly tripped Oklahoma's Blake Griffin last weekend -- less than a year after getting suspended for throwing an elbow into the chest of a TCU player.
"He's never had any of those things in practice," Boylen said. "He's never cheap-shotted anybody in practice, never tripped anybody in practice. And I want that said, because this is not a guy who needs anger management. People are saying, 'Well, does he have a problem?' He doesn't have a problem. … Bad judgment, twice."
Just back from an ankle injury, Drca will not play for the Utes when they host Weber State at the Huntsman Center on Saturday, or when they visit Utah State on Monday night, leaving inexperienced freshman Jace Tavita to continue as the starter at point guard for a team that has lost three straight since a five-game winning streak.
Drca acknowledged he did not like Boylen's decision to suspend him, which Boylen issued in no uncertain terms, saying he cannot condone that kind of behavior in his program. But "it was a coach's decision," Drca said, "so I have to agree with him."
It's that kind of maturity and respect for authority that Boylen believes helps illustrate that Drca is not a bad guy.
Having grown up in war-torn Serbia, the 6-foot-3 Drca is a well-liked member of the team who's a good student and a chemistry major. Boylen repeatedly has praised him as a tough player whom he loves for his steady demeanor and competitive fire, who now at least expects to recover completely from his sprained ankle before returning to the court.
"Didn't fight me one bit" on the suspension, Boylen said. "Understood that he can't do that at this level. Can't do that at any level. Can't do that. Luka's not a difficult guy to coach. He's not a guy who fights me on things. He understands that I'm the boss, and we're going to do it my way. And you know, for him, my way has been pretty good. I put the ball in his hands."
Though the incident with Griffin was especially glaring for its premeditation -- it occurred long after Drca took a shot from Griffin, as the players ran downcourt, unlike the heat-of-the-moment exchange with TCU's Brent Hackett last season -- Drca said he apologized to the Sooner superstar after the game.
"He said, like, everything's all right," Drca said.
In the hours after the incident, Boylen said he thought back to whether he had missed any previous indications of a problem "when I could have squelched it a year ago, three months ago." He remembered, he said, that Kermit Washington had a reputation for cheap-shotting teammates in practice before he savagely punched former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich -- Boylen's former boss -- during a brawl in 1973. He could not recall anything.
"I don't think it's a problem," Boylen said. "It's not."
"He's never had any of those things in practice," Boylen said. "He's never cheap-shotted anybody in practice, never tripped anybody in practice. And I want that said, because this is not a guy who needs anger management. People are saying, 'Well, does he have a problem?' He doesn't have a problem. … Bad judgment, twice."
Just back from an ankle injury, Drca will not play for the Utes when they host Weber State at the Huntsman Center on Saturday, or when they visit Utah State on Monday night, leaving inexperienced freshman Jace Tavita to continue as the starter at point guard for a team that has lost three straight since a five-game winning streak.
Drca acknowledged he did not like Boylen's decision to suspend him, which Boylen issued in no uncertain terms, saying he cannot condone that kind of behavior in his program. But "it was a coach's decision," Drca said, "so I have to agree with him."
It's that kind of maturity and respect for authority that Boylen believes helps illustrate that Drca is not a bad guy.
Having grown up in war-torn Serbia, the 6-foot-3 Drca is a well-liked member of the team who's a good student and a chemistry major. Boylen repeatedly has praised him as a tough player whom he loves for his steady demeanor and competitive fire, who now at least expects to recover completely from his sprained ankle before returning to the court.
"Didn't fight me one bit" on the suspension, Boylen said. "Understood that he can't do that at this level. Can't do that at any level. Can't do that. Luka's not a difficult guy to coach. He's not a guy who fights me on things. He understands that I'm the boss, and we're going to do it my way. And you know, for him, my way has been pretty good. I put the ball in his hands."
Though the incident with Griffin was especially glaring for its premeditation -- it occurred long after Drca took a shot from Griffin, as the players ran downcourt, unlike the heat-of-the-moment exchange with TCU's Brent Hackett last season -- Drca said he apologized to the Sooner superstar after the game.
"He said, like, everything's all right," Drca said.
In the hours after the incident, Boylen said he thought back to whether he had missed any previous indications of a problem "when I could have squelched it a year ago, three months ago." He remembered, he said, that Kermit Washington had a reputation for cheap-shotting teammates in practice before he savagely punched former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich -- Boylen's former boss -- during a brawl in 1973. He could not recall anything.
"I don't think it's a problem," Boylen said. "It's not."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 9:58 AM |
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home