Seniors lead the way in season-opening triumph
Nov. 15, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The third-ranked Texas Longhorns moved players off the bench in waves on Sunday afternoon, as they literally overwhelmed UC Irvine in an 89-42 season-opening victory at the Frank Erwin Center. Depth and talent have given head coach Rick Barnes a number of tools in his arsenal, and that was evident when he subbed in an entirely new five-player system late in the first half. All told, 13 players appeared for the Longhorns on Sunday, but it was still familiar faces leading the way, as seniors Damion James and Dexter Pittman combined for 42 points and 22 rebounds. So it’s worth noting that both James and Pittman could be playing in the NBA right now. Pittman flirted with professional possibility quickly following the end of UT’s run to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament last year, while James took his decision down the wire. Both had their individual reasons for returning -– Pittman wanted another year to develop his physical build and skills around the basket, and James felt another year of work could earn him a more stable contractual commitment. Ultimately, though, James and Pittman came back with the same motivation. James wanted to be in Austin, “around my Texas Basketball family.” Pittman took that a bit further, saying, “I’ve built a relationship with all the guys on the team. We’re like brothers. We’ve got a great team.” And, very simply, this team belongs to the seniors -- James, Pittman and Justin Mason. They proved it in the first half, as the Longhorns held UC Irvine to only one field goal over the final 10 minutes to overcome an early deficit with a 24-2 run. James and Pittman combined for 13 points and eight rebounds during that surge, and Mason supplied his characteristic defensive intensity.
“We have to set the tone for the younger guys,” said Pittman, who finished with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting. “We have to show them how it’s done.” And the Longhorns get everything done with defense and physicality under the basket. James is currently third overall for career rebounds at UT, and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds against UC Irvine. Pittman, however, claims to have helped James to at least five of those. “He pulled them right out of my hand,” Pittman laughed. “But he makes my job easy. Damion took it upon himself to be the leader.” James’ leadership is best seen in his all-around effort. He was 7-of-9 shooting, perfect from beyond the arc, and also added two assists and a steal. “It’s my team, and that means I have to be a role model for all the guys,” James said. |
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