Fresno State Athletics
Floor General
1/27/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - In years past Fresno State men's basketball has seen many great point guards pass through the doors of Selland Arena. Dominick Young, Rafer Alston, and Chris Herren come to memory as recent Bulldog who ran the offense, while being menaces on defense. This season fans may not see the flashy passing or amazing acrobatic shots of previous quarterbacks, but the tradition of solid point guards will continue with junior Demetrius Porter gracing the court.
As a sophomore Porter started in seven of the 33 games he played, averaging 6.1 points per contest. He made crucial contributions the entire season, especially when Herren was out with injury. In only his second start Porter had 12 points and seven assists against 25th ranked Temple. In the later part of that game, he hit a huge three-point bucket with 3:37 left to break a 59-59 tie, giving the Bulldogs the lead.
The Fresno native stands at a mere 6 feet, but his heart and smarts will be defining factors for the `Dogs this season. Porter has the ability to consistently harass opposing guards with tremendous unease as they bring the ball up court. His quickness and court awareness make it difficult for the opposition to accomplish its game plan. Offensively he will continue to knock down shots from beyond the arc and make pinpoint passes off the dribble. Most importantly, Porter is the floor general and the man who strives to make his team execute.
I'm very comfortable with Demetrius starting this year," head coach Jerry Tarkanian said. "I thought he played great for us last year, coming off the bench and hitting big shots." Not only does Tarkanian feel secure with Porter's entry into the starting lineup, but also Porter himself is extremely confident with his new job. He has a colossal desire to win and he wants only to do what is best for the team.
"I've been waiting for this role since I got here," junior point guard Demetrius Porter said. "I've finally got the chance to prove myself and I'm going to make the most of this opportunity."
The coaching staff notes that Porter has always been a hard worker and a passionate competitor. He has made major improvements in every aspect of his game since his arrival at Fresno State because of his willingness to listen. One of Porter's most attractive attributes though, is that he is able to accept his role.
"He's such a coachable guy," Tarkanian said. "He does everything we ask him to do and he worked so hard over the summer. He continues to put in the extra time, working with Danny [Tarkanian] on making adjustments."
Porter does know his role. He knows that his performance on the court can effect the way the rest of the `Dogs play. He has to set the tempo of the game and maintain the emotion.
"Every game my job is to get my teammates the ball and make sure we're playing as a team," Porter said. "I really just want to strengthen our team unity."
The defense also begins with Porter. He is the ball hawk who creates havoc in the backcourt, forces turnovers, and prevents the opposition from getting into any kind of rhythm.
"Our defense starts with me pressuring the ball. When I'm up top putting pressure on the opposing point guard, and the guys see me working hard, it makes them want to work harder. I've just got to lead by example out there."
The summer is where it all started for Porter. He received the opportunity to play with the Converse All-Star team in France with many other talented college players from around the nation. He learned discipline and patience, something he'll need for this season.
"It was a good experience for me and I hope to go back there again this summer," Porter said. "One thing I learned over there is that the good players don't worry about getting their points and minutes. [The good players] know that they'll get their time and they don't worry about the recognition. It is that type of unselfishness that's got me to where I am today."
Porter is obviously ready to take command of this team. His desire, unselfishness and preparation will allow him to make correct decisions while directing traffic on the court. If players like Courtney Alexander and Terrance Roberson can get into position to take good shots, Porter will be right there to feed them.
