UNLV has put opponents on chopping ‘blocks’

Steve Addy

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001 | 10:45 a.m.

It's small consolation, but in their season full of rejection, at least the Rebels are dishing out some of their own.

With little fanfare, UNLV has turned into the best shot-blocking team in the Mountain West Conference, and that talent has played a crucial role in most of the Rebels' victories under coach Max Good.

With 135 blocks in 24 games, the Rebels are on pace for 163. That would be their most since 1996-97, when Keon Clark blocked a school-record 112 and the team finished with 185.

In 17 games since Good became head coach on Dec. 12, UNLV has blocked five or more shots 11 times and is 9-2 in those games. That includes 12 blocks against Monmouth on Dec. 28 -- two off the school record -- and victorious totals of nine (BYU) and eight (Wyoming) last week.

Conversely, the Rebels have lost the last four games in which they didn't make at least five blocks, including Monday's 85-77 defeat by Utah. They mustered only three in each of the losses.

Though Good said he isn't stressing blocks, they have become his team's bellwether statistic. When the Rebels are swooping in from the weak side to deflect shots, the momentum turns their way, they get more transition opportunities and the Thomas & Mack Center comes alive.

"We don't want anybody getting layups on us," forward Chris Richardson said. "We don't want their shooters to get confident. (A blocked shot) can take away their confidence."

Good said, "Even if we don't block the shot, at least we're getting into (the opponent's) mind. They start wondering where we are."

With five games left, the Rebels are only four blocks shy of last season's 31-game total (139), but they're not even close to the school record of 266 in 1990-91.

Dalron Johnson leads the team with 50 blocks. His block against Utah gave him 93 in his career, pushing him past Larry Johnson for eighth on UNLV's all-time list. He racked up eight blocks Jan. 3 vs. Loyola Marymount, one less than Michael Johnson's single-game record from 1979, also against Loyola Marymount.

Kaspars Kambala and Sylvester Dotson have 23 blocks each and Danny Brotherson 11.

In MWC games, UNLV leads with 49 blocks, seven more than Wyoming. Cowboys forward Josh Davis is first with 23, but Kambala and Dotson are tied for second with 12 and Johnson is fifth with nine.

Despite the Rebels' depth in that statistic, Good said he hasn't placed unusual emphasis on shot-blocking. It's more a natural outgrowth of their defensive commitment, discounting their poor showing Monday when Utah shot 60 percent.

"We're getting a lot of blocks, but I'd rather lead the league in being sound and playing disciplined," Good said. "I don't want us to be feast or famine."

Most of UNLV's blocks have come from behind or the side. "Sneaky blocks," Good calls them.

"The man on the ball isn't usually the guy who'll block the shot," Dotson said. "It's the guy coming over to help. Coach tells us to stay down, don't bite on the head fakes and wait for the help guy."

Good said, "I don't like us going for blocks when we're looking right at the guy. We want the first guy to stand tall and let the second guy go after the shot."

When the Rebels don't follow that strategy, the results usually aren't good.

Against Colorado State, they fouled a lot of shooters in the first half and the Rams won in a 25-point blowout.

"Our guys probably thought Colorado State wasn't very athletic, so let's go ahead and tattoo some shots," Good said. "All it did was create fouls. First and foremost, I want us to be disciplined. Then if we can block some shots, that's fine."