Rutledge finds return of basic instincts

By Rob Miech (contact)

Friday, Nov. 28, 2008 | 2:10 a.m.

Sam Morris

UNLV forward Mareceo Rutledge fights Texas-Pan American forward Luis Valera for a rebound.

Focus on a spot on the wall. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes. Relax. See yourself comfortable and confident.

Envision taking a 3-point shot without blinking, driving through the lane without trepidation and snatching a rebound, in traffic among players six and seven inches taller, with authority.

Those are some of the choice words from Dr. Ed Klein that have helped UNLV senior power forward Mo Rutledge become a valuable Rebel this season.

His minutes, 3-point and free-throw shooting, rebounds, assists and steals are up from his junior campaign, and so is fifth-year coach Lon Kruger’s faith in him.

Rutledge, 25, was on the court when UNLV started pulling away from North Carolina A&T last week.

The Rebels had just regained the lead when he got fouled inside, sank both free throws and answered that with a 3-point shot.

Just as important, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound lefty didn’t think twice about launching two more long-range shots, which missed, in the next two minutes.

Last season, Klein watched Rutledge treat the ball like a “hot potato” when he caught it, itching to get rid of it to the nearest teammate.

The instincts have returned that helped Rutledge excel at Yuba College in Marysville, Calif.

At Wednesday’s practice inside the Thomas & Mack Center, Rutledge caught a ball and didn’t pause in driving hard through the lane.

He said his sessions, maybe twice a week for 20 to 30 minutes after practice, with Dr. Klein have helped.

“It’s visualization,” Rutledge said. “I close my eyes and imagine myself doing things on the court. I see myself driving, like I did early today, shooting and knocking down shots.

“And blocking out the crowd. That was another big thing for me.”

His 3-point shot from the right corner cut UNLV’s deficit to 20-17 on Monday night in El Paso, the Rebels’ lone basket in a cold five-minute stretch in which Texas-El Paso could have buried them.

Instead, UNLV regrouped, tightened its defense and turned it around on the Miners, winning its first road game of the season.

“He knows he’s playing better,” Klein said. “He recognizes that he’s doing better than last season. He’s confident and he’s allowing it to come out.”

Klein, who is soft-spoken and unassuming, works with several UNLV athletes a year, and he has several professional baseball and hockey players on his roster.

He is a regular at Rebels basketball practices and games, and he noted how strong Rutledge played under the glass with five rebounds against A&T.

“He was really a force,” Klein said.

He said his specialty is teaching athletes, entertainers and business leaders with God-given talents to harness the full potential of their abilities and skills.

It isn’t magic, Klein said. He doesn’t work miracles.

“I am adding,” he said. “Helping.”

As a reminder, for concentration, Klein instructs his clients of the importance of having a “trigger” point, a simple physical gesture to help them focus.

A hockey goalie, for example, slams the nub of his stick against the goal when a flurry of action starts heading his way.

A baseball player taps the corner of the plate with his bat to zone in on the pitcher. A golfer glides fingertips on the bill of his cap. Theater actors brush the side of their hair before taking the stage.

On occasion, before games, Rutledge will touch his right ear lobe with his right hand.

“To help me concentrate,” he said. “It helps. It makes me alert. I haven’t used it too often. I try to get myself motivated by jumping up and down, to get ready for a game. That’s kind of like my trigger point.”

Before the Rebels left to tour Australia for two weeks in June, Rutledge passed by Klein in the hall outside UNLV’s locker room.

“He said he wanted to work with me,” Rutledge said. “I’ll sit there with my eyes closed.”

Mo, Klein says, you’re shooting it. You’re taking it to the hole strong. You’re not worried about anyone else. You’re in a zone.

“It’s getting them in that alpha state,” Klein said. “We go through exercises, and he follows along. It’s almost like meditation. We visualize what he wants to do.

“He’s taking the shot, the ball leaves his hand and it slips through the net.”

The conversations can take place in any room, as long as there are two chairs and it’s quiet.

“I expect a whole lot from myself,” Rutledge said. “I expect to be aggressive, to shoot the ball more and encourage my teammates. The only pressure is what I put on myself.”