JimBob
12-05-2007, 07:20 AM
Sidorakis accepts role of playmaker
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
12/5/2007
His job is producing assists, slashing turnovers.
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State freshman basketball player Nick Sidorakis is used to putting up numbers. In fact, he used to carry them around for everyone to see.
Sidorakis is the son of the general manager at Southern Hills Country Club, site of seven major golf championships. He didn't do anything glamorous at the 2007 PGA Championship -- he said he shuttled people from the west nine to the main gate in a golf cart -- but he was a standard bearer at the 2001 U.S. Open.
A standard bearer is a person who totes a mini-scoreboard while accompanying a group of golfers at a tournament. Sidorakis has been a numbers man for Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Hale Irwin.
Perhaps Sidorakis could regale teammates and coaches with tales about his brushes with greatness.
But, said Sean Sutton, "I'm more impressed with the way he played the other night, especially in his first big game against a good team. Washington has got good guards. They put a lot of pressure on him and I thought he played with a lot of poise."
Sidorakis, in his first game since being promoted to backup point guard, produced career-best totals of seven points and five assists Saturday in a 96-71 wipeout of Washington. He and starting point guard Byron Eaton combined for two turnovers in 39 minutes of duty.
"We're a lot different team when we get good point guard play," Sutton said. "That was the biggest key to the other night was those guys controlled the game and didn't turn it over. As a result, we got better shots and took better shots and our offense looked better."
Sidorakis played 22 minutes in OSU's first five games, collecting five points and three assists. He said he played "decent" against Washington and said he still has a lot of learning to do.
His education continues Wednesday, when OSU faces a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi team that is 1-4 overall and 1-0 against the Sutton family this season. On Nov. 14, the Islanders rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Scott Sutton-coached Oral Roberts University.
Sidorakis sounds like a guy who knows what his role will be. He said the Cowboys have enough scorers.
"My role coming in is to rack up assists instead of points and trying to create as many shots for them as I can with no turnovers," he said.
"I take big pride in turnovers and not having them and so do the coaches here. They really harp on you."
And rightly so. OSU ranks last in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Sidorakis threw the ball away almost immediately after he checked into the Washington game, then never had another turnover in his 16-minute tour of duty.
"I had some jitters coming out, but after that I was like just keep your head and calm down," he said. "I took a deep breath and just played."
Sutton watched to see how Sidorakis would respond after the turnover. Sidorakis raced downcourt and tried to prevent a layup, drawing a foul and Sutton's respect.
"He hustled back and made a great block," the coach said. "He ended up getting a foul on it, but I thought it was a good sign that he didn't get rattled."
How did Sidorakis gravitate to basketball instead of golf? He plays golf as a hobby but said it is "not enough action for me. I guess you could say I'm ADD. I need to always be going. I need something to always keep me going and basketball is good for that."
Sidorakis said his mom used to joke that he can't sit still.
More performances like his one against Washington may translate into less time sitting on the bench.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
12/5/2007
His job is producing assists, slashing turnovers.
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State freshman basketball player Nick Sidorakis is used to putting up numbers. In fact, he used to carry them around for everyone to see.
Sidorakis is the son of the general manager at Southern Hills Country Club, site of seven major golf championships. He didn't do anything glamorous at the 2007 PGA Championship -- he said he shuttled people from the west nine to the main gate in a golf cart -- but he was a standard bearer at the 2001 U.S. Open.
A standard bearer is a person who totes a mini-scoreboard while accompanying a group of golfers at a tournament. Sidorakis has been a numbers man for Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Hale Irwin.
Perhaps Sidorakis could regale teammates and coaches with tales about his brushes with greatness.
But, said Sean Sutton, "I'm more impressed with the way he played the other night, especially in his first big game against a good team. Washington has got good guards. They put a lot of pressure on him and I thought he played with a lot of poise."
Sidorakis, in his first game since being promoted to backup point guard, produced career-best totals of seven points and five assists Saturday in a 96-71 wipeout of Washington. He and starting point guard Byron Eaton combined for two turnovers in 39 minutes of duty.
"We're a lot different team when we get good point guard play," Sutton said. "That was the biggest key to the other night was those guys controlled the game and didn't turn it over. As a result, we got better shots and took better shots and our offense looked better."
Sidorakis played 22 minutes in OSU's first five games, collecting five points and three assists. He said he played "decent" against Washington and said he still has a lot of learning to do.
His education continues Wednesday, when OSU faces a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi team that is 1-4 overall and 1-0 against the Sutton family this season. On Nov. 14, the Islanders rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Scott Sutton-coached Oral Roberts University.
Sidorakis sounds like a guy who knows what his role will be. He said the Cowboys have enough scorers.
"My role coming in is to rack up assists instead of points and trying to create as many shots for them as I can with no turnovers," he said.
"I take big pride in turnovers and not having them and so do the coaches here. They really harp on you."
And rightly so. OSU ranks last in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Sidorakis threw the ball away almost immediately after he checked into the Washington game, then never had another turnover in his 16-minute tour of duty.
"I had some jitters coming out, but after that I was like just keep your head and calm down," he said. "I took a deep breath and just played."
Sutton watched to see how Sidorakis would respond after the turnover. Sidorakis raced downcourt and tried to prevent a layup, drawing a foul and Sutton's respect.
"He hustled back and made a great block," the coach said. "He ended up getting a foul on it, but I thought it was a good sign that he didn't get rattled."
How did Sidorakis gravitate to basketball instead of golf? He plays golf as a hobby but said it is "not enough action for me. I guess you could say I'm ADD. I need to always be going. I need something to always keep me going and basketball is good for that."
Sidorakis said his mom used to joke that he can't sit still.
More performances like his one against Washington may translate into less time sitting on the bench.