• • • •
am Dekker acknowledged that his game has
"I DON'T GET INTO ROLES SO MUCH AS I
grown. Maybe it has just matured, like he has.
GET INTO MAKING BETTER BASKETBALL
"There are times when I'm still a little erratic
and all over the place,'' he said. "Coach (Ryan) reeled
PLAYERS,'' RYAN SAID. "BE A BETTER
me in a lot last year and he kind of made me grow up
REBOUNDER, BE A BETTER DEFENDER.
pretty quick.
"At the time, I don't know if I liked it all the time.
I WANT (DEKKER) TO BE A BETTER
Now looking back on it today, I realize that he was
BASKETBALL PLAYER THIS YEAR.''
right. He did the right thing with me last year and put
me at his pace, you know what I mean?''
Anybody who has played for Ryan knows
exactly what he means. When Ryan was asked
if Dekker has an expanded role this season,
he got around to answering at his own gait or
speed. Or not.
"I don't get into roles so much as I get into
making better basketball players,'' Ryan said.
"Be a better rebounder, be a better defender. I
want him to be a better basketball player this
year.
"He's got to be a better defender; he's got
to make better decisions with the ball. He can
shoot a better percentage. There are so many
aspects of games.
"I've never treated any player any differently than any other as far as what I'm expecting
them to do. I'm expecting him to be a better
basketball player this year all the way around.
"That's his role ― get better.''
Thanks to the way Ryan handled his freshman year, Dekker said, "You've got to walk the
line, it's tough, but it really helped me mature
and I gained a lot of confidence going into this
year.''
And, yes, Dekker can say with some certainty "I'm a better player than I was a year
ago.''
How so?
"In many ways, I'm much better,'' he replied.
"In other ways, I still continue to get better.''
What about the defensive end of the floor?
"I'm going to play better defense,'' Dekker
said.
Why does he think that?
"I expect it out of myself,'' he said, "and my
team expects it out of me.'' he said.
"Coach (Ryan) reeled me in a lot
last year and he kind of made me
What's going to be the difference?
grow up pretty quick,'' Dekker said.
"I have a year under my belt and I have the
DAVID STLUKA
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