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Byrd in Full Flight
by Frank Burlison, Long Beach Press-Telegram
November 23, 2006
LONG BEACH - Ten of his Long Beach State basketball teammates scored
more than did Sterling Byrd last season.
Those same 10 players averaged more playing time than did the Centennial
High graduate while seven players grabbed more rebounds than did the 6-foot-6
and 215-pound forward.
But, after Byrd had averaged 16 points and six rebounds during the 49ers'
opening two games of the this season against the Air Force Academy and
San Jose State, someone asked coach Larry Reynolds if he was surprised
at Byrd's productivity.
Another 49er, Aaron Nixon, answered the question before his coach could,
however, with an emphatic sideways shaking of his head.
Translated: Byrd's performance - 17.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game,
as well as a shooting percentage of .655 - during the team's 2-1 start
going into its game with USC Friday night in the Galen Center may be surprising
to the casual 49ers' observers.
But it's nothing startling to his teammates or his coaches.
"He was under the radar (of opponents' focus) but that's not going
to be the case any more," Reynolds said Wednesday morning.
While some of his teammates have struggled with their jump shots so far,
Byrd has made the most with of his increased playing time (30 minutes
per game) and provided the 49ers with the productivity that was needed
with the departure of All-Big West Conference selections Jibril Hodges
and Shawn Hawkins.
"He's reaping the benefit of the (defensive) attention that is being
paid to his teammates (particularly Nixon and Kejuan Johnson, preseason
All-Big West selections)," Reynolds said. "But he worked very
hard in the summer, in the weight room and on his jump shot."
Byrd seems almost reluctant to address his expanded on-the-floor role
for the 49ers.
"I was a little mad last year (about not playing more) but it was
no big deal," the sociology major said. "I did what I could
with the opportunities I had. I would have liked to have played more but
I'm not a selfish player, so I understood (why he didn't play more)."
But, with Hawkins and Hodges (two of the team's top three scorers last
season) graduating in June, Reynolds knew there were minutes that had
to be inherited and he figured Byrd was a prime candidate to inherit them.
"I think last season was a struggle for a lot of guys because I couldn't
find enough playing time for them," Reynolds said. "I'm really
happy that Sterling has started out so well because he has a great perspective.
It's his senior year and he's playing and producing."
According to his current and former coaches, Byrd's "perspective"
extends beyond the 94 x 47 feet of hardwood he spends a few hours on each
day.
He plans to pick up his degree and put it to use, either in the field
of social work or probation work. He might mix in a little coaching, as
well.
Byrd, it seems, has bought into the "let basketball be the means
to an end" mantra preached by coaches from coast to coast.
"No one worked any harder in the off season," LBSU assistant
coach Scott Waterman said. "But he works just as hard in the classroom
and understands where this is going to take him."
Byrd said that attitude is something he picked up from his high school
coach, Rod Palmer.
"Everyone who plays or played for Coach Palmer looks up to him as
a `father figure'," Byrd said.
"He helps you as a basketball player but he makes sure you take care
of business in the class room and away from the court, too. And he's a
guy who keeps in touch with you even after you're done playing for him."
Some of the things Palmer stressed to him became more evident to Byrd
during his freshman year at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and then during
the two years he spent at Yavapai Community College in Prescott, Ariz.,
before he transferred to Long Beach.
"I kind of let my academics go (at CSDH)," Byrd explained.
Prescott was a good stopping off point for Byrd in that he was able to
re-focus on his academics.
"It's a small town but that was fine because I'm a quiet person who
doesn't need to live in a `big city'," he said. "But I knew
I wanted to come back to California (to continue his education and college
basketball career)."
Byrd spent the past summer preparing for his senior season with some of
the players he was teammates with at Centennial, including Anthony Coleman
(a former 49ers), Ellis Myles (who started for the Louisville team that
went to the 2005 Final Four) and current college players such as Gabe
Pruitt (USC) and Arron Afflalo (UCLA).
"It was fun being around those guys," he said. "Ellis and
Arron have been to Final Fours. "And it was a good way to get ready
for this season."
And, it seems, people are beginning to discover just how much so.
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