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Weber State basketball: Panos stands tall in his role as respected senior leader
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700005529/Weber-State-basketball-Panos-stands-tall-in-his-role-as-respected-senior-leader.html
OGDEN — During a recent Weber State practice, center Steve Panos didn't like the attitude of one of his teammates.
The player was being somewhat disrespectful to one of the team's coaches in a workout that the Wildcats were struggling to get through. Panos, in front of everyone, quickly put an end to it, telling his teammate back-talking the coaches was unacceptable, wouldn't be tolerated, and it wasn't how things were done "around here."
There were no more instances of insubordination in the workout after Panos spoke up — and not just because he's 6-foot-8, 245 pounds. Panos, as one of the team's two seniors, is a leader and well-respected among his teammates.
"It's something he's addressed from the time the season started," said Weber State forward Kyle Bullinger. "He's led by example, and he's been a vocal leader in the locker room and on the floor. It's something we all really respect."
Panos has spent the past four years earning respect from the rest of the Wildcats, who host Sacramento State in Big Sky action tonight. He was one of 10 players signed by coach Randy Rahe in his first recruiting class. Panos was somewhat of a raw prospect coming out of Highland High in 2006, although he was a key player on the Rams' state championship team his senior year
"We had seen the kid play and we loved his toughness," Rahe said. "He was tough enough, big enough and strong enough and we thought we could get him better. He's been a diamond in the rough for us because he's done exactly what we hoped and just continued to get better. He's doing an outstanding job for us right now."
Panos is Weber State's second-leading scorer (11.3 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (5.3 boards per game). He broke into the Wildcats' starting lineup as a sophomore and has started in 79 career games. Rahe said Panos hasn't been content to just be a starter, and he's improved many areas of his game during his collegiate career, notably his offensive rebounding and post defense.
Panos' bread-and-butter offensive move is a right-handed jump hook. He was told early in his career at Weber State he needed to develop a left-handed counter move, and he did just that.
"Every year he's gotten one area of his game better," Rahe said. "It's because he works so hard at it. He cares about it. He tries to do exactly what you ask him to do."
Panos has worked so hard because he's been appreciative of the opportunity to play at Weber State. He didn't have many options to play in college, as he was a late bloomer at Highland. He averaged less than a point per game his sophomore and junior seasons before averaging 14.6 points his senior season. He was trying to choose between junior colleges and an NAIA school before he got an offer from Rahe.
"I just wanted to play Division I basketball and it's been a great experience," Panos said. "I can't say enough about the teammates I've had, the coaches I've had. It's been amazing."
Panos has enjoyed plenty of success at Weber State. He played in the NCAA Tournament his freshman year after the Wildcats won the Big Sky Tournament to qualify. Last season, he was part of a Weber State team that went 15-1 in conference play and won the Big Sky regular-season title. The Wildcats wound up playing in the NIT last year.
Panos would like to cap his Weber State career with another NCAA Tournament berth, as he said he didn't understand the magnitude of it when he was a freshman. The Wildcats lost to UCLA 70-42 in a first-round contest.
"It was crazy," Panos said. "It was just a year after playing high school basketball. I was on the court and I'm going, 'That's UCLA we're playing against.' It was a surreal moment. We got killed but I was happy to be out there."
The Wildcats are on track to at least contend for another tournament berth. They're in first place in the Big Sky with a 7-1 conference record. There's still a lot of basketball to be played this season, but they know they can rely on the leadership and toughness of Panos to help them reach their goals.
"I think the most important thing you can say about Steve is he's a winner," Bullinger said. "You look at his track record, and he has two Big Sky rings, one trip to the NCAA Tournament, one trip to the NIT. His success rate is phenomenal. It is for a reason. It's because he's so hard working, such a good leader and such a good ballplayer."
Wildcats on the air
Sacramento State (7-14, 1-7 Big Sky) at Weber State (13-7, 7-1)
Today, 7 p.m.
Dee Events Center
TV: none Radio: 1430 AM
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700005529/Weber-State-basketball-Panos-stands-tall-in-his-role-as-respected-senior-leader.html
OGDEN — During a recent Weber State practice, center Steve Panos didn't like the attitude of one of his teammates.
The player was being somewhat disrespectful to one of the team's coaches in a workout that the Wildcats were struggling to get through. Panos, in front of everyone, quickly put an end to it, telling his teammate back-talking the coaches was unacceptable, wouldn't be tolerated, and it wasn't how things were done "around here."
There were no more instances of insubordination in the workout after Panos spoke up — and not just because he's 6-foot-8, 245 pounds. Panos, as one of the team's two seniors, is a leader and well-respected among his teammates.
"It's something he's addressed from the time the season started," said Weber State forward Kyle Bullinger. "He's led by example, and he's been a vocal leader in the locker room and on the floor. It's something we all really respect."
Panos has spent the past four years earning respect from the rest of the Wildcats, who host Sacramento State in Big Sky action tonight. He was one of 10 players signed by coach Randy Rahe in his first recruiting class. Panos was somewhat of a raw prospect coming out of Highland High in 2006, although he was a key player on the Rams' state championship team his senior year
"We had seen the kid play and we loved his toughness," Rahe said. "He was tough enough, big enough and strong enough and we thought we could get him better. He's been a diamond in the rough for us because he's done exactly what we hoped and just continued to get better. He's doing an outstanding job for us right now."
Panos is Weber State's second-leading scorer (11.3 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (5.3 boards per game). He broke into the Wildcats' starting lineup as a sophomore and has started in 79 career games. Rahe said Panos hasn't been content to just be a starter, and he's improved many areas of his game during his collegiate career, notably his offensive rebounding and post defense.
Panos' bread-and-butter offensive move is a right-handed jump hook. He was told early in his career at Weber State he needed to develop a left-handed counter move, and he did just that.
"Every year he's gotten one area of his game better," Rahe said. "It's because he works so hard at it. He cares about it. He tries to do exactly what you ask him to do."
Panos has worked so hard because he's been appreciative of the opportunity to play at Weber State. He didn't have many options to play in college, as he was a late bloomer at Highland. He averaged less than a point per game his sophomore and junior seasons before averaging 14.6 points his senior season. He was trying to choose between junior colleges and an NAIA school before he got an offer from Rahe.
"I just wanted to play Division I basketball and it's been a great experience," Panos said. "I can't say enough about the teammates I've had, the coaches I've had. It's been amazing."
Panos has enjoyed plenty of success at Weber State. He played in the NCAA Tournament his freshman year after the Wildcats won the Big Sky Tournament to qualify. Last season, he was part of a Weber State team that went 15-1 in conference play and won the Big Sky regular-season title. The Wildcats wound up playing in the NIT last year.
Panos would like to cap his Weber State career with another NCAA Tournament berth, as he said he didn't understand the magnitude of it when he was a freshman. The Wildcats lost to UCLA 70-42 in a first-round contest.
"It was crazy," Panos said. "It was just a year after playing high school basketball. I was on the court and I'm going, 'That's UCLA we're playing against.' It was a surreal moment. We got killed but I was happy to be out there."
The Wildcats are on track to at least contend for another tournament berth. They're in first place in the Big Sky with a 7-1 conference record. There's still a lot of basketball to be played this season, but they know they can rely on the leadership and toughness of Panos to help them reach their goals.
"I think the most important thing you can say about Steve is he's a winner," Bullinger said. "You look at his track record, and he has two Big Sky rings, one trip to the NCAA Tournament, one trip to the NIT. His success rate is phenomenal. It is for a reason. It's because he's so hard working, such a good leader and such a good ballplayer."
Wildcats on the air
Sacramento State (7-14, 1-7 Big Sky) at Weber State (13-7, 7-1)
Today, 7 p.m.
Dee Events Center
TV: none Radio: 1430 AM
e-mail: [email protected]
