Cousy getting to point

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Cousy getting to point

New award honors best college guard

By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Staff, 6/26/2003

ob Cousy was asked yesterday afternoon who taught him how to play point guard.



''Honestly? Nobody,'' said the Celtics Hall of Famer, a bit sheepishly. ''I
just played. The defense tells you what you must do, every time down the
floor. For me, it was easy. Maybe that's because I have a vivid imagination.

''The simple formula is still the same: you react to what the defense does.''

Cousy, the best point guard who ever played the game, took note of the steep
decline in the number of pure point guards. With that as the backdrop, he
approached officials from the Basketball Hall of Fame with an idea.

The upshot of that brainstorm was revealed yesterday. Beginning next March at
the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Cousy, in conjunction with the Basketball
Hall of Fame, will hand out the first Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard Award,
given to the top male collegiate point guard in the country.

The award will be given to the player who ''recognizes the vital importance of
the position, creates opportunities to maximize the team's collective
potential, leads, directs and orchestrates successful team play, recognizes
core basketball skills, and contributes to overall team achievement.''

Cousy said his award will be open to Division 1, 2, and 3 schools. In fact,
the 30 finalists will have a minimum of five candidates from both Division 2
and 3.

''I'd like to think, in many ways, the point guard is the heart and soul of
the unit,'' Cousy said. ''You must combine your energy, vision and skills, and
pump blood to the others.''

To illustrate his point of identifying the true point guard from a shooting
guard playing the point, Cousy compared Stephon Marbury, the former Nets point
guard, with Jason Kidd, the current New Jersey point man. Although he had
considerable skills, Cousy said, ''Marbury was not a point guard. He is a hell
of a 2 guard, but point guard skills when needed.'' Kidd, Cousy said, is the
consummate point. He also cited Utah Jazz guard John Stockton, who announced
his retirement, as a pure playmaker.

Players from the three collegiate divisions will be nominated by the more than
1,800 colleges and universities, then pared down to 30 finalists by a
selection committee that will include Cousy, other Hall of Famers, college
coaches, and sports information directors. Cousy hopes the honor will
encourage young players to remember what the point guard position is all
about.

''I want every point guard to come over halfcourt and say, `How can I create
something wonderful for the four other people on the floor?' '' Cousy said. ''
`And, if I can't do that, well then [look to score]. I used to launch some
myself, from time to time.''

Cousy said his desire to see players return to the true roots of the game he
loves was the impetus for creating the award.

''At almost 75 years old, I will rest very easy, either looking down, or
looking up, as the case may be, at this legacy,'' he said. ''I have every
confidence it will be promoted and marketed in the proper way.

''If I can help in some way to influence how they play the game, I will rest
peacefully.''

Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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