Big man on campus keeps growing

Alex Pledger

By: Dan Stroud

Posted: 11/27/06

Something special happened the night that the UMKC men's basketball team faced the Baker University Wildcats at Municipal Auditorium. The man that already poses the biggest shadow on the court for the Kangaroos, sophomore center Alex Pledger, took his game to a place that he had never before visited at the Division I level.

Pledger bounded to the top of the key to open a lane for a teammate who appeared to be looking to make a play. Once free, the player instead turned and kicked the ball back out to Pledger, who without hesitation, drove into the paint, fought through a Baker defender's attempt to slow him, and slammed home a two point shot. The play, known to basketball enthusiasts as a "pick and roll," marked perhaps the most authoritative point in the young 7-foot-1-inch center's collegiate career.

Pledger's teammates could not contain their excitement after the play as the bench erupted in jubilation.

"That was big time," said senior guard and team captain Quinton Day. "It's good to see him being aggressive. He's slowly coming out of his shell."

UMKC men's head basketball coach Rich Zvosec said it was the most aggressive move Pledger has made on the court.

"We need him to continue to become more assertive on the offensive end," said Zvosec. "When he's got height advantage, he's got to take the ball to the rim. I was pleased with the hard roll and the dunk."

Pledger has worked hard to cultivate this necessary aggression on the floor. Last summer, he attended the Pete Newell Big Man Camp in Las Vegas, Nevada. The camp, among the most prestigious in the country, has tutored the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and hall of fame center Bill Walton in its 30 years of existence.

But the big man has been developing and assimilating to more than just his basketball environment since coming to Kansas City last fall from his native New Zealand. He enjoys spending time with his teammates, but says he is probably closest to senior center Kyle Spears and junior forward Jeremiah Hartsock.

Pledger says he enjoys hanging around on campus with the guys and watching movies. The movie that caught his attention the most recently, was the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which he watched on Halloween night.

"It was pretty good. I hadn't seen it before," said Pledger. "I kind of got into the whole Halloween and horror movie scene."

In the classroom, the sophomore center is taking a variety of classes as he has yet to decide upon a major of study. But he is really enjoying his theatre class this semester. His professor is from New Zealand as well.

"It's quite nice actually," said Pledger. "There aren't many New Zealanders around here."

There's really just one thing that the big man would like to change about his stay in the heartland. He is not a big fan of the weather conditions, especially in the winter months.

"Last year's winter was a bit of a shock," he said. "People say last year really wasn't that cold. I'm not sure I want to know what real cold is."

dstroud@unews.com