Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Well-Traveled Relphorde Settling In Nicely
December 28, 2009 | Men's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
"Us coaches can screw up a player real quick - and then you multiply that by five . . . "
That remark was made, of course, with tongue in cheek - both belonging to Colorado's Jeff Bzdelik.
Despite being well-traveled and directed over the past five seasons, Relphorde is a l-o-o-o-n-g way from being fouled up.
What's more, Bzdelik is doing his best to make certain the 6-foot-7 junior college transfer doesn't go in that direction, which he appears to have managed very nicely in his first 11 games in a Buffaloes uniform.
In fact, in CU's most recent outing - a 92-58 rout of Cal State Northridge three days before Christmas - Relphorde turned in what he and his current coach regard as his best overall game for the Buffs.
In summer pickup play, Relphorde, whose last stop before Boulder was Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College, wowed his future teammates with his athleticism and versatility. His other stops included Homewood-Floosmoor High School in the Chicago area, a Pennsylvania prep school (American Christian) and Saint Louis University.
Relphorde's solid stat line against CSN underscored those attributes and what he can bring to the court: 13 points - it matched his season best - on four-of-six field goal shooting (including three-of-three from behind the arc), four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two turnovers in 27 minutes.
Said Bzdelik: "He made threes, he made drives, he made plays for others, he stole the ball, he handled the ball. He dove for the ball early, got it and we got a basket because of it. He did a lot of things for us. I think people could see the versatility he has.
"And in fairness to him, with five coaches in five years . . . to get consistent with the system is tough for anybody."
Inching toward that consistency is what lights up Relphorde, CU's third-leading scorer (9.7 points a game), the most.
"I got most of my points within the flow of the game without trying to force things," he said. "I'm definitely finding a comfort zone . . . it comes from knowing my spots, picking my spots within the offense and knowing when I should attack, when I should make the extra pass.
"As long as I'm doing everything within the offense, the better I learn it and the better I'm able to show my versatility."
Bzdelik's 11-game critique of Relphorde has the player evolving from "robotic" to being "a little bit more instinctive every day . . . and you play better when you're instinctive."
Meanwhile, Relphorde's self-critique begins with overcoming inconsistencies while he learns the most challenging system yet from his most demanding coach to date.
"I've played a lot of different styles with just one year to adjust to them," he said. "So, it's been kind of hard, but this is definitely the style that fits me the best, just as far as creating different matchups and things like that.
"But once I get it - and I am starting to get as comfortable as I can - I feel like this is the system for me. I think I've definitely found my spot on the team."
As the Chicago native gets even more comfortable within Bzdelik's system - a factor that can't be overemphasized with Big 12 Conference play looming - his teammates should get another look at what he showed them this summer.
He feels most productive when he's on the perimeter as a "four" and draws a bigger defender. That match-up perks him up: "When I have a big man guarding me on the perimeter, it's easy for me to drive him or attack him rather than having a smaller guard on me."
Of course, Relphorde's development isn't confined to the offensive end. Bzdelik "has made it pretty clear what I need to do to help the team win as far as things other than scoring - rebounding the ball, moving without the ball, making an extra pass, more defensive intensity," Relphorde said.
Bzdelik, though, constantly demands those things from all of his players and is pushing for the Buffs to be as consistent and intense Tuesday against Yale (7 p.m., Coors Events Center, FSN Rocky Mountain) as they were in their final game before taking a three-day Christmas break.
"We need to continue to grow and show that we're growing," he said.
The goal for Relphorde & Co.: Keep improving and evolving as a focused, unselfish team through non-conference play and into Big 12 play, which opens Jan. 9 at No. 2 Texas.
"I can't wait," Relphorde said. "It's one of the reasons I came to Colorado - to play in the Big 12. I'm ready and I think this team is ready, too."
Bzdelik likely would urge his guys to refrain from declaring their Big 12 readiness at least until they've played another three games - Tuesday night, at Tulsa on Jan. 9 and against Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 5.
On the other hand, it's good to be mindful of what awaits. Neither does it hurt to be excited about the prospects.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
