Tekele "The Clamp" Cotton

[Cdizzle]

Some quickly put together analysis of "Da Clamp" Tuesday night:

First half - TC guarding Haws: While TC in game. Haws was 0-3 fg, 0-0 ft;
when TC not on floor, 0-1 fg and 4-4 FT.
Second Half (TC not guarding Haws): Haws was 3-11 fg and 7-7 FT.

First half - TC not guarding Carlino: 7-11 fga 4-5 FT
Second Half - TC guarding - while in game: 0-5 fga 0-0 FT
TC not in game: 0-3 fga 3-4 FT


This looks like he completely shut out his man their high scorer), while scoring 7, grabbing 6 boards, giving 3 assists and zero turnovers.

That's not worthy of All-tourney team?

I knew he had done great, but shutting out those two guys for the 20+ minutes he was guarding them is incredible. They run a lot of offense for those guys, and they can really score the ball.

We've known Cotton as a great defender for a long time, but I'm beginning to think he may really be the BEST defensive guard in the country.

[HockeyShock]

For the last several games I've been tweeting Myron Medcalf the same message: "Tekele Cotton doing Tekele Cotton things," always after one of the dagger 3's or the patented-under-four-minutes-left-steal-breakaway-slam, or fighting to pull down a rebound surrounded by taller opponents. Then he doesn't even get a mention in his "article," which just proves that Myron Medcalf knows eff-all about the "Mid-Majors" he's supposed to be covering.

(Disclaimer: The mention of the MM word in the preceding paragraph was to denote Medcalf's responsibility in covering non-major conferences for ESPN and was not, in any way, meant to be a characterization of our program. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.)

Between the IQ, the speed, and the ice water going through his veins, if he doesn't at least get a long look from NBA scouts, there is no justice in this world.

[another shocker]

For the last several games I've been tweeting Myron Medcalf the same message: "Tekele Cotton doing Tekele Cotton things," always after one of the dagger 3's or the patented-under-four-minutes-left-steal-breakaway-slam, or fighting to pull down a rebound surrounded by taller opponents. Then he doesn't even get a mention in his "article," which just proves that Myron Medcalf knows eff-all about the "Mid-Majors" he's supposed to be covering.

(Disclaimer: The mention of the MM word in the preceding paragraph was to denote Medcalf's responsibility in covering non-major conferences for ESPN and was not, in any way, meant to be a characterization of our program. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.)

Between the IQ, the speed, and the ice water going through his veins, if he doesn't at least get a long look from NBA scouts, there is no justice in this world.

contrary to popular belief, the nba does covet great, not good, but GREAT, defensively talented basketball players. of course..

[shoxlax]

Folks, I am telling you Carlino could've played two more games last night and not made a field goal with Tekele guarding him. It is like having a sixth defender out there the way he anticipates the seams the ballhandler is trying to create and uses his athleticism. He was born to play HCGM's Gap Defense. He literally could guard 1-5 on defense and be our best defender. If Gary Payton was "The Glove" then Tekele should be know as "Lycra".

The other thing that Tekele does really well that no one seems to notice is cover for our out of position bigs who have been boxed out for a rebound by anticipating where the ball is going to go and simply beating the other teams bigs to the ball. I saw him do this at least six times over the last three games. It is almost unfair to watch him in practice against new players in our program.

Tekele should have been on the All Tourney team. I grumbled and griped about it all the way home from Kansas City today to Mrs. Lax. Thank you Coach Dollar and thank you Leza!

[shocksrbest]

I knew he had done great, but shutting out those two guys for the 20+ minutes he was guarding them is incredible. They run a lot of offense for those guys, and they can really score the ball.

We've known Cotton as a great defender for a long time, but I'm beginning to think he may really be the BEST defensive guard in the country.

The shame is: sports announcers seldom attribute an offensive players lack of production to the person guarding him. It's usually...he's having an off night, or he plays a lot of minutes, or his teammates aren't getting him the ball.

Cotton limits the players touches, and when they do get the ball he becomes their shadow and worst nightmare. He deserves the kudos and love he gets here, but it is time the nation takes notice as well.

[AndShock]

I really can't believe Tekele is only a junior, he's one of those guys that seems like he's been around for 10 years (not to be confused with someone who has actually been around for 10 years: like Gibbs.)

I question if he'll ever get the respect that he rightfully deserves. He'll probably have to lock down someone like Jabari Parker to get it because locking down scrubs on Pitt/OSU/etc apparently isn't enough.

(Fun Jabari Parker fact: he is Mormon and BYU was included in his Final Five, that would've made for an even more fun game last night)

[jocoshock]

I really can't believe Tekele is only a junior, he's one of those guys that seems like he's been around for 10 years (not to be confused with someone who has actually been around for 10 years: like Gibbs.)

I question if he'll ever get the respect that he rightfully deserves. He'll probably have to lock down someone like Jabari Parker to get it because locking down scrubs on Pitt/OSU/etc apparently isn't enough.

(Fun Jabari Parker fact: he is Mormon and BYU was included in his Final Five, that would've made for an even more fun game last night)

He locked down Aaron Craft of Ohio State last year and apparently that was not enough, so you are right so far...

[CBB_Fan]

I really can't believe Tekele is only a junior, he's one of those guys that seems like he's been around for 10 years (not to be confused with someone who has actually been around for 10 years: like Gibbs.)

I question if he'll ever get the respect that he rightfully deserves. He'll probably have to lock down someone like Jabari Parker to get it because locking down scrubs on Pitt/OSU/etc apparently isn't enough.

(Fun Jabari Parker fact: he is Mormon and BYU was included in his Final Five, that would've made for an even more fun game last night)

Tekele was the biggest reason every opponent we faced last year in the tournament had an off night. People don't credit him because they often see defense as just blocks and steals, but Cotton has an uncanny ability to stick to a guy closer than his uniform for an entire game. While the Haws was huffing and puffing last night Cotton was sprinting next to him with ease, and then Cotton did the same thing with Carlino in the second half. He doesn't get a ton of blocks because his man never gets the space to shoot the ball, and he doesn't lead the team in steals because he often completely denies his man the ball.

Opposing coaches and announcers have no idea. Even a lot of Shocker fans probably don't realize the full extent of Cotton's abilities. But it should be apparent that for some reason that in every single game the opponent has at least one guy who just had an off night. Maybe if he shot better they'd have won. Maybe if he had gotten more shots off. That "maybe" is Cotton. It is always his man that has the worst night, that looks exhausted and relieved to be off the floor at the end of the game.

From now on, my nickname for Tekele won't be "100%", but "Off Night." He's earned it.

[Kung Wu]

Malcolm was no slouch on defense either. Those two caused serious problems for everybody. Ron is starting to step into those lock down shoes too but hasn't developed the full compliment of defensive "tricks" yet. He will though. Next year is going to be scary awesome. But this year could end up being scary awesome too.

[shoxlax]

Fun Factoid: 3% of American Mormons are black.

[Bluzrover]

I knew he had done great, but shutting out those two guys for the 20+ minutes he was guarding them is incredible. They run a lot of offense for those guys, and they can really score the ball.

We've known Cotton as a great defender for a long time, but I'm beginning to think he may really be the BEST defensive guard in the country.

The season is still "young" and it could very well become more of a topic of national conversation with some of the nationally-recognized games we have coming up. But I suspect that conversation will die down once the conference schedule settles in, especially now that the other "marquee" program has left the conference.

It'll pick back up in the tournament season. The question is, will he be on enough nationally-recognized "experts'" radar to get the full recognition he deserves? Probably not, but that won't stop the fact that he is one of the most talented defensive players to wear a Shockers BB uniform and his overall game just keeps getting better as well.

[SHOXAAC]

Here is the story on Cotton:

His personality is a pleaser. He wants to please his coach, teammates and Shocker fans. He is the Barry Sanders of college basketball (pretend you have done it before). That's why you don't see him over react to something extra-ordinary he does, or pout when he under performed (very rare) a specific task.

He will run through a brick wall if Marshall tells him to. He does it so stealth that you won't even hear the brick being crushed as the collision occurs. He could care less about any personal attention nationally. His reward is when The coaching staff and teammates thank him in private for helping to turn WSU into a final four caliber program. He requires no other praise.

We, as Shocker fans, are savvy enough to recognize TC for what he is...a winner. Remember last year when he couldn't drop a basketball in the ocean? What did he do? He didn't lose focus around the fact his teammates still needed him to be a shut-down defender, rebound, help run a high octane offense and be a good team role model. Oh yea, by the way, he also put "extra" work into his perimeter shooting and made key shots on the road to the final four.

This young man is special in so many ways. He is the quiet assassin. If I were gifted at videography, I would shoot hundreds of hours in video of TC and when his career is over I would edit it to reveal what a great college basketball player he is. I would then market it and sell it as symbol of how you do it right. For now, I'm going to sit back and thoroughly enjoy watching one of my all-time favorite Shocker players. #ENJOYTHERIDE!!!

[another shocker]

a ku work buddy of mine said that cotton looked like the best defender in the country. i couldn't disagree.

no homerism, he is quite possibly the best defender in the country, i would say (especially after watching him against the general consensus best defender in the country, aaron craft of ohio state, in last years elite eight game). why does the big media not mention him that way?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THE WHOLE SHOCKER TEAM AND COACHING STAFF AND FAMILIES

[forevershockerfan]

Cotton could be a bone-crushing football player. Cotton was a key to our comeback in the BYU game when we were 13 down. No player played any harder on both sides of the court that game or most games than Mr. Cotton. The people that did not vote for him to be a 1st team All Valley Defensive Team last Season should feel very silly both then and now. Tekele was a key to us winning 4 games at the Dance while covering our foes best scorers like a cheap suit. He also made some big shots at opportune times where we needed a lift.

He helped us give the Redbirds some Shock tweetment after getting a kick in the head and knocked to the floor. He kept his cool even though the ref swallowed his whistle at first, jumped up, like it was nothing and helped us win with a huge comeback in a short duration. One thing is for sure. We are very fortunate to have Tekele Cotton on our team. Great things happen to hard workers that prepare and play with every once of effort they have. I have met him, he is a quality young man and he is and always will be a winner.

[ROOT ANGRY!]

Brookside? Hey, neighbor.

Hey to you, too, rjl! we're technically in countryside, 1 block south and 1 block west of Visitation