Spencer Nelson Is An Experienced Sophomore

Tony Brown and Spencer Nelson were freshmen on Stew Morrill's first Utah State basketball team back in the 1998-99 season. As the Aggies enter the 2002-03 season, Brown has completed his playing career and is currently a graduate assistant coach with the Aggies. Nelson? He is now a sophomore post player for Morrill's fifth USU team.

 

"I am on the extended stay program," Nelson explained. "Coach Morrill likes having me around." Coach Morrill was not available for comment.

 

It has been a long time since Nelson arrived from Pocatello, Idaho and competed as a true freshman back in 1999. Nelson played in all 28 games for USU that season on a team that featured Donnie Johnson, Pharoah Davis, Troy Rolle, Tyrone Allick and Brown.

 

After that year in which Nelson averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12 minutes per game, the 6-8 forward went on an LDS Church Mission to the state of Oklahoma. When he arrived prior to the 2001 season expectations were high that he would resume his previous level of play.

 

Instead, on Oct. 31, Nelson suffered an ACL injury to his knee and he spent the year as a medical redshirt. He has since battled back and is expected to be a strong contributor this season as a 22-year old sophomore with a bad knee.

 

"I am the equivalent of a 52-year old male," Nelson joked recently. "I have done the math. I have the ratio. Right now I am 52 and by mid-season I will be 59. It feels like (my knee) is getting stronger every day. It is not 100 percent, I can tell jumping off of it, but it is getting stronger every week."

 

Nelson got his first taste of game action since the first round of the Big West basketball tournament in 1999 at Illinois State. Nelson played 17 minutes off the bench and scored seven points and added three rebounds.

 

"It felt really good (to play)," Nelson said. "I felt really blessed that I was able to come back and play in an actual game. The two exhibition games were fun, but the actual game has a totally different feel, especially on the road. It reminded me of going to Fresno State my freshman year. I like going on the road. I like it when the crowd is yelling at you and no one really likes you and you just have your teammates and your coaches and you have to stick together."

 

And while the players have changed from his freshman season to his sophomore year, the feelings of comraderie have not.

 

"You had Tony Brown and you had B-Ray (Brennen Ray)," Nelson said of his first year here. "The good thing about it is that coach Morrill recruits good guys. Whether it is Pharoah Davis or Desmond Penigar in the power forward spot, I get along with them great. Whether it is Donnie Johnson or Mike Puzey in the center spot, it doesn't matter. Everyone is a really good guy, so we all get along."

 

Nelson's personality is such that he is everybody's friend.

 

"Spencer is a great teammate off the court," said assistant coach Randy Rahe. "All of the kids love him. He is one of those pied-piper kids. He just kind of attracts everyone to him. He has a wonderful personality. He is very intelligent and very excitable and gets along with everybody. All of the other kids look to him because of his personality."

 

And while not only his teammates have changed, so has Nelson's role on the team. Originally Nelson was a small forward playing a lot on the perimeter, while also seeing a little time at the power forward spot. This year he is backing up at the center spot, while also playing the power forwad position.

 

"He has never played the five (center) before so that is an adjustment, but he has played the four (power) and he is doing fine there," Rahe said. "He has gotten bigger. He is up to 230-235 pounds, which will help him in the post. As he gets more comfortable he will really figure out those two positions."

 

Rahe also likes the spark Nelson gives the team.

 

"He gives us a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He gives us a spark when he is in there. His teammates like to play with him because he does play with all the fire and intensity that we need."

 

His team-first attitude, evidenced by his position change and personality, is appreciated by his coaches and his teammates. But it is all based on his desire to have the Aggies be successful.

 

"I will do whatever I need to do to help the team win and to be able to play out on the court. If that is what they need me to do, then that is what I will do."