OHIO STATE MEN
Lighty gains notice thanks to his defense
He will face big test against North Carolina
Monday, November 27, 2006
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
NEAL C . LAURON DISPATCH David Lighty (23) has started the first six games of the season at power forward for Ohio State.
Thirty-eight jersey numbers hang from the upper reaches of the Dean E. Smith Center, home of North Carolina basketball.
Seven of the numbers are retired. One in particular is instantly associated with the player who last wore it.
Michael Jordan?s number. No. 23.
"Hopefully, I can represent it real well and go out and play like he did," David Lighty said with a smile. "That would be good."
That would be better than good.
Fourthranked Ohio State (6-0), expected to still be without 7-foot phenom Greg Oden, would gladly take an Heir Jordan when it plays its first road game, against the No. 2 Tar Heels on Wednesday night.
Lighty, a freshman forward for the Buckeyes, isn?t wearing Jordan?s number because he has visions of such grandeur, though.
Lighty hoped to wear his high school number (35) at Ohio State, but it was retired in 2001 to honor the late Gary Bradds. Lighty took No. 23, he said, because it was one of the first numbers he wore as a player in middle school.
"I went back to my old-school days," he said.
He plays with an old-school mentality, too, which influenced OSU coach Thad Matta to recruit him after first scouting him two years ago at Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
"I saw his home opener his junior year and he was guarding guys (so well that) I said, ?We?ve got to have this kid, because he can move his feet, he?s strong, he?s tough, he knows where to be.? That was the No. 1 thing that impressed me about him," Matta said.
Lighty credits a middleschool coach for an assist with his defense.
"I was the biggest player on the team, but I was the most athletic," he said. "Usually they just put the tallest player in the post, but he told me I had to step up my game and be more versatile because, in high school, it wasn?t going to be as easy.
"They always instilled in me to play hard, play (good) defense and work on my outside game."
As anyone who has observed Matta?s teams can attest, his offense may be fun, but defense is the quickest ticket to playing time. It was for Jamar Butler and Je?Kel Foster two years ago, and it?s the reason the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Lighty has started the first six games at power forward.
"Pretty much what coach has said is play hard defense and don?t turn over the ball and you?ll be good with him," Lighty said. "That?s all I?ve really tried to do."
When the Buckeyes faced Loyola (Ill.) and Horizon League preseason player of the year Blake Schilb on Nov. 11, Matta opened the game with Lighty guarding the 6-7 senior, who can play every position but center. Lighty could have his stiffest challenge yet against 6-9 North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright, who is averaging 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds and shooting 60.7 percent from the field.
"I said when we recruited him that I thought he could guard four positions at the college level, and so far he has shown that he can do it," Matta said.
"When I asked him the first time, ?What do you think about playing the four?? he said, ?Coach, I?ll learn whatever position you want me to learn. I just want to play.?
"I think that?s why he can guard a 6-foot-7 point guard and why he can guard a post-up player. He?s just got the toughness about him, he?s got the tenacity that says, ?Hey, if this is what I?ve got to do to earn my minutes, I?m going to do it.? That?s what I love about coaching Dave."
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