BIG AL BEYE

[mslacat]

Got this last night from MSU, and really liked it. There was a great picture of Al with it but I am not sure how to attach it to this post:

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Ja'Ron Jefferson could have identified a lot
of different factors when asked the difference between the Montana State
team that beat San Jose State 72-59 in Bozeman on Tuesday and the group
that dropped a 65-64 heartbreaker to the Spartans in San Jose the day
before Thanksgiving.
He could have identified his own play -- he scored 19 on
Tuesday, and although he had 17 last time against the Spartans he keyed
a couple of spurts that helped MSU extend its lead. He could have
identified rebounding -- the 'Cats were outrebounded in San Jose last
month, but grabbed one more carom than the Spartans on Tuesday. Or, he
could have identified shooting -- MSU shot 43% from the floor and hit a
dozen free throws on Tuesday after shooting 38% from the floor and
making only eight free throws in San Jose.
Jefferson landed on none of those reasons. He had a much simpler
explanation.
"Big Al," he said with a smile, singling out 6-11 center Al
Beye, a player who made his MSU regular season debut on Tuesday. "Al is
a presence down low. When Al is down around the basket teams tend not to
penetrate as much. Plus, we get more rebounds when he's in there. He
makes a big difference."
Beye transferred to MSU from an Oklahoma junior college this
fall, and immediately captured the imagination of Bobcat fans. At 6-11
and 220 lbs, he is unique physically in Bobcat basketball annals. He's
the first Senegalese to play at MSU. And he reinforces a Bobcat inside
attack that has plagued the team at times in recent years.
"He had six rebounds (on Tuesday), that gets your attention,"
Durham said. "The defensive presence is important. Obviously, he
finishes around the basket."
But, Beye's presence transcends statistics. "He just has an
amazing presence," Durham said. "He has an effect on the whole team. You
saw the crowd tonight, people just respond to Al."
For Beye, the long-awaited return lived up to expectations. "It
was really crazy sitting on the sidelines with my teammates playing and
not being able to help," he said. "I'm a little out of shape, I've only
been back for five practices. But it felt good."
One way or another, Beye would have played in Worthington Arena
on Tuesday. But, it wasn't necessarily going to be in a Bobcat uniform.
"It was between San Jose State and Montana State," Beye said of the
experience of being recruited out of junior college last spring. "I went
there first and then came here. I know I made the right decision."
After all the hyperbole surrounding Beye's return, Durham had a
simpler message as Beye left the post-game interview session: "Welcome
back, big guy."

-msu-

[kmax]

The picture can be seen along with the article on msubobcats.com at http://www.msubobcats.com/news.php?sid=h&nid=781

Great article, hope he continues to bring excitement to MSU basketball.

[mslacat]

For the record that pic is o where as big as the one they emailed out coming in at a whopping 786K I can only view about 1/3 of it at a time on my 21" monitir