Second Year Out, Engin Atsür’s Presence Still Felt at NCSU

Sidney Lowe with Engin Atsur, First Team Practice, October 2007The Technician’s Basketball Preview had some interesting quotes in it, but none as telling as Coach Sidney Lowe’s admitting that Engin Atsür made his first year as a college coach really easy, a presence even more telling in his absence when the team fell apart last year:

For Lowe, the memory of last season will motivate him for the rest of his career.

“I won’t forget it,” Lowe said. “Every time we step out on that floor, I want to remind myself that we don’t want to go through that again. It’s over but it’s always there.”

… . “As I said when I took this job, I’m going to learn every year, and I’m going to have to make adjustments,” Lowe said. “I was somewhat spoiled in my first year because I had Engin Atsür, so I really didn’t have to say much or do much because he would say it. I think coming back that second year, I thought that our guys still had that. Well, they don’t. And that’s not a negative thing, but they don’t, so I’m Engin Atsür now, and that’s my role now from here on out.”

We’ve been hearing a lot about our team’s new attitude, and while two exhibition games are not enough to form a judgment, I do see improved hustle and determination on the faces of the guys. The main thing I appreciated about Engin is his determination in the face of every single obstacle. Even when we were down by 20, Engin had the same look on his face, and when we were up by 20, he never looked surprised. He just set his chin and kept going. Games always go in cycles and get emotional, but Engin knew how to control it on the court. Our guys have a lot of passion, and passion is an important weapon in basketball. But going the distance counts more. So go Engin-er, Sidney-go!