Men's Basketball, Sports

RAMIREZ: LBSU-Pepperdine game not short on star power

The Long Beach State-Pepperdine men’s basketball game has to be one of the most under-hyped matchups all season.

Over the summer, I went to the Walter Pyramid to watch players play pick-up basketball, and I saw two of the most athletic guards in the Big West and West Coast conferences.

There was LBSU sophomore guard Larry Anderson knifing his way to the basket, setting up teammates and knocking down 3-pointers. Right there with him was the Waves’ 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Keion Bell throwing down between-the-legs dunks and reverse jams.

I really couldn’t believe how graceful these two players were.
Bell is best known for being a high-flying guard after a YouTube video featuring him dunking over five people was shown on Yahoo! Sports and SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays last month.

“It was sort of a love-hate thing because we as players love to see ourselves gain recognition,” Bell said. “However, I don’t want people to think that I’m just an athlete, as if all I can do is dunk because I like to think of myself as a complete player.”

He did just that in Pepperdine’s season opener, pulling down 10 rebounds while scoring a game-high 20 points before fouling out in a 67-64 double overtime loss to Pacific.

Anderson, who was named Big West Conference Co-Player of the Week on Monday, also had a well-rounded game in the 49ers’ season debut. He scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting while posting career-highs in assists (seven) and steals (five).

Like Bell, Anderson has gained notoriety in recent months and was highlighted in an ESPN.com article by Fran Fraschilla as one of the mid-major players “you don’t know but need to find out about.”

This matchup could bring out the best play from Bell, and Anderson notes facing the Waves guard may depend on one factor.

“We are going to be guarding each other, [and] I’ve just got to make sure I’m more aggressive than him and do what I do,” he said. “I’m not going to really worry too much about what he does. I’ve been playing against him for a while and we’re [friends, but] I’ve just got to make sure I’m more aggressive than him and do what I’ve got to do for my team to win.”

The Beach won by 19 over Pepperdine last season, but Bell said he thinks this game will be more competitive.

“Of course, this game will be more competitive,” he said. “Playing each other last year, our teams know each other so well. We know each other’s tendencies … so just that alone will take us out of our comfort level. Also, we both have aged so let’s see how that will come into play.”

Aside from playing against each other during this past summer and last season, Anderson and Bell grew up playing against each other in travel basketball leagues, so they are familiar with each other.

“I’m already knowing that he is going to try to get me out of my game,” Anderson said. “He talks. I talk, too, but he talks so I’ve got to make sure he doesn’t try to talk me out of my game.”

Bell denies trash-talking, saying that he likes to “let my game speak for itself.”

If both players let their play do the talking, fans at Firestone Fieldhouse could see special performances from two young players.
 

 

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