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Kings can count on energetic Songaila
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, April 14, 2005
Kings forward Darius Songaila is a given, which makes him a coach's delight.
Rick Adelman knows the second-year pro from Lithuania will give his all every game. Adelman normally uses Songaila at his natural position, power forward. But with Brad Miller out because of a fractured left fibula, Songaila has spelled starting center Brian Skinner.
Never mind that 6-foot-10 Peja Stojakovic says Songaila, listed at 6-9, really is about 6-7.
"You pretty much know what Darius is going to do every night," Adelman said. "He's going to make open shots. He's just one of those guys (opponents) have to worry about all the time he's on the floor because he's going to bust his tail.
"The only thing he does consistently you don't like is he picks up cheap fouls. He reaches too much, and he gets himself in foul trouble. But he's such a solid player, and you can use him in so many spots. He's perfect for the way we play."
Songaila usually is right in the middle of the action. But that has a downside: At least at this stage of his NBA career, referees seem to point to him when they are unsure of whom to give a foul.
The only time mild-mannered Songaila really seems to become peeved is when he is called for a foul he doesn't believe he deserves. Ask what gets him heated, and he has to think hard.
"Not a lot," Songaila said. "On the basketball court, pretty much the same thing that gets everybody else worked up, the calls and things like that. One cheap shot will not do it. ... repetitive (ones), yeah."
Off the court, where there are no officials, it will take a lot more to rile up Songaila.
"On the court, I'm not going to let anybody push me around," he said. "Off the court, it's going to take me a lot to get worked up."
Songaila had to go back awhile to remember the last time he was fighting mad.
"I'd have to say it was my freshman year in college," said Songaila, who met his wife, Jacquelyn, while they attended Wake Forest. "It was actually a funny story. Jackie and me had just started dating, and she told her mom she was dating this basketball player.
"She told her to turn on the TV and look. He's No. 25. And we were playing Virginia Tech. I was going up for a rebound, and the guy just bear-hugged me. And he was about 6-5, not a big guy. So I picked him up and slung him down on the floor.
"Her mom said, 'Oh, no. He's a wild guy.' "
Adelman hopes Songaila can make an impression on Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki should the Kings and Mavericks meet again in the playoffs starting next weekend. Counting his international experience, Songaila has seen as much of Nowitzki as anyone.
"Darius is used to playing him," Adelman said. "He's comfortable playing him. He's done it a lot. He knows he doesn't leave him. He had that experience last year, and if we play Dallas, Darius is going to be huge. And not only with Nowitzki but with (Keith) Van Horn."
Stojakovic marvels at Son-gaila's hustle.
"The way he plays, you would never think he is so quiet," Stojakovic said of Songaila, the Kings' third-leading offensive rebounder this season with 120 despite averaging just 20.6 minutes. "His personality is so calm and laid-back, but he plays so hard. He brings a lot of energy. He plays tough. "He's an undersized big guy. He's going to push and set screens and get offensive boards. Most of the points he scores are off those putbacks, and having a guy, what, 6-7, get offensive boards is pretty amazing."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12723685p-13575691c.html
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, April 14, 2005
Kings forward Darius Songaila is a given, which makes him a coach's delight.
Rick Adelman knows the second-year pro from Lithuania will give his all every game. Adelman normally uses Songaila at his natural position, power forward. But with Brad Miller out because of a fractured left fibula, Songaila has spelled starting center Brian Skinner.
Never mind that 6-foot-10 Peja Stojakovic says Songaila, listed at 6-9, really is about 6-7.
"You pretty much know what Darius is going to do every night," Adelman said. "He's going to make open shots. He's just one of those guys (opponents) have to worry about all the time he's on the floor because he's going to bust his tail.
"The only thing he does consistently you don't like is he picks up cheap fouls. He reaches too much, and he gets himself in foul trouble. But he's such a solid player, and you can use him in so many spots. He's perfect for the way we play."
Songaila usually is right in the middle of the action. But that has a downside: At least at this stage of his NBA career, referees seem to point to him when they are unsure of whom to give a foul.
The only time mild-mannered Songaila really seems to become peeved is when he is called for a foul he doesn't believe he deserves. Ask what gets him heated, and he has to think hard.
"Not a lot," Songaila said. "On the basketball court, pretty much the same thing that gets everybody else worked up, the calls and things like that. One cheap shot will not do it. ... repetitive (ones), yeah."
Off the court, where there are no officials, it will take a lot more to rile up Songaila.
"On the court, I'm not going to let anybody push me around," he said. "Off the court, it's going to take me a lot to get worked up."
Songaila had to go back awhile to remember the last time he was fighting mad.
"I'd have to say it was my freshman year in college," said Songaila, who met his wife, Jacquelyn, while they attended Wake Forest. "It was actually a funny story. Jackie and me had just started dating, and she told her mom she was dating this basketball player.
"She told her to turn on the TV and look. He's No. 25. And we were playing Virginia Tech. I was going up for a rebound, and the guy just bear-hugged me. And he was about 6-5, not a big guy. So I picked him up and slung him down on the floor.
"Her mom said, 'Oh, no. He's a wild guy.' "
Adelman hopes Songaila can make an impression on Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki should the Kings and Mavericks meet again in the playoffs starting next weekend. Counting his international experience, Songaila has seen as much of Nowitzki as anyone.
"Darius is used to playing him," Adelman said. "He's comfortable playing him. He's done it a lot. He knows he doesn't leave him. He had that experience last year, and if we play Dallas, Darius is going to be huge. And not only with Nowitzki but with (Keith) Van Horn."
Stojakovic marvels at Son-gaila's hustle.
"The way he plays, you would never think he is so quiet," Stojakovic said of Songaila, the Kings' third-leading offensive rebounder this season with 120 despite averaging just 20.6 minutes. "His personality is so calm and laid-back, but he plays so hard. He brings a lot of energy. He plays tough. "He's an undersized big guy. He's going to push and set screens and get offensive boards. Most of the points he scores are off those putbacks, and having a guy, what, 6-7, get offensive boards is pretty amazing."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12723685p-13575691c.html
I guess I'll let that slide.
Darius is a quiet player that just does what he needs to do. I like those kind of players more than superstar players.
