In the sport of basketball, and any sport for that matter, emotions can play a big factor in performance and how a game plays out. When scuffles happen, they can affect how the trajectory of a game plays out.
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That has been the case in a couple of instances for the Auburn Tigers early in this season, having exchanged words with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the preseason and the Appalachian State Mountaineers on Monday night. Head Coach Steven Pearl likes a little bit of the edge that this team has, but he knows there is a line that can’t be crossed.
With 5:25 left in the first half of play, a loose ball was put on the ground on the right side of the court. Multiple players from both teams went on the ground to fight for it, one of those being Auburn big man Narcisse Ngoy.
Whistles blew from everywhere as the scrum continued, while Ngoy exchanged a few words with some of the Appalachian State players. As a result of his involvement and his words, Ngoy received a Class A Technical foul, while also getting a personal foul in the process, allowing the Mountaineers to shoot free throws.
Those free throws were part of a little run for Appalachian State, something Pearl said his team cannot allow to happen.
“Obviously the game got really chippy early,” Pearl said. “I think we lost our composure a little bit. That's something we've got to do a better job of. We're up 13, we gamble on a post dig, they kick it out for a 3. We come down, Narcisse kind of gets his arm taken off. Falls to the floor and taunts the guy, technical foul, they hit a 3 on the OB. That's an 8-point swing right there because we couldn't keep our composure. For us, we've got to do a better job in those moments.”
Ngoy ultimately finished the game without anymore disruption, notching six points to go along with 11 rebounds, marking another game where his inside presence was a big factor in the action.
Pearl praised the Frenchman for continuing to play on, even liking a little bit of the fire he presented.
“I appreciate Narcisse for playing through all that contact and not letting it bother him,” Pearl said. “Obviously, he chirped at that kid a little bit in the scuffle, but that's the type of fire I want to see out of him. I like that. Obviously I don't want to go over the line, but I love when guys show me a little edge and a little fire, and got a little stuff to them.”
Ngoy’s teammates said following the game that the 7-footer had been beginning to show his emotions a little in practice. They reflected back on recent film session a couple of days prior where they saw Ngoy dunking on someone and yelling at him with a little bit of trash talk.
Tahaad Pettiford told Ngoy that that was the version of him the team needed, with Adam Olsen adding on in saying that the players know when things are about to turn up emotionally with him.
“He gets that look, and you gotta pull him away, because you know something's about to happen if you don't,” Olsen said.
Even in those moments, those are the kind of environments that this team enjoys, saying it makes things interesting and serves as a bout of momentum in a way.
“That’s what we like,” said Tahaad Pettiford. “We want games to get chippy. Guys start talking, makes the game more fun. Just try to stay composed. KO towards the end of the half, kind of started to get chippy and tried to keep him composed. Didn't get no techs and just move on from there. But we like that type of stuff. We kind of feed off it.”
The Tigers now get ready for a big matchup though with the Arizona Wildcats on Friday back in Neville Arena, and the Wildcats are currently ranked No. 12 in the nation. Auburn lost to Arizona last season, a game that was fully in favor of the boys from Tuscon.
Pettiford being the leader on this squad, he has been reminding his teammates that the big game could also get chippy with the big-name players for the Wildcats. He told them they just have to stay cool enough to be the bigger players, and that will lead to success.
“Just kind of drawing the line,” Pettiford said. “You kind of know when you can talk and you know what to say. So just drawing the line at certain things, unnecessary stuff. Just try to stay away from it. But guys are gonna talk. Guys are gonna push each other. It's basketball. Just try to stay composed in the moments where we know things can get out of control.”
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
