Learning to play their roles

Over the last couple of years, some Penn basketball players have made a national name for themselves. Shooting guard Jeff Schiffner is currently the NCAA's leading three-point shooter and Ugonna Onyekwe may still have an outside chance at reaching the NBA. And thanks to the YES Network, anyone in the U.S. with a satellite dish had the ability to watch David Klatsky's dramatic threes in Penn's critical Feb. 15 victory over Brown. Even New York sports radio host Chris "Mad Dog" Russo commented on WFAN how riveting it was to watch the conclusion of that contest. But every player on the Penn basketball team has a story, even if it all of them have not unfolded on the Palestra court in front of the screaming crowds. For example, one was the valedictorian of his Kentucky high school, and another has an American-Australian dual-citizenship and hopes to extend his basketball career next year Down Under. Seniors Duane King and Andrew Coates are far from household names, but they will be among those honored for Senior Night on Saturday. And if you ask head coach Fran Dunphy, they are as deserving of recognition as anyone. "Their contributions are in many ways immeasurable," Dunphy said. "They work as hard as anyone else does, they're into it, they understand their roles and they truly are team guys. We couldn't ask for a whole lot more." To their frustration, the value of King and Coates to the Penn program has not manifested itself in game situations. King, the Louisville, Ky., academic star, has appeared in 13 games, while Coates, the forward from Seattle, Wash., has played in just nine. And combined, they've barely been on the floor for an hour all season. They average a combined 1.5 points per game, as the two friends have between them netted seven field goals on the year. But they have learned to first cope with their role on the team, and have gradually appreciated it. Beyond coping with their role the two friends have over the years pushed each other forward and set a strong example for the younger members of the Quakers. "I probably couldn't have done this without him," Coates said. "I don't know if he could have done this without me because we're always there for each other. "He's one of the most positive people that I've ever been around. We find a lot of strength from each other." King, a 6-foot-5 guard who has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, shared similar thoughts about Coates. "Early on this year, I was so down because I wasn't playing," he said. "But I took a page from Andrew's book -- I saw how hard he worked, how much he stuck with it and stayed positive, and I fed off him. "Now we work hard in the weight room together, come out and take extra shots on days off -- he's meant a lot to me on and off the court. We go out to eat, we hang out a lot. It's a good friendship." The two seniors, particularly King, have been afforded a few opportunities to showcase their skills in the last few years. King has enjoyed two strong performances against Temple, including a Dec. 30, 2001 game, in which he scored a career-high 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting. He connected on a trio of three-pointers that day. When King and Coates decided to attend Penn, they didn't think they would be treasuring such games. Instead, they were supposed to be regular occurrences. Still, despite some disappointment over the lack of court time, the teammates insist that they will have very fond memories of their time playing for the Red and Blue when they are honored before Saturday's game against Cornell -- a game which could clinch the Ivy title for Penn. "In general, it's been a great experience," Coates said. "The team's been so successful. It's a great team -- has great players and great coaches -- so it's been really enjoyable."

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