Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Sentinel Feature on Brent Klassen
January 10, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2002
By JACK CARLE Sentinel Sports EditorThere's only one line in the box score which matters to Brent Klassen - the final score. The 6-foot-8 Klassen is one of four seniors on the Bowling Green's men's basketball team this season. The Falcons are off to a 12-1 start heading into Saturday's game at Buffalo. His classmates - Len Matela, Keith McLeod and Brandon Pardon - are three of the better players in the Mid-American Conference. All three are averaging in double figures this season and are highly visible performers on the basketball court.
On the other hand, Klassen's contributions don't stand out in the final box score, unless a column for doing the dirty work is added.
Klassen, who earned the nickname "Cowboy" from Mike Ward, who at the time was BG's strength coach, is the Falcon called upon to guard the opposition's top post player. He takes charges, boxes out on the boards, screens ferociously in BG's motion offense and every once in a while chips in with a steal, a blocked shot, an offensive rebound or an unexpected basket.
BG head coach Dan Dakich, who first came into contact with Klassen as an assistant coach at Indiana, knows the value of the Kimball, Neb. native.
"He kind of makes us win," Dakich said simply. "As a player he's been exceptionally good on the defensive end and helping us run our offense with screening."
Klassen has started 36 games in the past two seasons. Many times he then comes out early in the first half as Dakich substitutes for offense. However, if the game is close at the end, look for Klassen to be on the floor.
"He
As an example, Klassen took a couple of charges and got a big offensive rebound in a game at Indiana State earlier this season. And in BG's MAC opener last week at Central Michigan, he came back in to shut down Chad Pleiness over the final three minutes in a one-point BG victory.
"He's just been everything you want a senior role player to be," Dakich added.
Klassen realized early in his college career he was going to earn his playing time with defense.
"When I was a sophomore, to get my minutes, it was to come in and guard the best post," Klassen said. "I know it's coach's philosophy - if you're not playing defense, you're not going to play. I found out right then if I wanted to get minutes, that's where I was going to get them."
And while players have dreams of making a big shot to win the game, Klassen has embraced his role as a defender and rebounder.
"It wasn't really difficult," he said. "It was something that I knew I had to do. I know what kind of player I am. I
Klassen's teammates understand his importance to the Falcons.
"He's definitely the unsung hero ... He's the one who gets us going on the court," Matela said. "A lot of times he might not have 20 points and 10 rebounds. But if you look at it, he
When it's appropriate, Klassen can add a little humor to the locker room or on a long bus ride. Dakich can run some tough practices, but "Cowboy" helps keep things in perspective for the Falcons.
"Off the court, he's hilarious. He brings life to the team," Matela said. "If we've had a tough day at practice ... he's the first one to put a smile on our face to get us going.
"He's a great teammate."
Dakich has also seen the other side of Klassen.
"He has the best personality of any kid that I maybe ever coached," Dakich said. "He's been a very good leader in the locker room, he's been exceptionally good as a matter of fact."
So to fully understand Klassen's value to the Falcons, don't check out his numbers in the box score - look at the final score and then see how many points the opposing big man has scored when the game is on the line.
"I take pride in what I do," Klassen said.
