Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Eidson ready for big season as the steals guy, but I should take a little bit more feeling toward it and respect it more,” Eidson said. “It is something that I’ll always have my name in the record books for, and that will be nice.” Right now, Eidson intends to keep get ting better. “I have to pick it up defensively,” he said. “When I go up against a guy, I’ve got to shut him down. I have to score the ball a little more, and pick up the slack from the guys we lost. I’m the veteran, so in stead of being the younger guy, I have to listen to people more. And when I walk in, I have to be more vocal.” Odom finds Eidson’s approach to the game refreshing. ii is a pieasuie iu uuauu a guy wuu, ui this day and age, doesn’t think he knows everything,” Odom said. “He’s going into his senior year, and he still wants to learn. ” For much of his Gamecock career, Eidson has learned things the hard way. He missed 15 games his sophomore sea son with a tom ACL in his right knee. He underwent surgery, and, despite produc ing solid numbers his junior season, strug gled with his shot and his confidence. “Coming back from an injury that se vere just plays mind games with you,” Eidson said. “Now that I have been healthy for a while, it has been nice to be able to run normally without hurting. “I think my shooting problems last sea son had a lot to do with the torn ACL. I didn’t start playing until after the sum mer, I couldn’t even run on it or work out because you’re not allowed to jump. A lot of it was just not being prepared.” Eidson said he’s worked on his shot and is pleased with the results. “It was nice to see the ball go in this past summer,” he said. “I spent a lot of time in the gym, and it is really feeling good. This season, Odom wants the Gamecocks to understand that there are no limits placed on the team. Together, he says, they can accomplish anything. Eidson is a believer. But Odom hopes Eidson takes something else away from his experience as a Gamecock. ♦ EIDSON, SEE PAGE 7 Who's up for some mini-golf? It is great for dates, relaxing after tests, and good ole’ fun.. Palmetto Falls Mini-Golf Now Open! BY HOLLI ARMSTRONG THE GAMECOCK He is the typical coach’s son. He picked up his first basketball when he could barely wrap his arms around one. He started playing hoops before he started kindergarten. And if you are looking for him, the bas ketball court is still the first place you should check. That is what happens when you grow up with a key to the gym. Now, senior Chuck Eidson is unlock ing a different door, and the man crossing the threshold is not the same kid that cried the first time he was fouled. He is the play er who picked himself up and is ready to ieau a relatively young Gamecock basketball team into the new season. A lot of people believe Eidson’s performance will determine USC’s fate come March. “We’ve got 14 or 15 oth er guys out there that Eidson would have a lot to say about that,” Eidson said. “It’s nice being a piece of the puzzle, but I’m not alone out there.” But head coach Dave Odom knows that a smart, experienced player with a knack for playing defense will be heavily relied on to lead a team. “He’s a player that has a lot of savvy,” Odom said about Eidson. “He under stands the game very well and has very good instincts. “He is very concerned about improv ing. If you tell him he needs to improve on something, he is the first to go to work on it. Defensively, he has terrific aware ness, almost a sixth sense about the game and the way it should be played.” Eidson, a 6-foot-7 native of Summerville, has played both the wing and point guard positions for Carolina but is expected to see more time at the point this season. He is second in career steals at USC with 217, and, soon, he should break the school’s record of223. The SEC record, set by LSU’s Clarence Caesar, is 311. “I’ve never really liked being known • Student Specials • Social Events • Fund Raising Promos • Plan a Party w/ us • BYOB \ ¥ i ■■ M-Th 11 am - 9pm I F-Sat 11am - 11pm Children $4 Adults $61 Group Rates '! CASH PRIZE open tournament f | Nov. 21 ! r 1- 1 - - - - - 739-9393 s^etto 3209CharlestonHWY -yt) * *less than 10 minutes from campus 'ijf (next to Por-Tee Driving Range) ^ , n Mini-Golf