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Fantastic Fizer Cyclones' forward stormin' across Big 12
Posted: Thursday March 02, 2000 12:59 AM
AMES, Iowa (CNNSI.com) -- Last summer, Iowa State's Marcus Fizer found himself at the tryouts for the World University Games and noticed he was different from the top players around him. There were the likes of Duke's Chris Carrawell, Cincinnati's Pete Mickeal and Ohio State's Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd. "They were a part of teams that had been to the NCAA tournament," Fizer said. "A couple of Final Four guys, and Kevin Freeman was even my roommate and he won it all. So it was a big difference to me. It made me want to go more and more and be a part of that elite group." It was a goal that presented a different sort of challenge for Fizer. He'd been Big 12 freshman of the year and last season as a sophomore, he led the conference in scoring. But the Cyclones were just 11-21 against Big 12 opponents during his first two years and 1-15 on the road. Wednesday, Fizer and the Cyclones moved to 13-2 in the Big 12, clinching at least a share of the title, and 25-4 overall."Don't tell me if Michael Jordan was on the same team surrounded by the same players that his team would be 1-15," says Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy. "No, he would have a bigger impact on winning. I think the measuring stick for a player is impact on winning. And I sold him on that. But here's how you do it." His prized pupil listened. "As this year began, I began to see more and more what he meant by impact on winning," Fizer said. "He means like, getting the key rebound, diving for loose balls and being at the right spots at the right time." Even Fizer's teammates have seen the difference. "He's a better defender than last year," said guard Michael Nurse. "He's a better team player than last year. So his impact on winning got better than last year. He's not just scoring." And now because of his experience, Fizer has a better presence of mind of what to look for. "I would see him look up at the board to see how many points he had last year," said Eustachy. "Now there is no more look up at the board. When he does, it's to see who is winning."
Fizer's newfound maturity and stellar play has Iowa State in line for its first NCAA tournament appearance in three years. But after leading the Big 12 in scoring again this season, and with the NBA calling, Fizer will eventually have to decide whether his first tournament will also be his last. "When I go to the NBA, I want to be somebody that's playing a lot and someone who can play there for quite a long time and have fun playing the game," he said. Fizer's coach says having fun and getting paid to play will could have a major influence on whether to enter the NBA. "It may be more of a financial decision than what he would really like to do," says Eustachy. "So he'll sit down and weigh things out and we'll find out where he's at." Fizer's decision will be made with the input of fiancée Anysha Ticer, who also gets to experience the household prowess behind Iowa State's household name. "He's better than me at baking because I don't have the patience and time to sit there," Ticer said. "And he'll actually sit there and read instructions." Fizer may be talented on the court, but so far his teammates don't see much in the kitchen. "He looks like a baker," observed Nurse. "I don't want none of that food." Such comments don't bother Fizer any more than an opposing guard. "I know they're joking," he says. "I don't let it offend me because I know behind closed doors they're knocking on the door trying to get inside and get some." Just as Fizer has Iowa State knocking on the door of its first unshared conference championship since 1945.
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