Iowa's Looby learns role

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By Steve Batterson | Sunday, November 25, 2007 |

Iowa's Kurt Looby, right, who played soccer growing up in the Caribbean, has developed a jump shot and is seeking consistency on both sides of the floor this season. (AP photo)

IOWA CITY — Kurt Looby provides the Iowa basketball team with more than rim-rocking dunks.

He continues to finish off the lob passes he receives with an exclamation point, but as his senior season begins there are signs that Looby is coming into his own on both ends of the floor.

“He gets better with every game he plays,” Hawkeyes senior Seth Gorney said. “I’ll be surprised if that doesn’t continue.”

It’s no surprise that the 6-foot-10 forward from St. John’s, Antigua, is a late bloomer.

Soccer was his passion as a high school athlete. Looby dabbled a bit in basketball, but wasn’t a part of an organized team until he took the court at Tyler Community College in Texas.

One of the reasons Tyler coach Mike Marquis saw Iowa as a good fit for Looby was because he knew former coach Steve Alford would keep his promise of letting Looby redshirt during his first season with the Hawkeyes program.

“I needed the time to season,’’ Looby said, flashing an infectious smile and speaking with a distinctly Caribbean accent.

“It was the best for me to gain a better understanding of the game and to develop my abilities as a competitor.”

Looby was at best a little raw last season as a junior for Iowa, averaging 3.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a game.

His shot-blocking ability helped the Hawkeyes — he finished fourth in the Big Ten with an average of 1.7 a game — but he had not developed consistency in his game.

Looby welcomed the opportunity to learn from a new coaching staff this season and as unbeaten Iowa prepares to face Bradley (3-1) at 6:30 p.m. today in the South Padre Invitational, the senior has embraced the objectives coach Todd Lickliter wants from his team.

“He gets it,” Lickliter said. “He’s the kind of kid a guy loves to coach because he understands the value of playing within himself, playing to his strengths. He appreciates the value of the team and has really bought into what we are trying to do.”

For Looby, that means taking flight for an occasional dunk and continuing to swat any shots within reach of his long arms.

That is nothing new.

But this season, there is more to Looby’s game.

During the Hawkeyes’ 4-0 start, Looby has displayed a newly-developed jump shot and his intensity and consistency on both ends of the floor has improved.

He leads Iowa on the boards, averaging 7.3 rebounds a game, and is averaging 6 points.

“I feel more comfortable on the court,” Looby said. “Last year on defense, I would look at the ball and concern myself with it only if I was there. Now, I see if I can help and I do what I can to make it more difficult for the opposition.”

He said the game has become easier in many ways for him as experience has grown.

He said the improvements are the result of improved teamwork among the Hawkeyes’ interior players.

“Gorney and I inside, we have been here awhile now and I think it is all about communication,” Looby said. “We talk on and off the court and it is an advantage for us. We are now working well together.”

He senses similar bonds developing with Cyrus Tate and freshman Jarryd Cole, Iowa’s top reserves at the forward positions.

“We all understand what our roles are within the system that we are being taught,” Looby said. “On defense, we need to defend and be in position to get to the rebound. On offense, we will get our opportunities, but we also must prepare ourselves to rebound in instances when a shot is missed.”

Much like his own skills, Looby said he considers the Hawkeyes to be a work in progress.

“One possession at a time is what the coaches like to talk about, and that is the way we need to play,” Looby said. “We must stay poised and concentrate on each possession. If we do that, we will all get better and accomplish things that people may not believe that we can do.”

Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or sbatterson@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.