DeAndre Liggins drives against Florida. (Victoria Graff photo)
By LARRY VAUGHT
ATLANTA  South Carolina coach Darrin Horn appreciates the little things players can do to help a team win because that’s what he did best first at Tates Creek High School in Lexington and then Western Kentucky University.
That’s why he appreciates the way junior DeAndre Liggins plays defense for Kentucky much like his does South Carolina senior Sam Muldrow, the SEC defensive player of the year.
“They (players) all want to play offense. They all think they are better than they are. That’s every kid in every program,†said Horn Wednesday following his team’s practice for Thursday’s SEC Tournament game against Mississippi.
“Liggins just does his job every day. There’s no question a coach appreciates that. The hardest thing as a coach sometimes is to get guys to buy into things that are so important for winning like defense and things that don’t get personal glory. With a guy like that, you know what you are going to get every day. He won’t rise or fall based on how his offense is going. He knows his job is to stop people, play hard and make the extra pass. You will get that from him from what I have seen.â€Â
Liggins was also named to the all-SEC defensive team and time after time this season he’s indicated that offense is not important to him even though he has improved his outside shot. Horn says Liggins’ actions probably have had an influence on UK freshmen Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb.
“I know for us having a guy like Sam it is easy to point out how he does his job and never says anything about scoring,†Horn said. “When you have a guy like that or Liggins who does it himself and lets younger players know what it takes to win, that’s when you team has a chance to be really good.â€Â
6 Responses to South Carolina coach appreciates Liggins’ defense
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The defense is all in the socks. Big socks, big D.
Liggins was robbed on Defensive Player of the Year, Muldrow won because he blocks shots, Liggins gives the best offensive player HELL all game. He might be one of the best, if not the best on the ball defenders in the country.
I agree Emerson. Liggins is the man on Defense
Naturally, I, too, would have voted for DeAndre for Defensive Player of the Year. At least, though, he was rewarded for his outstanding defensive efforts by being named to the All- SEC Defensive Team. Prior to his first season under Coach Calipari, I remember reading impressive quotes from DeAndre about his not caring about whether or not he started, but caring, instead, about being the best defender. DeAndre definitely “bought into” playing defense, as Coach Horn called it. Too, DeAndre, in our eyes you became not only THE BEST defender on the team, but also in the entire league. GO CATS! GO DEANDRE!
I played with Horn in High School at Tates Creek and I’m not sure I remember him being a defensive stopper per say. However if there is a guy who knows hard work it would be him. It’s also nice to see other coaches in the conference taking notice of D-Ligg! He has grown so much as a player but mostly has an individual (which is where it counts). And for the record John Mark Stuart was the stud on our 91 State Runner Up Team. (ha!! ha!!) John Mark will love that.
Not sure Darrin was a defensive stopper, either, but he did play really, really hard. And I even remember Mark Stuart as well.