FAYETTEVILLE — One thing Arkansas forward Michael Washington does not mind doing is taking charges. In fact, it’s one of the senior Razorback’s’specialties.
The 6-9 forward has taken more than 20 charges this season, including four last Saturday in the Hogs’ loss to Ole Miss.
“Mike is the best I’ve been around as a player and coach at taking a charges,” said Pelphrey. “He understands about making the middle of your defense strong. He’s willing to sacrifice his body, and it doesnt hurt him. He’s got a basketball I.Q. for figuring those things out and making it work.”
Attempting to take charges is risky business. It forces the official to make a judgment call, and it can go the other way. However, Pelphrey never even considered asking the McGehee native from backing off from the passive aggressive yet highly productive defensive play.
“I love to see him take charges,” Pelphrey said. “I’m very proud of him. Even when calls have gone the other way, and he’s been called for blocks, we’ve never asked him to stop. It’s an essential play. It’s the greatest play in basketball, to take the ball away from the offense and give it to your team. I said it before, but I’ve never been around anyone before that does it better than Mike Washington.”
However, Pelphrey would have preferred that Washington would have had fewer opportunities to take charges this season.
“He has to have help to get those opportunities,” Pelphrey said, taking a crack at his team’s poor backcourt defensive play. “Unfortunately — fortunately for him — he has teammates who get beat off the dribble. He owes a lot to his teammates for getting blown by off the dribble.”
Washington will have at least one more chance to take charge and take charges as a Razorback at 8:45 p.m. Thursday when the Hogs face Georgia in the first-round of the SEC Basketball Tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
