North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Costner Still Shaking Off Rust
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BY TIM PEELER
“I’m ambidextrous,” he said, spoiling a potential punch-line for his coach down the road.
In basketball, Costner is capable of shooting and rebounding with either hand, just like he switch hits in baseball. He takes long-range jumpers and plays golf left-handed, but he’s naturally right-handed.
He switched from right to left in basketball in middle school, primarily because his father, retired professional basketball player Tony Costner, shot left-handed. Brandon determined when he was 10 or 11 that he shot better with his left hand, so he has stuck with that ever since. His younger brother, however, has always played right-handed.
As a high school junior, Brandon Costner broke his left thumb and spent the next several weeks doing everything on the court with his right hand. So now he feels entirely comfortable either way.
The former McDonald's All-America admits, however, that he still doesn’t quite feel comfortable on the offensive end of the floor, after taking most of last season off with a stress fracture in his upper leg. He played in just five games and received a medical redshirt.
He spent a lot of time watching his teammates last season, trying hard to pick up on some little things that would help his game. He slimmed down during his time off and got stronger. But he believes missing so much time last year is still taking its toll on his shooting touch early this season.
“I am still shaking off a little bit of rust, especially on the offensive end,” Costner said. “Practice speed and game speed are totally different. Once I get back to game speed, I think I will be fine.”
Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe says he is pleased with Costner’s play in the preseason and in the team’s only regular-season game so far. But he also sees the possibility of greater productivity as the season goes along.
“I think he is still feeling his way,” Lowe said. “I think it’s a combination of not playing an entire year and the eagerness to get out and show what he is capable of doing. That is a tough thing. You want to show it and you are anxious to do it but you want to do it in the right way.
“That is something that we talk about, just try not to do too much. We know what type of player he is. I tell him: Do what you do. Don’t try to do anything to show people you are capable of doing this or that or other things in this game. You are rebounding the ball extremely well. Play defense. When you are open, take the shot. Don’t turn it over.’
“I understand what he is going through. Sometimes he is going to make a mistake by being anxious and over-aggressive with it, trying to make something happen. I think in time he will settle down and understand that he doesn’t need to try to get it all back in one swoop.”
Besides, as much as the thin Wolfpack needs scoring from all positions, it needs Costner’s abilities as a rebounder even more. So that’s what he’s concentrating on most during the early part of the season, as the Wolfpack (1-0 overall) heads into an active stretch. Beginning with the men’s and women’s Friday doubleheader at the RBC Center, the Wolfpack will play four games in the next 11 days, starting with Delaware State on Friday, and followed in quick succession by Valparaiso, Gardner-Webb and Michigan.
“I have to rebound for us,” Costner said. “We don’t have that much depth and we don’t have that many people who rebound, so I have to play that role. I am very comfortable in that role.
“I am a basketball player, if they need me to rebound, I will rebound. My job for the team is to do whatever we need.”
Costner had six rebounds to go along with 11 points in the Wolfpack’s season-opening win against Wofford on Friday. But he wants to contribute more.
“When I played AAU basketball, I had to play the (center position) on my team,” Costner said. “My goal, every game, was to get a double-double (in points and rebounds). I pretty much did back then.
“I am going to try my best to do that now that I am back in the lineup and there is a big need for those things.”
Costner thought he might be able to contribute those things at the end of last season, when the Wolfpack suffered through a late-season four-game losing streak. He asked on several occasions to forego his medical red-shirt season to see if he could help end the late slide, even though he wasn’t 100 percent healthy.
“It got to the point that for a couple of games, I was ready to throw it all away and go help anyway I could,” Costner said. “I felt like I could have, especially in the
“I am not saying that I would have won us that game. But maybe we could have played better.”
But Costner is completely healthy now and excited about his role with the Wolfpack. He’s ready to jump in with both hands.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
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