May 29, 9:58 PM
Ducks' Bland scores style points on court
BY JOHN CALKINS
FLORIDA TODAY
MELBOURNE -- He's not sure exactly why, but it's something he's done since ninth grade. He did it when he played at Syracuse and he did it when he transferred to San Diego State . And now that he's playing for the Blue Ducks in the USBL, it's something Tony Bland still does.
He wears his socks really high.
Oh yeah, he excels at the game of basketball, too.
"It's just my style," Bland says with a laugh before the Blue Ducks dropped a heartbreaker to the Kansas Cagerz 105-103 on Saturday. "Everybody has their own style, Coach (Robert) Reid used to have the jerry curl with the little short shorts."
Reid played in the NBA from 1978-1991, mostly with the Houston Rockets.
Bland too has NBA ties.
Last summer, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound point guard was in camp with the Indiana Pacers, who decided not to sign Bland after they acquired veteran point guards Kenny Anderson and Anthony Johnson to back up starter Jamaal Tinsley.
Bland will be back in camp with Indiana this summer.
"I'm blessed to have that opportunity," Bland said. "That's what all the guys are here for, and for me to have that already available is just a blessing."
This season, Bland, who started the season with the Westchester Wildfire, has been solid, averaging 17.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11 games with the Blue Ducks.
Calling himself a "fun player", Bland is a prideful defender and a scorer with a pass-first mentality. He's tough, energetic and exciting.
To see Tony dunk is worth the price of admission.
Put plainly, Tony's game is anything but bland.
"I never give up and I never quit," he said. "Because I know I can overcome any obstacle."
That's because he has.
Born and raised in the inner cities of Los Angeles , Bland grew up surrounded by gangs, violence and poverty. He had what he calls a "tough" childhood, saying that "just walking back home from school was an obstacle."
Bland certainly overcame the Cagerz defense on Saturday, scoring a game-high 28 points and dishing out five assists.
His stats are even more impressive considering he is playing with a torn ligament in his right hand.
"He wasn't even supposed to play," Blue Ducks president and owner Mike Richman said.
With the loss, the Ducks fall to 3-17.
"Obviously, we're not winning the amount of games we should be," Bland says. "But I've learned a lot and I'm playing with guys who let me play and showcase my talent.
"We're just trying to win and get better," he added. "And we have a fun time doing it."
Spend a few minutes with Bland, who half-jokingly reports that his "only hobby is sleeping" and you will notice that he smiles more than a cheerleader.
"I'm a friendly guy," he says with a shrug. "You're always going to see me with a smile on my face."
Like his socks, Bland's spirits are high as can be.
Contact Calkins at 242-3688
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