The fans give me a lot of energy, and I'm pretty
proud that the fans cheer for me and recognize the energy I bring
to the court."
Plummer has brought more than energy to the court. He averages
3.9 rebounds in his 16 minutes a game, an average of nearly 10
rebounds per 40 minutes. He also brings versatility to the Bobcat
lineup. He is quick enough to guard smaller men on the perimeter,
but has the savvy and strength to play inside.
"We recruited Kenny for his toughness," said MSU coach Mick
Durham. "He's a physical player, and we lacked that last year.
He's filled that role well."
Plummer's primary role has been that of rebounder, and he says
there's no secret to succeeding at that trade. "It's being in the
right place at the right time," he said, "and being able to
picture where the ball's going to hit off the rim. You have to
anticipate that."
Plummer never anticipated ending up in Bozeman, Mont. A native of
Harlem, N.Y., he was sent to California by his mother because
"she didn't think I was going to make it to 21 (years old) if I
didn't leave New York," Plummer said. "I was a bad boy in
Harlem."
After arriving in California to live with his father, Plummer
approached Moorpark College basketball coach Remy McCarthy about
walking on. "He told me what I needed to do, and I blossomed,"
Plummer said.
"I enjoyed living in California," Plummer said. "It was different
from Harlem, but the lifestyle's kind of the same, fast-paced.
The scenery's beautiful. And I got spoiled by the weather. The
lifestyle here is a lot different, slow, but the people are great
here in Montana, everybody's friendly and caring and willing to
help each other out."
After seeking his spot in the Bobcat system and rotation early in
the season, Plummer has found his niche. "I know my role, and my
teammates have found out where I need to get the ball and what my
spots are. I'm more comfortable playing inside, I've played
inside my whole basketball career. I can do more things when I
get the ball inside, I can find the open man, I can post up."
Plummer has been sterling when getting the ball in close. He is
shooting 63.6 percent from the floor, and had a season-high 17
points the last time out against Portland State. But if there is
one area where he is struggling, it's at the line. Plummer shoots
just 36.7 percent from the charity stripe.
"I'm working on it," he says. "I'm working on it."
For more MSU Bobcat sports news, go to the Bobcats' Web page: http://www.msubobcats.com.
