Lobo hoops notebook: Taking it down a notch, which basketball player is the best at football, and more

Dec. 22—UNM men's basketball coach Richard Pitino and guard Jaelen House each got called for second-half technical fouls in consecutive games earlier this season.

After the second such game, when asked about it, Pitino said it was on him to set a better tone, better example for the team.

Getting T'd up, after all, hasn't exactly been the norm for the the 12th year head coach, who estimates he's had just a handful in his career (he has had at least three in his first two-plus years at UNM — two this season and one in a close loss at Wyoming two seasons ago).

But for House, the demonstrative starting point guard, and even for the budding super sophomore Donovan Dent, the constant litigation with game officials is becoming a distraction Pitino has had to start addressing with both.

In the case of House, a fifth-year player and emotional, unapologetic showman who frequently plays up big moments with the the fans — regardless of whether the crowd is in the Pit or an opposing arena — he's already branded by Mountain West officials. They give him little if any leeway.

"I talk to him about it, and here's what I say to him: For one, there's an art to getting calls from the refs. He clearly fails miserably every single game he plays in with getting calls from the refs," Pitino said, responding to a question about House tearing off his own jersey in frustration in the Dec. 15 win at New Mexico State. "He's emotional. Great. That's why he's a great player. But there's certain things that he's doing that he's just got to dial down a little bit. ... I rewatched (the game) the other day and I just said, 'You're making yourself look bad.' It's just like me when I'm getting technicals. I'm making myself look bad. There's a difference between fighting for your team and doing those things."

In Dent's case, the reputation seems to be growing, though maybe not in as noticeable a way as with House.

"(He's) another one. It's not working. Yes. I tell them all the time, you're just making yourself look bad," Pitino said. "If you complain to the refs all the time, it just makes you look like you're whining all the time. And NBA scouts don't want to see that. Am I going to bench them because of it? Probably not. Maybe I should, but it's a distraction. I've told them over and over again, I've never seen players at the college level who are better when they're constantly consumed with the wrong things."

In both cases, there's nobody within the Lobo basketball program that doesn't swear by both House and Dent being, as Pitino said, "great people and great players," just that they need to "stop being so distracted by (officiating)."

BRONCO RECRUITING? Between UNM football's big news — hiring Bronco Mendenhall as head coach — it being bowl season and with the NFL in the stretch run, football is a big topic these days around the South campus.

Or, it's the holidays and with only one game in a 14-day span, some reporters ask random, non-basketball questions.

Whatever the case, several Lobo basketball players, managers, support staff and coaches were asked this past week who would be the best football player among this season's Lobo basketball players. The results of the highly scientific poll:

Tru Washington, the 6-foot-4 freshman guard, got the most love.

"Probably Tru," said veteran guard Jemarl Baker, Jr. "I feel like he'd be a DB (defensive back). Yeah, for sure. He'd be DB. He'd probably be a safety. I could see Tru being a safety, for sure."

Jamal Mashburn Jr. also got multiple mentions, as did House as a slot receiver or return specialist, though at least two on the coaching staff mentioned, unsolicited, "but he really hates getting hit."

Assistant coach Tarvish Felton, and known Dallas Cowboy fanatic, noted Nelly Junior Joseph's footwork is so good, he might make for a good edge rusher.

Two people though Baker would be a good quarterback (he said he only ever played flag football growing up).

FOOTBALL, SWEDEN STYLE: Last week, as Sebastian Forsling walked into a room full of reporters talking about football, he admitted he has become a fan of American football, liking the New York Giants and later the Seattle Seahawks.

How and why would a kid growing up in Floda, Sweden, pick those teams?

"(Former Giants wide receiver) Odell Beckham Jr., that's the main reason — I watched him growing up and that kind of started my passion," Forsling said. "Then I started watching the Seahawks and the Legion of Boom (nickname for the defense). That was kind of my era of watching football. I don't really watch it as much anymore."

Did Forsling ever consider pursuing that sport?

"I mean, we played like in the backyard in Sweden, but we only did it to like hit each other," Forsling said. "But we we didn't really have the skill that American football players have. So we just banged. ... But I can sling a ball, for sure."

SOME LOVE FOR FORSLING: Speaking of Forsling, in Wednesday's win over UC Irvine, the junior center not only saw an uptick in minutes (he had played a total of 9 minutes in the previous three games), but the 7-footer was on the court playing by the time the first media time-out was called with 15:33 left in the first half.

Pitino noted the reasons for the early, and increased, playing time for Forsling (he played 6:31 in the game, more than four of those minutes in the first half) were two-fold.

First, the obvious. The Anteaters are a big team and Forsling is a big body.

Second, Forsling's fan-favorite smile and energy seen on the bench most games is how he has been practicing, too.

"I want to continue to give him that opportunity," Pitino said. "You know, he has worked his butt off here and had an amazing attitude. I want to continue to reward him, certainly."