Whether it’s an opponent’s errant pass, lazy ball-handling or a straight pickpocket, LSU sophomore guard Anthony Hickey always seems to come away with the basketball – sometimes so quickly his teammates don’t catch it.
“Most of his steals, I don’t see him,” said junior guard Andre Stringer. “I just turn around and see him laying the ball in.”
On a team that tops the Southeastern Conference with 10.4 steals per contest, the Hopkinsville, Ky., native leads the nation with 3.5 steals per game, fresh off a five-swipe performance in a loss at Georgia.
The 5-foot-11 spitfire channels his Christian County High School football days, where he terrorized opposing quarterbacks in the secondary.
“I read his eyes,” Hickey said. “I try to think [my opponent] will look me off. I try to make like I’ll go one way and go another way [like a quarterback]. … As a defensive back, you have to backpedal and shift and change directions.”
Hickey, also a former quarterback, attributed his anticipation for steals to both his speed and the schemes he learned to read under center, transferring his gridiron knowledge to the hardwood.
“It’s helped me so much in basketball,” Hickey said. “I try to use everything I’ve learned into the past and bring it to now.”
Hickey’s propensity to pilfer carries over to the practice floor, where he makes Stringer and freshman guard Malik Morgan’s ball-handling stout and forces them to be wary about making a lazy pass.
Morgan, third on the team with 24 steals this season, said while he can’t match Hickey’s quickness, the experience he gains in practice speaks volumes.
“When the ball is flying, he just knows to go get it before the other man,” Morgan said. “[In practice] it’s something we need. Somebody that’s going to get at it defensively and make us improve.”
Stringer echoed his teammate, who said both he and Morgan get hands on the ball, but can’t grasp it and take it away like Hickey.
As a whole, LSU leads the conference in steals per game by almost a full swipe, something Stringer attributed to both practicing against Hickey and the size disparity the Tigers face.
“We try to get back tips on guys dribbling down, trying to help out our bigs when they’re being backed down,” Stringer said. “We’re a crafty team because we’re so small.”
Some players leading the NCAA in different categories may be candid about their accomplishments, while some don’t even realize they’re atop a leaderboard.
Not Hickey, who quickly confirmed he’s aware of his place among the nation’s elite.
“It’s a blessing,” Hickey said. “I love that I’m doing that, but I’d love it more if we were winning games. I’m not worried about an individual award; I’m worried about winning a championship with my team.”
Still, Morgan, in a bit of friendly competition, assured he’s more than capable of a takeaway or two when Hickey isn’t around.
“Sometimes I even get my hands on a couple of ’em,” Morgan said.
LSU sophomore guard Anthony Hickey (1) scores Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 after a steal during the 73-82 loss to the University of South Carolina in the PMAC.
