Playing Without Motivation Cost Fisher 2-Game Suspension : Basketball: CSUN center, hero of recent win, felt his problem in part stemmed from lackadaisical play by teammates.

Percy Fisher, Cal State Northridge’s junior center, said that his own lack of motivation caused his recent two-game suspension from the basketball team.

Fisher said that he was so distraught he nearly quit. And he attributed part of the problem to a lack of effort on the part of his teammates.

“I have the motivation now, but not everything is fine with me,” Fisher said last Saturday after a 21-point loss to Stanford. “It doesn’t change overnight. Sometimes I don’t feel part of the team. I don’t think everyone gives 100% every game.

“We lost by two last night (to St. Mary’s) and then we get blown out tonight (80-59, to Stanford). I don’t think it was anything (Stanford) kept us from doing. We kept us from doing what we could do.”

Fisher, who believed that his teammates were satisfied with the close loss to St. Mary’s, did not exclude himself from the critique. “I was not happy with my own play,” he said. “If everyone is behind me then I am behind them.”

Softening his stance Wednesday, Fisher said that he had used a poor choice of words after the Stanford game. It has been a confusing three weeks for Fisher, beginning with his suspension Dec. 21.

Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy did not reveal the reasons for Fisher’s suspension for games against Cal State Fullerton and San Diego the following night, but Fisher disclosed them for the first time.

“I had no enthusiasm,” Fisher said. “I was not working hard in practice and I was being just barely on time. I was just not working hard and not showing team support.”

If the coaching staff had not suspended him, Fisher said he would have told the coaches to bench him for the Fullerton and San Diego games.

“Nothing was behind me to push me. I would have helped us lose,” Fisher said. “I was in my own little world. I didn’t want to play any more ball. I was just gonna give up, go home and get a job.”

A talk with his parents over the holidays at the family’s home in San Francisco persuaded Fisher to return to the team.

“My dad said he wasn’t a quitter and he told me that I’m not a quitter,” Fisher said.

After apologizing to the team in a players-only meeting, Fisher was reinstated.

According to team captain Keith Gibbs, Fisher did not express concerns about his teammates’ effort in the meeting.

“He’s got to mention that to us for us to talk about it,” Gibbs said. “I can’t understand why he feels that way. I’m not in Percy’s mind. But I’m not gonna get into words with Percy.”

Gibbs expressed concern for Fisher and a desire to have him return to the team because of his friendship with all the players who have struggled to a 2-12 start.

“I don’t think he was pointing fingers,” Gibbs said. “It’s a difficult time. Everybody on the team is frustrated right now for different reasons.”

Gibbs is frustrated because he believes he is not playing consistently. But Gibbs said he learned in junior college how to motivate himself.

And he hopes Fisher will learn to do the same.

“Percy has to motivate himself,” Gibbs said. “He has to want it and do it. I hope he gets over his frustration because he’s a big part of the team.”

Cassidy said that he didn’t think Fisher meant to accuse his teammates of giving less than their all.

“After games we talk about what we need to do to improve,” Cassidy said. “He’s saying that we can do more. I’m pleased with that attitude. It’s a positive thing. If he was satisfied with our losing, then we’d have problems.”

Fisher on Wednesday reiterated his dissatisfaction with losing but made it clear that he did not intend to malign his teammates.

“At times, as a team, we’re not pleased with our play because we know we are better than we’re playing,” he said. “I felt that everyone was thinking that we could follow the loss to St. Mary’s with a good performance against Stanford.

“But I was disappointed (at Stanford) and I feel my teammates were. I’m not putting them down. We all work hard. I’m saying we’re better than some teams so I want more for myself and my teammates.”

Granted, but the enigmatic Fisher is not pushing to return as the starting center, a position he lost to Brian Kilian since the suspension.

“I really don’t care if I start,” Fisher said. “It’s not that big a deal. It’s a nice privilege, but it doesn’t always mean you get more playing time.”

Kilian averages 2.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16 minutes per game; Fisher averages 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 25 minutes. But which player starts becomes critical at times.

Against St. Mary’s Fisher had a steal, three rebounds and a basket in the latter part of the first half.

But Kilian started the second half and before Fisher was inserted into the lineup, St. Mary’s had reduced an eight-point deficit to two.

Fisher’s actions are particularly critical to the Matadors because quality post players are at a premium at Northridge.

Last season, the Matadors lacked depth at center for the first 10 games of the season because Fisher, starter Todd Bowser’s backup, was academically ineligible.

Fisher’s problems stemmed primarily from his tendency to oversleep and miss classes.

With Bowser gone and Peter Micelli redshirting, Fisher is even more prominent this season.

Without him, Northridge has only Kilian. When Kilian needs a rest or gets into foul trouble (which often is the case), Shelton Boykin or John Moses must move over from power forward, another position lacking depth.

Small wonder Cassidy was concerned that Fisher might not return to the team after his suspension.

“I think you always worry about someone you care about,” Cassidy said. “It’s not just caring from a playing aspect but a personal aspect.”

Tabbed as having great potential upon his arrival in 1989, Fisher since has struggled.

His willingness to come off the bench could be an effort to ward off the pressure of expectations.

Not only does Fisher miss playing forward, a position naturally suited to his 6-foot-7, 216-pound frame, his teammates have difficulty making the entry pass to him in the low post.

Fisher often works hard to post up, but his teammates frequently are leery of making the pass for fear that it will be intercepted by taller defenders.

Against Stanford, for example, Fisher was limited to one field-goal attempt in 19 minutes.

Perhaps now the expectations are more realistic and Fisher can be viewed more accurately as an undersized center who can provide a few rebounds, a few points and some defense.

Fisher could be flipping burgers in San Francisco. Instead, he scored the game-winning basket Tuesday against Fort Lewis and quickly credited his teammates.

The play, with one second left, served as a unifier for Northridge players.

“I’d give up all my points and rebounds to win,” said Fisher, riding a wave of renewed motivation.

“I just want to win. We want to know what back-to-back wins feel like.”