UNLV’s Santee is only quiet off the court

By Rob Miech

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 | 2 a.m.

New UNLV center Darris Santee is so quiet and unassuming he never balked when buddies, his four brothers and then his mother started calling him “Darius” years ago.

That has stuck as his nickname. “I got used to it since, forever,” Santee said.

Midland College basketball coach Grant McCasland calls him one of the kindest, most soft-spoken people he has ever met, with one big caveat.

“He doesn’t play that way,” McCasland said.

At Midland, Santee never complained, never uttered a negative word and never had a down day.

“He’s unique in this day and age,” McCasland said. “A lot of people are in it for themselves, but he’s the consummate team guy who cares about winning first. He’s a special one.”

Just a few days ago, McCasland replayed Midland’s 2007 NJCAA national championship victory over Chipola and smiled as he watched Santee work.

Midland was loaded. P.J. Hill went to Ohio State. Tyrone Appleton is at Kansas. Jordan Brooks led Idaho in nearly every statistical category last season. Nemanja Calasan moved on to Purdue.

Santee turned an ankle early that season, played behind Calasan and wound up having a key role in the title game with some late heroics.

A teammate dumped it down to him in the post and Santee powered it in the basket. On the Chaparrals' next possession, Santee showed a deft touch on a put-back rebound.

“Two huge plays,” McCasland said. “That jump-started him going into his sophomore season.”

Santee keeps that big, shiny championship ring in a special place at home in Houston.

“We came together as a team and pulled it out,” he said. “I think I’m bringing the same winning attitude to this program.”

Santee, 20, was shaped by Charles Phillips, a man he calls his godfather, at Hightower High just south of Houston, where he played with former Rebels guard Michael Umeh for one season.

At 6 feet, Phillips yielded six or seven inches to Santee. But Phillips was powerful, and he put Santee through a battery of post-practice workouts to prep him for big-time college hoops.

In one drill, Phillips battered Santee with football pads as he tried to make shots close to the basket. Santee ended every session by making 20 dunks.

Phillips was diagnosed with cancer a month ago.

“He’s a very strong guy,” Santee said. “That toughened me up. He worked with me to have confidence on the floor and to play mean. He helped me a lot.”

As the Rebels begin their third week of limited workouts this week, it appears Santee might have an edge at starting over freshmen Beas Hamga, a 7-footer, and 6-10 Brice Massamba.

In recent pick-up sessions at the Cox Pavilion practice gym, Santee has been running with first-teamers Wink Adams, Rene Rougeau, Joe Darger and point guard Tre’Von Willis.

Monday afternoon, on the Thomas & Mack Center court, Massamba failed to score three consecutive times, on the left block, within two seconds against Santee.

The third time, Santee rejected Massamba’s shot. Massamba yelled an expletive, and Santee lightly tapped Massamba’s rear to he wouldn’t get too dejected.

Fifth-year UNLV coach Lon Kruger said Santee’s experience and physical maturity will enable him to step in and contribute right away.

“He works hard and is a great kid,” Kruger said. “In terms of the intangibles, he’s a good team guy. He’ll fit in very well.”

Last week, Kruger pulled Santee aside for a minute of small talk about confidence.

“It won’t be an issue,” Santee said. “It’s more of a transition. He wants me to be the best I can be and to play mean.”

Adams, another Houston native, played against Santee once in high school. Adams went for 20 points and 10 assists, Santee recalled, and fouled out. Marshall won by two points.

“He can handle the ball, too,” Adams said. “That’s good for us. He can shoot it outside, too. He loves playing down low. He blocks shots. He does everything.”

UNLV assistant coach Lew Hill started watching Santee four years ago, and that relationship gave the Rebels the edge when Houston and Oregon State wooed him at Midland in West Texas.

Santee said UNLV was an “easy” choice for him.

“All along, Darris had an interest in being here,” Kruger said. “When people want to be here, that means a lot.”

Adams called Santee two or three times to promote the program, the school and Las Vegas, and Santee committed to Kruger one year ago.

“It helped knowing a guy from Houston had come here and done well,” Santee said. “Wink, he has that motor. It will be very good playing with someone like that.”

Santee has a motor, too, evident in his blue-collar play under the rim, courtesy of a hard-nosed prep mentor whom the protégé calls Godfather.

Santee has been worrying about Phillips and won’t forget what he learned from him.

“To do whatever it takes to win,” Santee said. “It takes hard work, coming in every day and practicing hard, working on my game by myself, staying in the gym and doing what I have to do.

“Coach Phillips taught me that the things I do outside of practice will make me a better player.”