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Christensen
continued from page 7
it really quick to James (Davis), who
had back-cut on the bottom and then
I back-cut from the top, and James
somehow got it to me.
“Then I thought I was going to
trick the lay-up again, but I finally
got it in.”
I As is evidenced by his detailed
description of the action, Chris
tensen’s mind thinks like a coach.
His first year on the Ducks in 1997
98 was also Kent’s first year as a
coach. Christensen was given the
opportunity to walk on and hasn’t
wasted his five years of sitting on the
bench in the Pacific-10 Conference.
“I definitely want to coach,” said
Christensen, who was voted the
team’s most inspirational player in
2000. “That’s all I have dreamt
| about. I want to be a college coach
I for life.”
I He is described by his teammates
a^The link between the coaches and
the players. Often, Kent will talk to
him to see get a pulse on his team, es
pecially that of Chris Christoffersen.
Christensen and Christoffersen
met at a basketball camp in Den
mark in 1995. Two years later,
I Christoffersen came over from Den
mark as an exchange student and
lived with the Christensens while
playing basketball at Nordhoff High
in Ojai, Calif.
Christensen was a year older and
| walked on at Oregon and Christof
fersen followed the next year. The
i two seniors still live with each other,
along with Christensen’s little broth
er and Christoffersen’s girlfriend.
“That was always a huge wish
list for both of us to be able to play
college ball together,” Christof
fersen said. “It’s worked out great.
He’s one of the smartest guys on the
team and everybody loves him.”
“How can you not like Kristian?”
fellow senior Mark Michaelis said.
i“He’s a great guy. It’s a jewel that we
have him. You don’t really notice
him unless yoy’re in the program.
He knows so much about the game.”
Now, the affable smile at the end
of the bench has one final game left
at Mac Court. His mother, Pia, will
be flying up from California on Sat
urday to be there with her son as
they honor the seniors before the
game against Washington.
It’ll be an emotional time for the
family as they celebrate a college
career that began in tragic circum
stances. A week before Christensen
was to arrive at Oregon as a fresh
man in the fall of 1997, his father,
Peter, passed away.
“That was a tough first year, but
coach Kent and coach (Greg) Gra
ham have really looked out for me,”
said Christensen, whose father
once played for the Dallas Cow
boys. “They’ve helped me along.
And this year, for the first time real
ly, I’ve been able to get all the prob
lems behind me and just have fun
and enjoy it.”
He can even make fun of himself
for situations such as his shot at
tempt against Oregon State last Sat
urday that nailed the side of the
backboard and sent the bench into
non-stop laughter. More than any
game action, though, he’ll take with
him the memories of being a part of
the team.
It s finally hitting me that it’s
coming to an end,” Christensen
said. “This has been my family for
so long.”
And he can’t Hvait to have his
mother there by his side Saturday
when he bids adieu to his faithful
fans.
“It’s going to be amazing, but
more so for my mom,” Christensen
said. “She’s been put through so
much. I’ve paid for my own school,
taken out loans, just trying to get by.
“It hasn’t been easy for us, but it’s
been worth it.”
E-mail assistant sports editor Jeff Smith
atjeffsmith@dailyemerald.com.