Jan. 19, 2009
THE FARIS FILE
Who: Daniel Jonathan Faris
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-9
Stats: 11.7 pts, 6.0 rebs
Born: May 2, 1987
Hometown: Albuquerque
Parents: Bart & Cindy Faris
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Athletics, like life, is full of crossroads. Lobo Daniel Faris hit one as a sophomore at Eldorado High. It was a juncture typical for young kids caught between the rigorous demands of a sport and the lure of a less pressured lifestyle.
Like hanging out with the guys.
“I was just tired of basketball and wanted to quit,” said the University of New Mexico’s 6-foot-9 senior. “I was tired of all the running. We were really running over the Christmas break, and I wasn’t having any fun, just didn’t want to be there.
“Most of my friends at that time seemed to be playing football and they were done with football, sleeping late and having a lot of fun. I wanted to sleep late and hang out with my friends. That sounded pretty good.”
So, Daniel did what kids making an important decision are supposed to do. He talked with a responsible adult about quitting the Eagles` team. In this case, it was Daniel’s father, who did what responsible adults are suppose to do. He threw out a word that kids often need to hear: “No.”
Daniel said it wasn’t a real harsh “No,” or even a “No,” accompanied with a dead end. Daniel said his father, Bart Faris, just told his son to finish what he started, complete the season, and they would talk about it at the end of the year.
“I wasn’t happy with his answer,” said Faris. “Turns out it was one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten.”
It turned out good for the Lobos, too. Faris came to UNM as a semi-project in the fall of 2005. Oh, he had talent. He was mobile. He could shoot it. But his body type suggested that Faris needed to be a power forward and not a post.
Only one problem with that projection: UNM had too many holes at the post position and few prospects to fill those holes. The young Faris needed to beef up, muscle up, and learn to be productive inside until UNM could go find a monster to throw into the paint.
As a freshman, he scored 12 points in 24 games. As a sophomore, he averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds, playing in all 32 games, hitting double figures in three games. You kept expecting UNM to recruit above Faris — bring in the prototype center with more bulk, more muscle, more size. But it never happened.
As a junior, Faris’ potential in the paint could be seen. His moves often were rushed, but his productivity went up. He averaged 9.2 points and 4.4 rebounds and earned honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference honors. He shot 50.6 percent from the field, started every Lobo game and hit double figures in 15 games. Not bad.
It also was obvious heading into the 2008-09 season that UNM had not recruited “above” Faris. He was and is the Lobos’ main man in the paint and has improved throughout the year. He averages 11.7 points for the season, but has scored in double figures in five straight games and has averaged 16.4 points over that span.
And in doing that, he has established himself as one of the best centers in the MWC and quieted any talk that UNM is “weak inside.” In fact, one of UNM’s strengths in the Lobos win over Brigham Young this past Saturday was throwing the ball inside to Faris, who scored 19 points.
“Yeah, I’ve heard about Lobos being weak inside for a long time and of course I take it personal because that`s my position,” said Faris. “But the only thing I could do was work as hard as I can and try to be as productive as I can.”
Faris has made a major step in his game as a senior. Lobo coach Steve Alford credits Faris’ work ethic in polishing moves inside. There also is a maturity and a confidence in what Faris is doing inside. There is a patience in his post play that was only hinted at in his junior year.
“He might not be a regular-size center, but he is stronger than he looks and he works so hard inside,” said Lobo point guard Dairese Gary. “If you aren’t ready to go out there and work as hard as he does, you are in trouble.”
Said senior Tony Danridge: “Daniel can be unstoppable. He has great footwork and great fakes. He is taking his time more inside and his counter moves are flawless. You have to respect how hard he has worked on his game.”
Faris came out of Eldorado High leaning toward Texas A&M or maybe TCU, but then UNM came at him hard. He signed with former Lobo coach Ritchie McKay.
“I grew up loving The Pit,” said Faris. “It was an easy decision for me to come here once UNM started recruiting me. My career has worked out great. I didn’t come here expecting to break any records. I just wanted to come in and work as hard as I could to become a player who could earn some minutes and help the team.
“It’s been a fun year so far. The losses always bother me, but I go out looking at every game as one of the few games I have left as a Lobo. I know this is coming to an end and I want to enjoy every moment. I`m always excited to be out there. I love it.”
There is no doubt that Faris seems to enjoy some moments more than others. Like when he throws down a dunk, blocks a shot, or makes a shot and gets fouled. Faris is UNM’s emotional leader on the court with his yells, his chest pounding, his fist shaking.
“Sometimes he makes me laugh. He gets a little goofy out there,” said Gary. “But he pumps everyone up. You see Daniel giving 110 percent and you want to do the same thing. He is a person who is always positive no matter what happens. He’s a great teammate.”
Editor’s Note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and sports columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net. Previous articles are available at The Richard Stevens Corner