They are two words to describe Geremy McKay’s approach on the basketball court.
The Australian import is coming off his best game in an Otago Nuggets uniform — posting 21 points and seven rebounds in last week’s overtime loss to the Nelson Giants.
Indeed he has improved each week.
That bodes well for the team as it prepares to head to Auckland.
It faces the Franklin Bulls tonight, before playing the Auckland Huskies on Saturday.
The gritty forward may not be the out-and-out scorer of a traditional import.
He does a bit of everything and brings tenacity, intelligence and a high work ethic to the side.
His biggest play of the season was arguably a charge he drew towards the end of regulation during the Nuggets’ overtime win against the Jets.
It was the pivotal moment in the side’s comeback.
It was also a moment McKay knew was coming, being a stickler for studying film and learning as much as he can about his opponents.
He knew in that situation DeAndre Daniels would drive hard right and dip his shoulder.
That made it easy to position himself to draw the charge — it was a play he had run through in his head before the game.
That was not the only big impact he has had on the defensive end — he also was largely responsible for holding lethal scorer Marcel Jones to 12 points earlier in the season.
Knowing his opponents in that level of detail was key to that.
"I think a lot of confidence comes from hard work and preparation," he said.
"Gaining that confidence on the court knowing I’ve watched the most film, knowing more tendencies about them than they know about me.
"I know what they’re going to do, knowing where your reads are going to come from, knowing where your shots are going to come from, or things you’ve done wrong so you can fix them."
Reviewing film had also been his response to a disappointing first outing against the Wellington Saints.
McKay struggled that night.
But the ability to learn from that and not take himself too seriously enabled him to move past it.
"I had a good laugh at it.
"I sent some of the videos of some of the bonehead stuff I did to the boys back home. They had a good crack up at it.
"They were like ‘you’ve got your mulligan out of the way’. I tried not to take myself too seriously.
"I watched every possession I was on the court back with very intense detail. That game probably took me three hours to watch and take notes.
"It was like I’ve got that out of my system, now let’s go out there and play. It’s just being present."
That being present had been key.
Focusing on the next play or the next shot ensured nothing became too overwhelming.
That also meant not looking past the next game and he was well versed in the Bulls’ threats.
They were primarily import duo Josh Selby and Zane Waterman, both of whom have been among the league’s best players.
The Otago Gold Rush will play at the Edgar Centre prior to the Otago Nuggets’ home game next weekend.
It will face the Southern Stormers — a southern selection — at 5pm as part of the lead-in to its women’s NBL season.
