So, the other day, I was just flipping through some old basketball stuff, you know how it is. Landed on some footage, maybe an old Sixers or Hornets game, and there he was – Matt Geiger. Big fella. Wasn’t Allen Iverson, wasn’t flashy, but watching him work down low kinda got me thinking.
I remembered him being this solid presence, a guy who just occupied space and did his job. Got this urge, kinda out of nowhere, to see if I could figure out how he played his game, specifically near the hoop. Not trying to be him, obviously, I’m getting old, but just to sorta… understand it by doing it.
Digging In – The Watching Phase
First thing, I had to actually find more stuff. It wasn’t like searching for Jordan highlights, you know? Geiger was more of a role player, a big body. Took some searching, found a few game clips, mostly grainy stuff from the 90s. I watched how he moved without the ball, how he got position. It wasn’t complicated, seemed like brute force sometimes, but there was technique there too. That little baby hook, the way he sealed his man.
I spent a couple evenings just watching these little clips. Trying to break it down in my head. What’s the footwork? Where’s the ball placement? How’s he using his elbows and shoulders without getting called for a foul every time? It looked simple, but doing it is another story.
Hitting the Court – Trying it Out
Alright, so watching is one thing. Next step, I actually dragged myself out to the local court. Felt a bit weird, honestly. Sun beating down, couple of kids playing on the other hoop, and here I am, trying to mimic Matt Geiger’s post moves.
Here’s kinda what I focused on, step-by-step, more or less:
- First, just getting the feel for backing someone down. Imaginary defender, obviously. Focusing on planting my feet wide, keeping a low center of gravity. Felt my back complaining a bit, not gonna lie.
- Then, trying that little turnaround move he sometimes did. Pivot foot planted, quick turn. Mostly felt clumsy. Tripped over my own feet once or twice. Good thing nobody was really watching closely.
- The hook shot. Ah, the hook shot. Man, that thing is all touch. I threw up probably fifty shots that first afternoon. Most were way off. Some clanked hard off the rim, others missed everything. It’s tough getting that arc and spin right when you’re not seven feet tall and built like a tank.
- Used my body more. Really tried to focus on using my shoulder and backside to create space, like he did. Just leaning into the imaginary guy.
It wasn’t pretty. I wasn’t suddenly dominating the paint. Mostly I was just sweating and missing shots. But it was interesting, trying to replicate that physical style. It’s different from today’s game, less about speed and finesse in the post, more about strength and position.
So, What Happened?
Did I master the Matt Geiger special? Absolutely not. Not even close. My hook shot still stinks, mostly. But I kept going out there for a few days, just messing around with it.
It was kinda cool, though. Made me appreciate those grinder-type players from that era a bit more. The guys who weren’t superstars but did the hard work inside. It’s physical, demanding stuff. Trying even a little bit of it reminded me how tough playing down low really is.
So yeah, that was my little experiment. Didn’t change my life, didn’t make me a better basketball player overnight. It was just something I did, trying to connect with a piece of the game from back then. Kinda fun, in its own awkward way. Just a bit of practice, a bit of sweat, and a new appreciation for the big guys holding down the paint.
