When Gerry Geistler started the season coaching the United Tribes' men's basketball team, Lornie Pinnecoose just looked like your average ball player.

But when the preseason conditioning was completed and the team started to play, Geistler realized that Pinnecoose was a special player.

Pinnecoose impressed Geistler in the first game of the season. The 6-foot-1 Pinnecoose rushed from the weak side and blocked the shot of a 6-9 player.

"I said, 'Whoa, that was pretty good,'" Geistler said.

Pinnecoose has been nothing but steady for the Thunderbirds (6-6) this season. The sophomore forward is averaging 11 points and 9.5 rebounds a game. He's been the leading rebounder in nine of United Tribes' 12 games.

"He can jump," said Geistler, who guessed that Pinnecoose's vertical jump might be around 30 inches. "He takes great pride in rebounding. He's unselfish. He's one of those guys who gives up a shot to give somebody else a better shot."

Even though Pinnecoose is undersized in the post area, Geistler has asked him to defend United Tribes' opponent's best bigger player. Thus Pinnecoose gives up anywhere from 5 to 10 inches on defense.

He guarded a 7-foot player from Nebraska earlier this season, a game in which United Tribes came from behind 21 points to win.

"It's like when I was back in high school," Pinnecoose said. "I'm used to playing against my friend. He was one of the top centers. It helped me a lot in practice."

Geistler believes that Pinnecoose downplays his defensive abilities.

"He doesn't give himself enough credit,"Geistler said. "Guarding big players is hard work, and he works hard at it. He holds them, pushes them, gets in their way, stays between his man and the basket pretty well."

Pinnecoose, a member of the Ute tribe, was born in Fort Duchesne, Utah. He moved to Salt Lake City at 4 years of age. He attended Hunter High School in West Valley City, Utah.

Pinnecoose learned the game of basketball through his dad, Lornie Sr. Pinnecoose's dad played basketball at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan., where he was an All-American guard. It was the same school the great Jim Thorpe attended.

Pinnecoose said he and his dad are similar players with only a few differences existing between the two.

"He could jump higher than me,"Pinnecoose said. "His numbers were higher in scoring than mine."

Pinnecoose's dad cleared 6-7 in the high jump in track and field, while Pinnecoose notched a 6-3.

Pinnecoose's dad spent many hours teaching his son the tricks of playing hoops.

"He worked with me when I was 7 on up,"said Pinnecoose, whose father has attended two games so far this season. "He bought a hoop and put it outside. We would shovel the snow so we could play. We played at night. The people in the community didn't mind."

Even though the season is young, Geistler is now very much aware of what Pinnecoose can do on the floor.

"When we started in the gym he showed a lot of ability and tenacity," Geistler said. "He's not a rah-rah guy. He plays hard, and he expects everybody else to play hard."

United Tribes is in the midst of a two-week break. The Thunderbirds travel to Miles City (Mont.) on Dec. 15.