With the clock winding down Tuesday during a blowout win over a Division II opponent, Terrapins men’s basketball forward Michal Cekovsky remained alert.
So when his roommate — guard Varun Ram — tossed a no-look pass from behind the three-point line, Cekovsky calmly caught the ball in the air and slammed it through the basket for a monstrous alley-oop.
That dunk with 6:39 remaining proved the highlight of Cekovksy’s career-high 14-point performance in a 93-62 win over Bowie State. The 7-foot-1 Slovak has struggled to get minutes in a crowded frontcourt this season, but against the lowly Bulldogs, Cekovsky made his presence felt.
After the win, Cekovsky couldn’t keep the smile off his face when speaking to a gaggle of reporters. Whether he was searching for the right word to describe Ram (“He’s a really good guy. I don’t know how to say it; he makes me feel good every time even if I’m not playing.”) or discussing his play against Bowie State, he had a grin plastered across his face.
The Terps hope that smile doesn’t fade away in the coming weeks as they prepare for tournament play.
“We need Ceko,” coach Mark Turgeon said. “To get where we want to be and be great in the rest of the Big Ten and the postseason we need Ceko to keep getting better.”
Cekovsky is averaging less than 10 minutes a game (9.9), but Tuesday he made an appearance less than five minutes into the contest. Against the smaller Bulldogs, who don’t have anyone taller than 6-foot-9, Cekovsky forced the issue. He shot a game-high 10 free throws and converted six.
But after the game, Cekovsky didn’t even know how many points he had scored until a reporter whispered “14” in his right ear.
It’s been a struggle for Cekovsky to get on the court this season, with freshman phenom center Diamond Stone, forward Damonte Dodd — a defensive stalwart — and starting forwards Jake Layman and Robert Carter Jr. all ahead of him in the rotation.
But Cekovsky didn’t lose hope, even when he didn’t play against No. 4 Iowa on Jan. 28.
“We’re probably the best bigs in the country,” Cekovsky said. “It’s great for me because I’m getting better every practice, but on the other hand, it’s pretty hard learning how to share minutes, especially … when we play against a team who plays smaller so the matchup is not that good for me. I totally understand that. Like I said, I keep working.”
It helps that he’s friends with Ram. The 5-foot-9 senior, who hasn’t started a game this season, brings constant energy to the court and regularly gives Cekovsky words of encouragement.
“He’s telling me every stop what I have to do, where I have to go,” Cekovsky said. “He’s really helping me. He’s like a good teacher for me.”
Late in Tuesday’s blowout, pupil and teacher connected on the alley-oop that brought Xfinity Center to its feet.
The Terps hope the alley-oop isn’t the last impression Cekovsky makes on the fans this season. Guard Jaylen Brantley certainly thinks Cekovsky can build on Tuesday’s performance.
“Ceko is a great player,” Brantley said. “It’s all about confidence for him, too.”
Cekovsky appeared plenty confident Tuesday after a solid performance. With his teammates and coach offering praise, Cekovsky finally had a reason to smile.
“It’s not easy, but I believe in the process,” Cekovsky said. “Every coach in this team believes in me, especially players. I just practice every time hard. I’m waiting for my chance and I know I have time.”
