Ex-teammates in fierce rivalry

Rain Or Shine import Pierre Henderson-Niles was never quite the star that Alaska import Rob Dozier was when they were teammates for three years with the University of Memphis varsity from 2006-07 to 2008-09. As if to show who was the better player in college, Dozier was picked on the second round by the Miami Heat in the 2009 NBA draft while Niles was snubbed.

They were on coach John Calipari’s team that went to the NCAA Final against Kansas in 2008. Derrick Rose was the leader of the Memphis pack with Dozier a starter and Niles and former Globalport import Shawn Taggart as reserves. In the championship game, Memphis led by 9 with 2:12 left but Kansas, starring Mario Chalmers, roared back to send it into overtime. Kansas went on to win, 75-68.

Rose – now with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA – had 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 45 minutes. Dozier compiled 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes. Taggart had two points and three rebounds in 24 minutes. Niles had a forgettable showing with no point in a minute of action. That season, Memphis posted an incredible 38-2 record. A year later, the NCAA forfeited Memphis’ 38 wins after declaring that Rose should have been ineligible to play because of rule violations. It appeared that Rose’s SAT tests were taken by somebody else and his brother received a travel allowance from the varsity. The penalty also placed Memphis under a three-year probation.

The scandal led to Calipari’s departure and Josh Pastner’s appointment as his successor in 2009-10, Niles’ fourth and last year with the team. With eight games left in the season, Niles was cut by Pastner for disciplinary reasons. Niles averaged career-highs of 5.2 points and 5.2 rebounds when he was dismissed. While Niles had issues with Pastner, his teammates came out in public to pay tribute. Niles had become a campus cult hero of sorts after losing 80 pounds in a struggle to stay with the team and was a popular school figure because of his wide frame and friendly disposition.

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At Memphis, Dozier averaged 12.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as a senior in 2008-09. That same season, Niles averaged 2.4 points and 3.6 rebounds. When Memphis went to the Final, Dozier averaged 9.2 points and Niles, 0.7.

From Memphis, Dozier played in high-caliber leagues in Greece, France and Spain while Niles went to Japan, China, Venezuela and Canada. In 2013, Dozier took Alaska to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown and claimed Best Import honors. A year later, he returned for another tour of duty but the Aces failed to make it to the Final Four.

Throughout his career, Dozier was never implicated in any form of scandal or shenanigan. Niles, however, was a different story. Writer John Martin said Niles was released by Pastner because of “absurd Facebook posts and an increasingly bad attitude … he became an emotional cog, not only in practice and in games but also in the locker room.” Martin added, “through Facebook, twitter and other public domains, Niles has shown a significant lack of humility and maturity by posting both questionable and derogatory statements.” Martin described his behavior as “stupefying.”

Four years after leaving school, Niles was accused by his uncle Stephen Saine, a pastor of the Highest Heights Christian Church in Memphis, for receiving illegal payments to play for Calipari. The allegation was dismissed for lack of evidence. Niles vehemently denied the charge even as Saine was once his legal guardian. It really didn’t make sense for Niles to be given incentive money because he never played a major role in the varsity.

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In the recently concluded PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, Niles went one up over Dozier in their rivalry as Rain Or Shine captured the crown, 4-2, over Alaska. Statistically, Niles was no match for Dozier. Niles averaged 6.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.7 turnovers and 30 minutes in six games, shooting 48.6 from the field and 33.3 percent from the line. It’s not often that a player shoots a higher percentage from the floor than from the stripe. Six Rain Or Shine locals took more shot attempts than Niles and seven had higher scoring clips. No PBA champion team has ever played with an import who averaged less than double figure points.

Dozier, 30, averaged 21.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.3 turnovers and 41.3 minutes, hitting 53.2 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line. He took 94 shots in six games, compared to 37 by Niles. Dozier’s high game in the Finals was 41 points. Niles, 28, scored in twin digits only once, 11 points in Game 3.

Because of a limited rotation, Alaska coach Alex Compton worked the 6-8 1/4 Dozier to the bone and the fatigue showed in the fourth quarter of Game 6 last Wednesday. The 6-6 11/16 Niles didn’t work as hard because of Rain Or Shine’s deep rotation but did what he had to do on the court. As a role player, he never went beyond the limits of his capabilities. He never took a three-point shot. He never grabbed a play from a teammate. In Rain Or Shine coach Yeng Guiao’s system of equal opportunity, Niles was a perfect fit. With Niles in harness, the Painters posted a 10-3 record. Alaska was 7-7 with Dozier.

No doubt, Dozier is the more gifted athlete, certainly more versatile and more talented than Niles. But what counts is the ultimate prize. Niles brought home the bacon and after years of playing second fiddle to Dozier, he’s finally on center stage.