Pitarresi: You've got to love Kristof Ongenaet

Kristof Ongenaet sat in front of his locker, ice packs taped to his left shoulder and right knee.

That's typical for Syracuse University's senior basketball forward from Ghent, Belgium. If Ongenaet has played well, he's all beat up. So is the other team.

That's the way it was tonight. Ongenaet, who was buried deep in Jim Boeheim's doghouse because he was less than efficient finishing plays or rebounding or handling the ball the last four or five cames, escaped in a big way and played a key role in helping the Orange to a 74-61 Big East victory over West Virginia. He scored six points - including a very important, hard-earned rebound basket with four minutes to play to protect a double-digit lead - grabbed seven rebounds, blocked three shots and had an assist and no turnovers in 21 minutes.

If that doesn't sound spectacular, it isn't, but Ongenaet is more than numbers. When he is playing well, he adds toughness, fire and determination to the Orange, and the fans love that. Ongenaet is a gritty, blue collar guy, and it seems everyone pulls for him when he gets into a game. They don't mind that he is unlikely ever to score 20 points - his career high is 13 - or hit several long 3-pointers or make you go ooh and aah. He is like the hockey player who bumps and grinds and works the corners, the character actor you don't really pay much attention to but who makes the movie so much better.

The player in recent SU history he reminds me of - not that he has as much offensive talent, but in attitude and team-mindedness - is Josh Pace, who did so much dirty work for Boeheim's national championship team in 2003 and for two seasons afterward.