With the conclusion of the non-conference slate of games comes a moment of solitude where we acknowledge the blossoming of last season’s promise into this season’s reality. Outside the shadow of Mount Nittany, it may be a mild surprise that Conference’s best backcourt thus far comes from Penn State. The reign of Talor Battle and Stanley Pringle, however, may be short-lived as the Big Ten is loaded with talented guards.
What the Best?
With two cat quick guards and confidence aplenty, Ed DeChellis has the benefit of the Conference’s most productive if not best set of guards. Scoring is one metric and in that regard, the 34 points Penn State averages from Talor Battle (19.5 ppg) and Stanley Pringle (14.5 ppg) lead the Big Ten. Both players markedly improved their offensive games since last season, particularly Pringle, from three point shooting to passing the ball.
Hoopraker has always been wary of measuring quality of teams and value individual players on a narrow set of statistics. What draws us to the game is the competitive fire from college sport. Watching individuals play together as a team. Effort, teamwork, execution, growth. It’s pride in process. Backcourts in West Lafayette and Madison come to mind. In this case, Penn State’s guards, in addition to their numbers, have excelled. They’ve developed, they’re tough, they defend, they lead, they attack.
Lion Quick
A nod given to Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas, Battle has the quickest and most effective first step to the basket in the Big Ten. Together, Battle and Pringle are the fastest guards in the Conference. And perhaps most importantly to the fortunes of their team in the ensuing three months, Battle and Pringle are confident. Each are comfortable with the ball and with the outcome of games in the balance, they don’t flail in the wind. With a more diverse game, Battle is more dangerous due to his innate ability to know when to shoot or pass to Jamelle Cornley or Pringle. With the guards, DeChellis has the ingredients for a surprise Big Ten team.
Cat Attack
Another dark horse to conventional media is the Northwestern duo of Craig Moore and Michael Thompson, Penn State’s opponent in the Big Ten opener this weekend. As a senior, Moore has quietly become one of the Big Ten’s best three point shooters and, in an offense that gets open three point looks on seemingly every possession, that’s a good thing. A sophomore, Thompson runs a patient and precise Wildcat offense with toughness and intelligence. Together, Northwestern’s guards take the pressure off of Kid Coble and his heir apparent frosh John Shurna.
A Deep Conference
Entering the season, Purdue’s Chris Kramer and E’Twaun Moore were arguably the best combination of guards in the Conference. While Moore may be the best player in the Conference when arch rolls around, Kramer’s great defense doesn’t necessarily offset his limitations on offense for a team that needs as much scoring as possible from his position. Kramer hasn’t yet shown confidence in an outside shot, which is one dynamic the Boilermakers could use entering Conference play. As it stands, Purdue will look with hopeful eyes for Keaton Grant to unearth the jump shot that won many games for the Boilermakers last season.
Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton will, in all likelihood be the Conference’s best at the end of the season. Resurgent Illinois has a three headed backcourt with sophomore Demetri McCamey (who could use a first step like Battle’s), an under-control and consequently effective Chester Frazier and Trent Meacham…and Alex Legion.
Even the more resurgent Minnesota has yet another of the Conference’s excellent sophomore points in Al Nolen, who along with Blake Hoffarber, make the Gopher’s a dark horse for the league title this season. Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohanon give the Wisconsin Badgers the experience and balance successful Bo Ryan teams always possess.
The Big Ten is chest high with guards. All this and we haven’t mentioned two of the Conference’s best players Michigan’s Manny Harris or Ohio State’s Evan Turner.
Talor Battle is good but Penn State hasn’t played anybody yet. Good point that the Big 10 has tons of quality guards and most of them are sophomores.
Left by Junior on December 31st, 2008