A center will get you there but a guard will bring you the trophy. Guards more than any other position are at a premium come tournament time. You MUST have a top-flight guard to make a deep run at the trophy. Yeah, having a center or a slashing forward helps but give a great guard any day. Give me a guard that can score, handle it and lead and I will be smelling sweet.."Sweet Sixteen" that is.
Here is why:
3 pointers
The three-point shot has changed the game. The top teams in college basketball (Duke, Tennessee, Memphis) shoot and make 3 pointers. Who better to fire 3's then your guards. If you struggle at the guard position you most likely will struggle at from beyond the arc. That is why Gonzaga is on the decline, (see my blog: Gonzaga Slipper Gone) their guards don't hit 3's. By having a guard that can fill it from 3 point range, you are never out of ball game, you are more likely to be able to extend a lead, you make the defense guard the whole floor and you make it difficult for your opposition to zone you. What more do you want?
Creating Shots
What do teams do when the shot clock gets low...they get the ball to the point guard and let him go. You need to be able to create shots when the clock is running out. Good teams now days are not running set plays or calling timeouts at the end of the game but allowing their guards to create their own shot. Many teams will set a pick 30 feet from the hoop to open up the guards for the drive. You need a guard that can create a shot when the game is on the line.
Leadership
The point guard is the coach on the floor. They set up plays, dominate the ball, and distribute to others. A team's guards provide the much needed leadership that can be the difference between success and failure. With so many freshman and sophomores playing important minutes, you better have a good guard that can provide some stability and leadership for the team. They need to be able to put people in the right spots and motivate them to perform. When is the last time you saw a big man be the leader of the team?
Free Throws
Who are a team's best free throw shooters? Most likely the guards. I didn't make this rule it just is. Look at who is leading the nation in free throw percentage at 96%: a 5'9 guard from St. Martin's University named Jake Linton. Guards make free throws. Therefore you better have a guard that you can count on to hit free throws when you need them. There is no worse feeling then losing a game you should have won because you missed free throws down the stretch. Good guards that can hit 3's and make free throws will win you more games.
Behind every good team you will find a quality guard; one that can shoot, pass, penetrate and lead. Here are the teams to watch out for in the 2008 tourney:
Tennessee (Chris Lofton)
Duke (Greg Paulus)
Memphis (Derrick Rose)
Davidson (Stephen Curry) - true sleeper
UCLA (Darren Collison)
Texas (D.J. Augustin)
North Carolina (Ty Lawson)
Georgetown (Jonathan Wallace)
Let me know what you think.
Here is why:
3 pointers
The three-point shot has changed the game. The top teams in college basketball (Duke, Tennessee, Memphis) shoot and make 3 pointers. Who better to fire 3's then your guards. If you struggle at the guard position you most likely will struggle at from beyond the arc. That is why Gonzaga is on the decline, (see my blog: Gonzaga Slipper Gone) their guards don't hit 3's. By having a guard that can fill it from 3 point range, you are never out of ball game, you are more likely to be able to extend a lead, you make the defense guard the whole floor and you make it difficult for your opposition to zone you. What more do you want?
Creating Shots
What do teams do when the shot clock gets low...they get the ball to the point guard and let him go. You need to be able to create shots when the clock is running out. Good teams now days are not running set plays or calling timeouts at the end of the game but allowing their guards to create their own shot. Many teams will set a pick 30 feet from the hoop to open up the guards for the drive. You need a guard that can create a shot when the game is on the line.
Leadership
The point guard is the coach on the floor. They set up plays, dominate the ball, and distribute to others. A team's guards provide the much needed leadership that can be the difference between success and failure. With so many freshman and sophomores playing important minutes, you better have a good guard that can provide some stability and leadership for the team. They need to be able to put people in the right spots and motivate them to perform. When is the last time you saw a big man be the leader of the team?
Free Throws
Who are a team's best free throw shooters? Most likely the guards. I didn't make this rule it just is. Look at who is leading the nation in free throw percentage at 96%: a 5'9 guard from St. Martin's University named Jake Linton. Guards make free throws. Therefore you better have a guard that you can count on to hit free throws when you need them. There is no worse feeling then losing a game you should have won because you missed free throws down the stretch. Good guards that can hit 3's and make free throws will win you more games.
Behind every good team you will find a quality guard; one that can shoot, pass, penetrate and lead. Here are the teams to watch out for in the 2008 tourney:
Tennessee (Chris Lofton)
Duke (Greg Paulus)
Memphis (Derrick Rose)
Davidson (Stephen Curry) - true sleeper
UCLA (Darren Collison)
Texas (D.J. Augustin)
North Carolina (Ty Lawson)
Georgetown (Jonathan Wallace)
Let me know what you think.
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