Point Guard Battles

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Perspective:

Point Guard Battles

It was a pretty good week for Cobber sports. New Year's Day came and we can, for a time, all say we are "undefeated this year." The new year came in here just like it does at many schools, with basketball folks looking for perfection from their Point Guards.

Within each basketball season there are ongoing mini-dramas as players contend for starting spots and playing time. The battle for the Point Guard spot is often the most interesting.

Sometimes the coach's decision is so obvious and correct that there is no drama beyond the first few days of fall practice. But, often, the battle for basketball's version of the quarterback spot lingers into mid-season as teams strive to form a winning personality.

Point Guards are a special breed, or at least the great ones are. Not a lot is asked of them really. Sure, they have to do their work and their thinking while some other pesky little person is slapping at the ball they are trying to dribble.

But, all they have to do is take care of the ball, make sure the offensive and defensive plays get called, decide when to abandon the fast break and set things up, make sure the shooters get the ball when and where they want it, make the clutch free throws at the end of the game, make sure the non-shooters are involved enough in the offense, score when left open, and be a team leader on and off the floor.

They also should be aggressive, unselfish, quick, patient, and possess both analytical skills and artistic intuition.

If they can post-up on somebody that's just gravy.

A few weeks ago my son asked me who it was that Magic succeeded when he became the Point Guard for the Lakers.

I told him it was Bob Cousy. Magic returned proper stature to the position, stature that had been missing since Cousy retired.

With Magic, the pass and the set-up was back in basketball, from the urban playgrounds to the dirt courts behind the barn.

The Point is no longer just a place to put your shortest non-shooter. Now, often as not, the Point Guard is the team's best athlete.

All Point Guards (Magic and, possibly, Jordan aside) have their limitations. Poor shooting, poor vision, poor speed, iffy passing, lack of leadership, and being too short are the most frequent raps on Point Guards, even the good ones. If your Point Guard has more than a couple of these qualities you've got trouble.

When the battle for the Point Guard spot gets underway on any team it is sometimes a battle for the soul of the team. It doesn't have to be. But the decision on who plays the Point often ends up to be a major factor in what the team can do and the character it takes on.

The Point position is coveted as much as a quarterback spot. With it comes the mantle of "leader." High praise comes if the team wins. But fans chew on losing Point Guards like they chew on quarterbacks.

Being a backup Point is not as bad as being a backup quarterback. The backup Point gets to play. But being the third Point Guard on a team is about as fun as shaving with a dull rock. So, the battle for the backup spot can be heated as well.

Here in Cobberville, like elsewhere, the battle for the Point is waged daily. The Rookie challenges the Veteran every time down the floor. Day after day it goes on, each one waiting for the other to crack. Every turnover, assist, and decision is noted, each contender looking for some sign that the coach is ready to make a move.

When one of the Points is a coach's kid the battle gets a little more interesting; Gym Rat vs somebody who just picked it up on their own.

Who wins the battle of the intangibles? Who is going to make the right decisions when the game is on the line? How much does experience count when weighed against better raw talent? Do we need a shooter or can we get by with someone who is just adequate when left open? Where does loyalty to the Veteran end and the obligation to play the best player, even if it's the Rookie, begin? Tough questions.

Most coaches learn caution over the years, a product of the scars of losing. Coaches develop a certain loyalty to the veterans, a loyalty which players usually appreciate.

Living through the struggles of prior seasons creates a bond. But loyalty can also cloud the vision of a coach as to what is actually happening on the floor. It's a tough line to walk when the Rookie is giving the Veteran fits day after day in practice. The obligation to be fair to the Rookie can seriously conflict with a coach's sense of loyalty to the Veteran. The Veteran gets the benefit of the doubt but the Veterans can feel the Rookies' hot breath.

Coaches have invented a host of cliches that can rationalize nearly any decision. "The best time to play freshmen is when they are juniors," is often the defense when the coach wants to stand pat. Or, when it's time to make a change, we call on that old standard, "We'll play the people who can get the job done."

The Lady Cobbers' Kristi Schultz (a highly-recruited Rookie and a coach's kid) and Nicole Wills (a Rookie with court vision that rivals that of former All- American Mary Lee Legried) are challenging Veteran Becky Ehnert (491 career assists with a 30-6 record as a starter).

It is a nice problem for Lady Cobber coach, Duane Siverson. It sure makes practices interesting. And it will make the Lady Cobs better as the season progresses.

These pages are maintained by Jerry Pyle pyle@cord.edu. These articles are copyrighted © and may not be published or reproduced without the express permission of Jerry Pyle.

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