Drake player transfers

[Da Coach]

Chris Bryant, who had nice freshman and sophomore seasons at Drake, but played much less his junior season. He is leaving Drake and transferring to University of Alaska-Anchorage.

http://www.adn.com/sports/story/8806467p-8707551c.html

[tornado]

Da Coach..this news stumps me in a way, but only because it was reported back on Feb. 27. I guess the only new part to the story is that since he's from Alaska,
he's found a school in Alaska to play at.

Here's where BradleyFans reported back in February that Chris Bryant had quit the team, even before
their season had ended, and that something else was going on, when a kid with this talent
wasn't being used much at all even in Dr. Tom's 10-12 man rotation!

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6358

[DUBulldog]

Da Coach..this news stumps me in a way, but only because it was reported back on Feb. 27. I guess the only new part to the story is that since he's from Alaska,
he's found a school in Alaska to play at.

Here's where BradleyFans reported back in February that Chris Bryant had quit the team, even before
their season had ended, and that something else was going on, when a kid with this talent
wasn't being used much at all even in Dr. Tom's 10-12 man rotation!

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6358

If any of you have the BU @ DU game from earlier this season on videotape....watch the last minute or so of the game, and you'll understand perfectly why Bryant was dropped from the rotation.

Basically, he was a one dimensional player, and he wasn't all that good (and certainly not consistent) at that one dimension. He was horrible defensively and beyond horrible as a ball handler and passer. He also might be the least mentally tough player I've ever seen. He had a lot of talent, but no toughness and little basketball IQ. Good kid, though.

[Da Coach]

I was at that game and all the BU-DU games the past few years. I thought Bryant looked better as a freshman than he did as a soph or junior. Tom Davis' offense should allow a good shooting guard to get some open shots, but Bryant, as you say, wasn't a good ball handler or shooter. It's my impression Drake has too many such guards that don't pass, dribble, or shoot well enough to make the Davis offense work very well.

Here are the Drake stats. Note they had only 1 player with a 3-point percentage of 35% (Korver at 38.2%). And the 2 guards that got the most playing time, Stewart shot 20%, and Grant shot 0% for the season! Nick Grant has to be the only starting shooting-guard in the country that never made a 3-pointer the whole season! Looks like Keno needs to recruit some better shooters.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/teams/dar/stats

By comparison, here are Bradley's stats. Bradley had 5 guards (Ruffin, Adams, Warren, Franklin, and Crouch) who shot as good or better from 3 than the best Drake player.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/teams/baq/stats

[DUBulldog]

I was at that game and all the BU-DU games the past few years. I thought Bryant looked better as a freshman than he did as a soph or junior. Tom Davis' offense should allow a good shooting guard to get some open shots, but Bryant, as you say, wasn't a good ball handler or shooter. It's my impression Drake has too many such guards that don't pass, dribble, or shoot well enough to make the Davis offense work very well.

You hit the nail on the head. Drake had a lot of what Davis called "fractured" players.....guys who were very good at some aspects but completely lacking in others. He had a team full of guards that could either drive or shoot....but none that could do both. Stewart and Grant could get to the hoop as well as anyone, but they couldn't shoot....both of Stewart's 3-pointers on the season were in the MVC tourney....going into the tourney, Drake had 2 starting guards who had started every game of the season and not made a 3-pointer between them!!! Then, he had guys like Bryant who could shoot, but were terrible ball handlers.

Josh Young is the first guard Drake's had in several years who could shoot, dribble and drive. Supposedly, the two guards that Drake signed in the fall can also do more than one thing well.

Bryant was much better his freshman season....he was shooting with confidence....and, because he was a freshman; and because he was scoring consisently, everybody was willing to overlook his weaknesses. His shooting touch went south his sophomore season, and his deficiencies became glaring. He continued to regress his junior season. I think this all comes back to the lack of mental toughness I mentioned earlier.