March 15, 2011

The other major loss, other than Ogilvy, was point guard Jermaine Beal. And his loss was not so readily replaced. Starting off-guard Brad Tinsley has completed the transition to the point guard spot that he began last season, yet he's more of a ball mover than a creator. He moves it well, keeps mistakes down, is a high IQ player, seems to have rediscovered his jumpshot, and has a knack for old school one handed straight-armed dunks that make him instantly likeable. He is also, however, a shade average. And his backup, freshman Kyle Fuller, can't be trusted at the moment. Guard play is far from a weakness when you consider that Vanderbilt's off guard, 6'4 John Jenkins, is one of the nation's best shooters, averaging 19.5 points per game as a sophomore and shooting 40% from downtown. Jumpshooting is pretty much Jenkins's only tool, but he maximises its value with decent size, decent athleticism, judicious shot selection, the ability to get open off the ball, the ability to shoot off the dribble, knowing how and when to sell a fake, how to create spacing, and how to get to the foul line with it. With him also in the mix, Vanderbilt lack for neither talent nor versatility. They do, however, lack for an extra ball handler.

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