AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 07
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Stopping Visser the key
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sorry I don’t have a lot of time today, but I’m writing, tying up loose ends while getting ready to head to Tampa and searching frantically for a dog that’s been lost since 8:30 last night. Kids left the back gate open, and poof! Gone.
The single biggest key to Tech’s game against Wake Forest, in my opinion, is Kyle Visser. He killed them in Wake’s win over Tech with 26 points and nine rebounds, and when Tech beat Wake he had 16-8.
When he’s got it going, the defense starts collapsing that much more and it opens the floor for teammates.
I think he’s the most improved player in the ACC this season, and not just because he’s improved his scoring and rebounding from 5.0/4.3 to 16.9/7.2 between his junior and senior seasons (and that’s a huge bump). He sees better, and draws fouls on purpose several times per game.
In fact, he gets to the free throw line more than anybody in the ACC except UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough (8.4 apg to 7.4 apg). He’s a 64.4 percent free throw shooter, which is neither great nor terrible.
Wake, though, is 11th in the ACC in free throw shooting (63 percent), and the way Tech’s been willing to foul to prevent quality shots lately, that would seem to favor Tech. This is the lowest FT percentage by Wake since 1952. Senior reserve Michael Drum is an exception, hitting 85.7 percent of his free throws.
I shouldn’t say this, but I think Tech’s going to drill Wake. Other than defending Visser (and nearly everbody else) better the second time around, the Jackets seemed to figure out Wake’s lightning-quick point guard, freshman Ishmael Smith. Add the two together, and if you step on the snake’s head and tail, that snake’s hurting.
More from Tampa to come …
