February 20, 2009 5:13 PM
On J.T. (Just Turnovers) Tiller . . .
It only seems as if Missouri guard J.T. Tiller has eight arms and as many hands.
He plays several notches above frenetic, and yes, the Tigers' opponents have noticed.
``He brings a lot of energy and gets his hands on a lot of balls,'' CU guard Cory Higgins said. ``He brings a lot to that press; he's basically all over the court.''
Teammate Nate Tomlinson took Tiller and his style a step higher: ``He's crazy. I don't know if he's that good a defender or he just gets you playing so fast you don't know what to do. That's one guy; we have to worry about the other four as well.''
Tiller could be a strong nominee for defensive player of the year, according to ESPN's Pat Forde. The junior guard from Marietta, Ga., is tied for second in steals (2.09 a game) in Big 12 games, ironically, trailing Higgins (2.27).
Tiller is the heart of the Tigers' pressure defense, but depth also plays a role. Mizzou coach Mike Anderson usually uses 10 players, while CU coach Jeff Bzdelik plays seven or eight.
Said Tomlinson: ``We just have to look after the ball and play at our pace. They play up tempo.''
June 10, 2011
5:20 AM
writes:
Keep 'em coming... you all do such a great job at such Concepts... can't tell you how much I, for one appreciate all you do!