BadgerBlitz – Connor Essegian has grown from an offensive spark to a leader on that end

MADISON, Wis. — When freshman capturing guard Connor Essegian erupted for 23 factors on Valentine’s Day night time towards Michigan, he did so whereas dribbling the ball simply six occasions.

The breakout efficiency was on no account an introduction to the scouting report for opposing coaches. Essegian was coming off a 17-point outing on the street at Nebraska and was beginning his ninth sport in a row.

Michigan’s guards had been face guarding the freshman and placing a physique on him additional than opposing defenders had up to now. Sarcastically, that plan had Wolverines defenders trailing him typically, as Essegian curled round screens and set picks for teammates.

Coming off an inconceivable loss to Nebraska the place the staff blew a 17-point lead, Essegian tallied 23 factors on 6-of-12 capturing (9-of-10 from the FT line) to steer a bounce-back efficiency.

“Each coach in America would like to have capturing like that, however then on the identical time, that’s not the one factor he does,” Michigan head coach Juwan Howard mentioned of Essegian. “He does properly slicing with out the ball. He additionally’s a competitor and if he’s open, he’s going to make you pay. And positive sufficient he did that tonight.”

Essegian’s environment friendly night time got here simply three days after his effectiveness was absolutely on show. His youth and inexperience got here up as properly towards Nebraska.

With the Cornhuskers in a zone, Essegian performed possum alongside the baseline earlier than slicing to the nook the place he nailed a wide-open three simply earlier than the top of the primary half. To open the second half, Essegian flowed after slicing to the basket to set a tough again display screen for Steven Crowl and left him extensive open below the rim.

The 17-point outing that Saturday morning can be overshadowed by a late-game blunder, which prolonged the sport to additional time. Assistant coach Sharif Chambliss detailed that Essegian was supposed to return off a pin-down from Max Klesmit earlier than setting a ghost display screen for Chucky Hepburn, leaving an choice for him if each defenders flew to Hepburn.

As an alternative, confusion on the court docket led to a desperation step-back three-pointer from Hepburn that clanked off the again of the rim to finish regulation.

“I’ve talked to him rather a lot about being a superb screener,” Chambliss mentioned. “You have a look at guys like Steph Curry. Guys that may get in place, determine angles, that’s one thing he’s determining and he must proceed to get higher at. I feel Connor watches sufficient movie and he’s savvy sufficient to select up on that.

“The higher the screener you’re then the higher you’re going to return off these pin-downs, as a result of your pure instincts are going to take over. What you learn and the place your defender goes, whether or not he’s chasing.”

The sport towards Nebraska was seemingly an uncharacteristic lapse for the younger guard. Outdoors of that play, Essegian has persistently been in a position to eke out sufficient area to let his ultra-quick jumper go.

Catching up with head coach Greg Gard after a preseason apply, a peak into his mindset revealed simply how a lot his mind was churning, occupied with what sort of actions may very well be sparked with Klesmit, Hepburn and Essegian concerned coming off screens.

Throughout the dialog, Gard famous that, after all, they mildew the units they embrace or run extra persistently primarily based on that 12 months’s personnel. Prior to now, there can be occasions the place they tuck away stretch bigs Micah Potter and Nate Reuvers within the nook whereas the motion for a guard is happening on the robust facet. That approach the massive who’s often the assistance defender is occupied and the opposite 4 gamers can play four-on-four with out having to fret a few assist defender.

“Lots of the issues throughout the packages that we’ve got have timber or branches, so to talk, which might be particularly for (Essegian), and that’ll solely proceed to develop over his profession,” Gard mentioned a pair days after the loss to Nebraska. “However that’s one factor that gamers study while you get to school, while you’re going to chased and guarded so tightly, that you must turn into a greater screener, you must turn into a greater cutter. That’ll assist free him and I feel our greater guys which might be in these actions have gotten higher at screening for him and he’s gotten higher at studying it.

“That’s the evolution of a participant. We’ve run lots of issues for him. He acquired a foul at Penn State by stopping in the course of a minimize and getting bumped from behind, so it’s all these little tips that include expertise that he’s selecting up. And paradoxically when he did that and acquired the foul, 5 – 6 possessions later, Andrew Funk did the identical factor to him.

“So that you study these issues of the way to arrange cuts, change your pace on cuts, be decoy, so to talk at occasions. Play possum after which come flying off a display screen, so there may be lots of issues that he has lots of issues and have created slightly department that particularly revolves round what he does properly.”

Essegian’s gravity as a shooter and the belief he’s earned from the workers was on show as soon as once more in Wisconsin’s most up-to-date shut sport towards Rutgers. With UW down one and Hepburn having an off night time, Gard drew up a play for his freshman to twist off a display screen from Tyler Wahl. Essegian acquired the ball simply contained in the free throw line for a runner that missed off the again rim. A glance that he’s made up to now.

“I assumed he got here off the display screen, they didn’t actually hedge it, he acquired into the paint, he’s made that runner earlier than… the ball acquired to the place it wanted to, Tyler screened properly and the ball doesn’t go in,” Gard mentioned after the sport.

He is gained that belief off a gradual development and understanding of the sport. Coming into the season, it wasn’t clear simply how a lot of a job Essegian would have given the curve that comes on the defensive finish with taking part in within the Huge Ten, particularly as a 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard who wants so as to add weight. Now, Essegian is the second main scorer on the staff (11.7 PPG) and has left Gard in a spot the place it’s powerful to go away him off the ground.

“I feel he’s the most effective shooters within the nation, so simply working with him and even when he’s not the one capturing the ball then utilizing him as a distraction and I can slip the ring,” Crowl mentioned. “I feel he’s turn into rather a lot higher passer and he’s beginning to decide up on these little issues that he may also help us being efficient and never simply capturing the ball.

“I’ve labored on correct footing and simply stepping into my shot for years,” Essegian mentioned of getting pictures off after operating off a display screen.

Crowl and Wahl have been on the receiving finish of open seems to be from Essegian’s gravity. The guard’s career-high in assists is simply three, however there may be persistently an occasion per sport the place his display screen leaves an enormous open below the rim for a simple end.

Klesmit, who has typically drawn comparisons to Brad Davison and Josh Gasser for his significance as somebody who does the little issues properly with screening being up there as one in every of his finest attributes, had some easy recommendation for the freshman.

“Hit them,” Klesmit mentioned.

“Simply attempt to display screen as many our bodies as you’ll be able to and make contact with each one in every of them.”

“I type of needed to do it slightly bit in highschool with the identical cases, however at this degree to must discover a technique to hit our bodies extra as a result of in school, it’s transferring a lot faster,” Essegian mentioned of the ability. “Undoubtedly must learn to display screen slightly higher.”

Now with three video games left to play, the Indiana native’s subsequent three pointer will depart his identify within the Wisconsin document ebook for many made by a freshman. Behind are the times when Essegian was merely requested to offer a set off the bench. At the moment the staff’s second main scorer, he might very properly turn into the primary freshman to steer Wisconsin in scoring since Sam Okey did it within the 1995-96 season.