AL Nolen - Best PG in the Big Ten

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Gopherthewin

Gopherthewin

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al's numbers against the only teams that are from "real" conferences that we have played (virginia and louisville): 13.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.5 steals pg, 1 turnover pg, 17/22 ft (77.2%), 40.0 fg%... great numbers especially the clutch free throws.

zero is my hero.
 


His cuts into the lane were really good too. I am glad that he isn't afraid to take it in and try to draw the foul. I hope he keeps this up the rest of the season!

I also love "zero is my hero", in fact, I am going to set it as my facebook status.
 

What a differnce it is when Westbrook tires to bring it up the court vs. Al! The Hoff isn't too bad at doing it though!
 

I think the best PG in the Big 10 might be a bit premature, given the fact that there are some VERY good guards in the Big 10, ala Talor Battle (19 ppg/6 ast/5 rebs), Trevon Hughes (13 ppg/3 ast/3 reb), Kalin Lucas (11 ppg/7 ast), etc.

However, I'd say he's definitely in the running, and could very well be by the end of the year.
 


There are some really good Pt Guards in the Big Ten:

Battle, Nolen, Lucas, Hughes, McCamey, Thompson (NW), Kramer, and more.
 

I think it's a coin flip between Al and Trevon Hughes for best PG in the league. My personal opinion is that McCamey is the best scoring threat, but not the floor leader that Hughes and Nolen are.

Al is beginning to show a killer instinct that he only flirted with last year. All day long he put the pressure on the guys guarding him. They couldn't get him to cough up the ball. He was always one step ahead. He went to his left with ease and even finished with his left hand once (maybe twice?).

It was pure pleasure to see Al consistently, and easily, break the press by himself, and then pause as he came across half court. It was as if he paused to reinforce and remind Louisville that he is bringing the game and he will bring it when he sees fit.

I remember watching Pepe Sanchez play for Temple in the mid 90's. He was a different player than Al is. But there was a similarity in that Pepe was so smooth at the point that you took for granted the fact that he never turned the ball over. The opposing guards knew better than to attempt a steal against him because if they did, he'd streak past them with a quick dribble and would make them pay.

If Al develops a lethal outside shot in the next year the only conversation will be about who is the 2nd best point guard in the Big Ten.
 

I recently saw a pole on this very subject. I think it was on the Big Ten network site. Al's name was listed but, he wasn't in the top 4 as I remember. Nolen and the entire team have a long way to go to overcome the past and pre-season predictions.
 

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