Parker has been the difference maker
03/14/12 at 2:34pm by
bkoch
When the UC stumbled out of the gate this season, losing home games to Presbyterian and Marshall, coach Mick Cronin frequently pointed out that the Bearcats were playing without JaQuon Parker, who missed the first seven games with a groin injury.
It seemed the flimsiest of excuses. Parker, after all, is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior guard who averaged 1.5 points as a sophomore.
But Cronin knew what others didn’t – that this was not the same JaQuon Parker who sat on the bench in 2010-11. This was a player who had dedicated himself in the offseason to becoming a major contributor to UC and now had the potential to be a difference maker.
“He makes us better on both ends,” Cronin said. “Some games he scores, other games he rebounds. The things he brings to the table are intangibles. Winning teams have intangibles. You have to have those kinds of players. The popular term is glue guy, team guy.”
Parker doesn’t care how you label him as long as he gets the chance to help his team win.
”It don’t really matter to me,” Parker said. “I just go out there and try to play and try to get better every game. That was my game in high school, driving to the bucket and just doing the dirty things. I don’t mind doing all that stuff.”
As the Bearcats begin play in the NCAA tournament in Nashville on Friday against Texas, Parker has become an integral part of the starting five. For the season, he has averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds. In his last five games, he has averaged 13.4 points and 7.2 and scored a career-high 28 points in UC’s win over Marquette on Feb. 29.
He is fearless and effective driving the ball to the basket, loves to rebound against taller opponents, and has developed into a 40 percent 3-point shooter.
“He gives us the luxury of playing a mismatch in his position because he can guard bigger, stronger guys,” Cronin said. “They may be physically stronger and bigger than him but they can’t play bigger than he plays. Guys like him are invaluable.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/ucblog
We should have beat Presbyterian shooting left handed.
But Jaquon has become a very important part of this team. Would be great to see him be one of those guys who "comes out of nowhere" his senior year to really take over.
(03-14-2012 02:47 PM)WarningSigns Wrote: [ -> ]We should have beat Presbyterian shooting left handed.
But Jaquon has become a very important part of this team. Would be great to see him be one of those guys who "comes out of nowhere" his senior year to really take over.
I predicted on another thread he'd be the guy like so many before him (Brannen, Logan, Hicks, etc.) that made a huge leap his senior year.
he needs to work on a consistent outside shot, and a mid range pull up. I really like what he's brought to the Cats
His defense and work ethic on the glass are very consistent. His ability to drive to the basket and finish with contact has been getting better and better. I agree with Beta- to become an absolute stud he needs to get more consistent behind the arc and with his mid range game.
Parker has been outstanding.
He is quickly becoming my favorite Bearcat since Hicks...
(03-14-2012 03:11 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote: [ -> ]His defense and work ethic on the glass are very consistent. His ability to drive to the basket and finish with contact has been getting better and better. I agree with Beta- to become an absolute stud he needs to get more consistent behind the arc and with his mid range game.
During that Marquette game when Jaquon took over, I felt like it was 2002 and I was back in college watching Dwyane Wade. I know it is a crazy comparison...Wade has a ridiculous wingspan and vertical (I am curious what Parker's wingspan and vertical are), but they are the same size (both were listed in college as either 6-3 or 6-4 weighing 210 pounds).
Now here's my stat part since I like statistics
Looking at Wade's college numbers when he was 21 like Parker and playing 30 minutes a game...
17.8 PPG 6.6 RPG 3.4 APG 2.5 SPG .49 FG% .35% 3P% .69 FT%
Now look at Parker's numbers when he has gotten 30 minutes a game...
13.6 PPG 7 RPG 1.6 APG 1.2 SPG .44 FG% .42 3P% .65 FT%
When Parker has gotten 30+ minutes, UC has won all but 3 games (LOU, USF and MARQ)...yet he shot a combined 4-12 from the FT line in those 3 losses...missing multiple front ends of 1 and 1s.
I'll admit that Dwyane Wade is a ridiculous comparison...the highest ceiling for a player like Parker...still, that Marquette game earlier this year followed up by the
BE tournament with Parker leading our team in rebounding 3 games in a row has me dreaming big.
Parker really took Mick's message to heart at the end of last season to improve or ship out.
(03-14-2012 02:52 PM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 02:47 PM)WarningSigns Wrote: [ -> ]We should have beat Presbyterian shooting left handed.
But Jaquon has become a very important part of this team. Would be great to see him be one of those guys who "comes out of nowhere" his senior year to really take over.
I predicted on another thread he'd be the guy like so many before him (Brannen, Logan, Hicks, etc.) that made a huge leap his senior year.
was that before or after the thread talking about using his ship to sign somebody else?
I think he's been the difference in SOME games.
The first Georgetown game? Obviously not. The UConn game? No.
In the BET, I think he was relevant, but the out right difference maker IMO, was Gates.
When the 3's stopped dropping in the second half, against Syracuse, he was the one putting them back in the basket. One would think, after you miss, multiple times in a row and he can't be stopped, the damn guards would pass him the ball, but meh...
Parker is a good glue guy, I think next year, he becomes a very good player.
Hopefully he'll be a good influence for the freshmen guards. I think this will be a very good class in time. Hopefully they have a big impact this coming year, them and I really feel Gaines got better with added playing time.
Color me optimistic.
(03-14-2012 06:35 PM)Butterfly Wrote: [ -> ]I think he's been the difference in SOME games.
The first Georgetown game? Obviously not. The UConn game? No.
In the BET, I think he was relevant, but the out right difference maker IMO, was Gates.
When the 3's stopped dropping in the second half, against Syracuse, he was the one putting them back in the basket. One would think, after you miss, multiple times in a row and he can't be stopped, the damn guards would pass him the ball, but meh...
Parker is a good glue guy, I think next year, he becomes a very good player.
Hopefully he'll be a good influence for the freshmen guards. I think this will be a very good class in time. Hopefully they have a big impact this coming year, them and I really feel Gaines got better with added playing time.
Color me optimistic.
Jaquon had 12 points and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes against UConn, 5-10 and 2-4 from 3.
(03-14-2012 06:40 PM)WarningSigns Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 06:35 PM)Butterfly Wrote: [ -> ]I think he's been the difference in SOME games.
The first Georgetown game? Obviously not. The UConn game? No.
In the BET, I think he was relevant, but the out right difference maker IMO, was Gates.
When the 3's stopped dropping in the second half, against Syracuse, he was the one putting them back in the basket. One would think, after you miss, multiple times in a row and he can't be stopped, the damn guards would pass him the ball, but meh...
Parker is a good glue guy, I think next year, he becomes a very good player.
Hopefully he'll be a good influence for the freshmen guards. I think this will be a very good class in time. Hopefully they have a big impact this coming year, them and I really feel Gaines got better with added playing time.
Color me optimistic.
Jaquon had 12 points and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes against UConn, 5-10 and 2-4 from 3.
... He didn't shut out Oriakhai and Drummond, didn't hit the clutch, cold blooded 3 that won the game, didn't make most of the key plays in the game... I'm not saying the guy didn't exist, I'm saying he wasn't the difference maker in that game. He's not what won it.
(03-14-2012 06:43 PM)Butterfly Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 06:40 PM)WarningSigns Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 06:35 PM)Butterfly Wrote: [ -> ]I think he's been the difference in SOME games.
The first Georgetown game? Obviously not. The UConn game? No.
In the BET, I think he was relevant, but the out right difference maker IMO, was Gates.
When the 3's stopped dropping in the second half, against Syracuse, he was the one putting them back in the basket. One would think, after you miss, multiple times in a row and he can't be stopped, the damn guards would pass him the ball, but meh...
Parker is a good glue guy, I think next year, he becomes a very good player.
Hopefully he'll be a good influence for the freshmen guards. I think this will be a very good class in time. Hopefully they have a big impact this coming year, them and I really feel Gaines got better with added playing time.
Color me optimistic.
Jaquon had 12 points and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes against UConn, 5-10 and 2-4 from 3.
... He didn't shut out Oriakhai and Drummond, didn't hit the clutch, cold blooded 3 that won the game, didn't make most of the key plays in the game... I'm not saying the guy didn't exist, I'm saying he wasn't the difference maker in that game. He's not what won it.
Semantics I guess. Not THE difference maker but certainly "a" difference maker. Shot better than Kilpatrick and Dixon, without his performance we probably don't win.
Losing teams don't have guys like Parker. All the good UC teams had guys that rebound, play defense, and or did a bunch things well but were not the star.
Every high major team in college basketball has scorers. Most them have more than one really good player; however, the reason why teams lose is usually a combination of three things bad coaching, bad defense, and the lack of players that do all the little things so that your stars can be stars.
Parker is tough with a ton of heart and he plays smart....love him
(03-14-2012 03:13 PM)Bearcat_Bounce Wrote: [ -> ]He is quickly becoming my favorite Bearcat since Hicks...
ditto. said it before. i was so surprised at how he seemed to regress after a promising frosh campaign. and now here he is, tearing sh!t up.
Parker is this year's version of Rashad Bishop. But I think Parker has a higher ceiling on offense, he seems to want it a little more.
(03-14-2012 05:38 PM)HoopsJunky Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 02:52 PM)BearChatter v2.0 Wrote: [ -> ] (03-14-2012 02:47 PM)WarningSigns Wrote: [ -> ]We should have beat Presbyterian shooting left handed.
But Jaquon has become a very important part of this team. Would be great to see him be one of those guys who "comes out of nowhere" his senior year to really take over.
I predicted on another thread he'd be the guy like so many before him (Brannen, Logan, Hicks, etc.) that made a huge leap his senior year.
was that before or after the thread talking about using his ship to sign somebody else?
That was last season most likely after Mick wouldn't play him and said he made no effort in the offseason to work on his game. Like some others, I probably wondered out loud if he would transfer.
I acknowledged earlier this season that Parker was a different, improved player this year, and applauded him for it.
As for the comments about Parker's outside shot, I thought he was leading the 'Cats in 3 point shooting percentage?
Back to transfers, on another Bearcat board, there is discussion and speculation about Sanders possibly transferring. Wright, Parker, SK get the minutes next year, with Guyn/Davis III getting backup minutes. Shaquille Thomas probably gets the SF minutes with Sanders riding the bench most of the season. Anyone close to the team got a feel for Sanders being happy or unhappy? I'd like him to stay. I keep hearing he has a high b-ball IQ........and I get easily bugged by players with low ones.
Sanders will be a very good player, he is not like Shaq Thomas.
I really don't see him riding a lot of pine. We'll need someone with great scoring potential, who can be a consistent zone buster. I picture Shaq Thomas as being more of a slasher, who can also hit occasional jump shots. It would be greatly disappointing to see one of the frosh we brought in leave. They're all pretty damn talented.