Jean hadn't played poorly by any means. He hit on 3-of-8 total attempts from the field in the first five games. But he only racked up two total rebounds and two assists, leaving at least a little to still be desired.
When Berger went down, it was inevitable that Jean would see his minutes increase, and with that, the pressure would be on for him to really perform.
And perform he has!
In four games since Berger's injury (is that even the right thing to call it?), Jean has scored eight points three different times. He's also made solid contributions in rebounds and assists during his increase in minutes, which has been 18 or more in each of the last four games.
Maybe most impressive though is the 3-point threat he's become. Jean has hit on 6-of-12 attempts from deep over the last four games and is now shooting 43.8 percent on the year, second only on the team to Butterfield.
Defensively, Jean was a major difference maker against UC Davis on Friday. Ryan Sypkens led UC Davis in scoring for that game, getting half of his team-high 12 points on a pair of 3-pointers early in the second half. After his second 3-pointer made though, Jean was brought in and put on Sypkens, taking away any good looks and holding Sypkens scoreless for the remainder of the game.
For a guy who was barely seeing the floor a couple weeks ago, Jean is now looking like the potential game-changer many hoped he would be, coming off the bench with his length, athleticism, defense, and shooting ability.
No comments:
Post a Comment