Melo Trimble's abilities were needed to have this season be a success. That has been evident over the first 14 games. What also has been evident over the first 14 games is a resiliency and willingness to win that has not been present the past two seasons. The Terps have been able to erase four nine point second half deficits this season, and without Melo's leadership those comebacks may not have occurred. Melo must also know that he cannot go at it alone, and the he needs to rely on the pieces that Mark Turgeon has put in place this season to help him and the Terps become a better team. Turgeon must have seen that when Melo was not in the game last year the team looked lost on offense, and more often than not they resorted to jacking up threes or driving down the lane into double teams. Enter Anthony Cowan, who has shown that he can be that ball handler/distributer the Terps need when Melo needs a break. The Terps now do not look as inept on offense without Melo in the game, and that was showcased in their rout of Illinois on Tuesday night. Cowan, along with guys like Kevin Huerter, Jaylen Brantley, Dion Wiley, Justin Jackson, and L.G. Gill, give the Terps some much needed depth and intangibles that at times may have been lacking last season. But Melo Trimble is the glue. His talent is what the Terps needed to have back to give this team a chance, but the dedication, experience, and leadership he brings back could have the Terps surprising some people come March. And maybe, just maybe, he can create enough surprises this year to have his number resting at XFinity Center right next to that fiery point guard who also decided come back for one more year.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Melo Brings Back More Than Just Talent
It was not but a few months ago that Melo Trimble made a risky decision to pull his name from the NBA draft and come back for his Junior season. At this time last year it was almost a forgone conclusion that Melo would be gone after a predicted stellar Sophomore campaign, and while the Terps reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over a decade Melo seemed to lose his luster in the second half of last year. Trimble was plagued with inconsistent play throughout the Big Ten season, and rumors of a lingering injury were bandied around to try and make sense of this step back in performance from one of the most electrifying Freshman of 2015. These inconsistencies may be the reason that Melo decided to come back and bring his stock up for this year's NBA Draft, but he also brings back a sense of leadership and loyalty to the program that mirrors another flashy point guard who decided to come back for one more year to raise his draft status.
Greivis Vasquez was another person who was set to leave for the NBA after his Junior season. He had the moxy and attitude to play in the NBA, but his erratic style left something to be desired in an over saturated point guard market in the 2009 NBA Draft. Vasquez made the decision to come back to College Park in May of 2009 to hone his skills and in the process he led the Terps to one of their best seasons since 2000. The 2009-2010 season saw the Terps win a share of the ACC regular season title by beating the #4 Duke Blue Devils in the last home game of the season at the XFinity Center, and they came within 6.6 seconds of making it to the Sweet Sixteen. And remember that Michigan State went on to the Final Four that season because Kansas had been upset by Northern Iowa in the Second Round and #2 Ohio State lost to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen meaning that ipso facto the Terps would have made it to the Final Four that year. For Vasquez personally, his Senior season could not have ended any better. He was the 2010 ACC Player of the Year, a Second Team All-American, and he was drafted 28th overall in the 2010 Draft. Melo's return may mirror Vasquez's 2010 season in that the Terps could be poised for a run given what Melo brings back outside of his talent, and what Marlyand has done to compliment Melo's strengths.
Melo Trimble's abilities were needed to have this season be a success. That has been evident over the first 14 games. What also has been evident over the first 14 games is a resiliency and willingness to win that has not been present the past two seasons. The Terps have been able to erase four nine point second half deficits this season, and without Melo's leadership those comebacks may not have occurred. Melo must also know that he cannot go at it alone, and the he needs to rely on the pieces that Mark Turgeon has put in place this season to help him and the Terps become a better team. Turgeon must have seen that when Melo was not in the game last year the team looked lost on offense, and more often than not they resorted to jacking up threes or driving down the lane into double teams. Enter Anthony Cowan, who has shown that he can be that ball handler/distributer the Terps need when Melo needs a break. The Terps now do not look as inept on offense without Melo in the game, and that was showcased in their rout of Illinois on Tuesday night. Cowan, along with guys like Kevin Huerter, Jaylen Brantley, Dion Wiley, Justin Jackson, and L.G. Gill, give the Terps some much needed depth and intangibles that at times may have been lacking last season. But Melo Trimble is the glue. His talent is what the Terps needed to have back to give this team a chance, but the dedication, experience, and leadership he brings back could have the Terps surprising some people come March. And maybe, just maybe, he can create enough surprises this year to have his number resting at XFinity Center right next to that fiery point guard who also decided come back for one more year.
Melo Trimble's abilities were needed to have this season be a success. That has been evident over the first 14 games. What also has been evident over the first 14 games is a resiliency and willingness to win that has not been present the past two seasons. The Terps have been able to erase four nine point second half deficits this season, and without Melo's leadership those comebacks may not have occurred. Melo must also know that he cannot go at it alone, and the he needs to rely on the pieces that Mark Turgeon has put in place this season to help him and the Terps become a better team. Turgeon must have seen that when Melo was not in the game last year the team looked lost on offense, and more often than not they resorted to jacking up threes or driving down the lane into double teams. Enter Anthony Cowan, who has shown that he can be that ball handler/distributer the Terps need when Melo needs a break. The Terps now do not look as inept on offense without Melo in the game, and that was showcased in their rout of Illinois on Tuesday night. Cowan, along with guys like Kevin Huerter, Jaylen Brantley, Dion Wiley, Justin Jackson, and L.G. Gill, give the Terps some much needed depth and intangibles that at times may have been lacking last season. But Melo Trimble is the glue. His talent is what the Terps needed to have back to give this team a chance, but the dedication, experience, and leadership he brings back could have the Terps surprising some people come March. And maybe, just maybe, he can create enough surprises this year to have his number resting at XFinity Center right next to that fiery point guard who also decided come back for one more year.
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