Notre Dame Basketball: Irish powered by experienced roster
1. Is Demetrius Jackson replaceable?
Like other elite players across the country, Demetrius Jackson is irreplaceable. His speed, quickness in the open floor, competitiveness, jump shooting ability and attacking mentality is tough to match, especially with just one single player.
There is a reason why the Boston Celtics chose Jackson in the second round of the NBA Draft and there was also a reason why Mike Brey trusted the then-junior point guard to take over for Jerian Grant.
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Jackson, like Grant, was an elite player in pick-and-roll situations, running Brey’s offense to perfection. He was a good decision maker and a solid passer, even though he got sped up and turned the basketball over on occasion.
The two players who will step in to fill the void at point guard: junior Matt Farrell and freshman Temple Gibbs.
Farrell only played 13.4 minutes per game last season, but he found his stride late in the year and started all four of Notre Dame’s games in the NCAA Tournament. Farrell took the reigns as the team’s lead ball handler in March, pushing Jackson off the ball to give him better angles to attack the basket.
The guard didn’t just step into the role, but also succeeded. Farrell played over 20 minutes in all four NCAA Tournament games as Brey had confidence in his playmaking abilities and decision making. Farrell averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 assists per game in the Big Dance after putting up only 2.6 points and 1.5 assists per game during the entire regular season.
Farrell limits his turnovers and makes his teammates better, but he certainly won’t bring the flashy play and the score outbursts that Jackson brought to the table.
Then there’s Gibbs. The four-star freshman is the brother of former Pittsburgh Panther Ashton Gibbs and former Seton Hall and UConn guard Sterling Gibbs. He has no where near the quickness of Jackson and experience of Farrell, but he can shoot the ball from the perimeter, can score the rock and possesses a solid basketball IQ.
Farrell is the true point guard, where as Gibbs is more of the attacker. Gibbs can play in the backcourt with Farrell for stints, especially if the Irish opt to play small.
Next: Previewing the Conference USA
Expecting elite production from Gibbs right away could be pushing it a bit too far. However, he should play a pivotal role in conference play and down the stretch in March.