Gonzaga Basketball: Takeaways from the 2018 Maui Invitational
By Connor Hope
3) Rui Hachimura is one of the best players in the country
Rui Hachimura has finally become a complete team basketball player, and it is incredibly fun to watch. Whether he is creating his own look off the dribble or attacking the basketball to score through contact, there isn’t much a defense can do to stop him from imposing his will.
Hachimura had no issues against the young Blue Devils team, exploiting mismatches and shooting 7-14 for 20 points. Both Arizona and Duke attempted to dedicate a second defender to help whenever the junior got the ball; however, with so many scoring options on the Zags’ roster, this strategy did not have a huge effect.
What makes Hachimura so difficult to defend is his explosiveness and ability to hit contested mid-range shots. It felt like teams couldn’t go five minutes without Hachimura draining a shot the face of a defender. He also shot 3-6 from beyond the arc and made a ton of contested lay-ins, meaning defenses really have no option besides trying to deny him the ball.
On the defensive end, Hachimura is part of a two-man interior presence that makes scoring in the paint incredibly difficult. Despite going a combined 0-4 from the stripe in the closing moments of the win over Duke, Hachimuara and teammate Brandon Clarke made key shot alterations that helped seal the deal for the Zags.
Prior to the season, Hachimura had the ninth most votes for Preseason All-American, but his play thus far has him in the discussion for the Player of the Year in this young season.