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Wednesday, 01 February 2012 22:54 |
Listed at seven feet tall and 290 pounds, senior Isaac Butts towers over most ASU students and most of his teammates.
But no one could’ve expected how small the big man’s role would be over the last five games. The senior center just returned from an injury and is playing only 16.6 minutes off the bench.
Still, looks can be deceiving. Although many expected Butts to own the SoCon, the center’s role has fit perfectly into Appalachian’s budding identity.
“I’m just doing whatever I can to help my team,” Butts said. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in the game and playing my hardest and scoring or cheering from the bench.”
Before the season, many believed Appalachian would dominate the post with a combo of Butts and fellow senior Andre Williamson.
However, Butts got off to a slow start and suffered an injury in late December.
This helped Appalachian develop an identity that better suited its talent, allowing more minutes for Mike Neal and Nathan Healy and more scoring opportunities for the talented Jamaal Trice.
Andre Williamson believes Butts’ limited production is of no fault of his. Instead, it’s a matter of other ASU players stepping up.
“[Carter and Trice] have been hitting some shots and when the opportunities present themshelves they’ve stepped up some games,” Williamson said. “Ike is just starting to get back into the groove of things.”
Although Butts is putting in less than 20 minutes per game, he’s still playing arguably his best basketball of the season.
The senior is shooting an impressive 70 percent from the floor while averaging seven points and five rebounds. What has really stands out is Butts’ improved movement and footwork.
Early in the season, Butts was plagued with travels and turnovers but has only turned the ball over six times in the last five games.
Butts has also shown maturity off the court, accepting his role.
“I’ve just been focusing on playing harder and making this a team thing,” he said. “It’s not about me as an individual, it’s about us as a team winning and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. I just want to win. Just because my minutes got cut doesn’t mean I’m not going to go out and play as hard as I can.”
The shift to a smaller lineup works for senior Omar Carter, who ranks second on the team with rebounds.
“I’m a pretty good rebounder, Dre [Williamson] is a pretty good rebounder,” Carter said. “I’m a matchup problem and Dre is a matchup problem. Can’t nobody in the league guard Dre. When Dre puts his mind to it, can’t nobody stop Dre.”
The smaller lineup allows Appalachian to spread the floor more and force opposing teams to respect the fearless three-point shooting efforts of Williamson and Healy.
Of course, when Butts is on the court, there’s no denying his sizeable talent. When the big man is motivated, he produces.
“When I get my opportunity, I know I have to go out and produce and help my team,” Butts said. “I have a lesser role in the offense and the team, but when I’m in there I’m just going to play hard and help us win.”
Story: JAKE AMBERG, Sports Editor |
