Jarreau embracing return to a bench role
Point guard wants to inject energy when he enters a contest
About six minutes were gone off the clock Thursday when DeJon Jarreau checked into the game for the first time.
It was different role for Jarreau, although not foreign, as coach Kelvin Sampson continued to tinker with his lineup early in the season.
For the game against UTEP, and possibly the foreseeable future, Sampson plans to bring the 6-5 Jarreau off the bench. By doing so, Jarreau can take off some of the pressure of playing the point guard position and concentrate on what he does best: bringing energy and an attacking style to the game.
“I think my main reason for doing it was getting DeJon more comfortable,” Sampson said after the Cougars’ 77-57 win over UTEP.
Redshirt freshman Caleb Mills made his first career start at point guard and produced 17 points for the second straight game. Jarreau, meanwhile, had seven points, nine assists (to two turnovers) and four rebounds in 21 minutes. Sampson said Jarreau’s second half was “the best he has played since last season.”
What did Jarreau think of the move?
“Not having to think so much,” he said. “I just felt comfortable. Felt exactly like last year.”
That may not be a bad thing. Jarreau was the Sixth Man of the Year in the American Athletic Conference in his first season with the Cougars after transferring from Massachusetts. If there has been a position with no concerns for the Cougars the last four years it was at point guard, which featured Galen Robinson Jr., who set a school record with 136 career games.
“We’ve had such great point guard play around here for such a long time that I don’t take it for granted,” Sampson said. “DeJon is just a different kind of point guard. If you look up the definition of a point guard, he’s probably not one. He’s more of a combo guard that is playing the point guard.”
Jarreau struggled to begin the season as a result of missing 35 days during preseason workouts with a broken right hand.
“I’m getting better,” Jarreau said. “I’m slowly coming around. It’s just me getting my swagger back.”
While Jarreau is averaging 9.2 points through 10 games for the Cougars (7-3) — who play Portland on Sunday morning in the opener of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu — he struggled to shake off the rust in other areas, committing nearly as many turnovers (19) as assists (23) in the first seven games.
“He’s struggled,” Sampson said. “But you have to remember he’s not a machine. That kid sat out 35 consecutive days where he didn’t touch a basketball. That’s not easy to start from there and think you are just going to pick up where you left off. When DeJon is playing at a high level, he makes us pretty good.”
Earlier in the week, Sampson said he was considering making changes “to figure out how to be more solid” at point guard. He called Jarreau into his office and informed him he would come off the bench after starting most of the season.
“First of all, DeJon doesn’t have an ego, so taking him out of the starting lineup and bringing him off the bench is not hard for him because he just cares about winning,” Sampson said. “I respect DeJon, and I
UH update
Record: 7-3. Today: vs. Portland at Honolulu, 2 p.m.
TV/radio: ESPNU; 950 AM. brought him in and told him what I was going to do. He reacted exactly the way I thought he would.”
Said Jarreau: “About the ego thing, it’s not really a big deal to me. I just want to win. Whatever role coach wants me to play I’m willing to play it.”
Sampson said the challenge is to mesh Jarreau’s attacking style with some of the typical responsibilities of a point guard.
“He’s not your typical game manager or time and score guy,” Sampson said. “He’s an attacking point guard. We’re having to work through that.”
For his part, Jarreau said he felt a noticeable difference in roles.
“If we are losing, I come off the bench and bring energy,” he said. “If we are winning, I just try to keep the same energy.”