Transfer delivers defensive intensity
Southwest star Rivers turns heads
Jerry Nichols is adamant. He doesn’t want people to overlook Jimario Rivers and the impact his former player could have at the University of Memphis this season.
Nichols coached Rivers last season at Southwest Tennessee Community College and said the 6-8 small forward, who was an all-conference selection, attracted interest from Arkansas, Ole Miss, Auburn, Missouri and Marquette before signing with Memphis. A native of Clarksville, he averaged 10.3 points and 7.2 rebounds at Southwest.
Through the first three weeks of the Memphis’ preseason workouts, his athleticism and defensive intensity have turned heads, especially those putting up a shot in his general vicinity.
In an open practice for the Rebounders Club last week, Rivers routinely sprinted from one end of the floor to the other, often finding himself in position for stickbacks or using his quickness for easy layups, usually after making a defensive stop.
“I’m going to bring energy and effort,” Rivers said. “That’s really it.”
Nichols expects new Tiger coach Tubby Smith to appreciate what Rivers will furnish. Rivers says he’ll bring defensive intensity and shotblocking.
“Tubby has dealt with players like Tayshaun Prince (at Kentucky),” Nichols said. “Jimario is in that mode — a super-athletic kid who plays real hard and knows how to defend at a high level.”
Nichols said Rivers had impressive season defensively as he helped Southwest to a 30-5 finish and a NJCAA Region 7 championship. Rivers’ best defensive effort came against 6-3 Motlow State guard Jaylen Barford, the nation’s top-ranked junior college recruit who led the country with a 26.2 scoring average.
“He held Jaylen to about nine points,” Nichols said. “Jaylen was arguably the player of the year in the country.
“Jimario just knows how to play, he knows the ins and outs. He is very sound defensively and a very athletictype player who will run up and down the floor and make plays.”
Behind Rivers, Southwest went 56-9 the past two seasons. Nichols said Rivers was ranked the No. 17 junior college player in the nation and his talents had both Arkansas coach Mike Anderson and Auburn coach Bruce Pearl making visits to Memphis.
“Jimario knows how to win,” Nichols said. “He was highly recruited. He has a quick-twitch first step that helps him get around people, and he just knows how to play, he knows how to put himself in position to make plays. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be able to help Memphis throughout the year.”
Rivers is looking forward to learning under Smith, who has taught him a lot in a short period.
“Lot of detail, little stuff,” Rivers said. “You have to pay attention.”
He said Smith doesn’t tolerate lackluster effort, a point driven home after less-than-impressive scirmmage last weekend.
“That was a lot of guys tired, their legs were gone,” he said. “We had a hard week leading up to last Saturday. I guess you can’t have a good day every day.”
Rivers said he has felt Smith’s wrath a few times, once when fighting through a screen improperly.
“If I try to do it the way I used to do it, he’ll blow the whistle,” Rivers said.
Rivers said he remembers being somewhat uncertain if Smith would want to retain him after he was named coach. Rivers signed last November when Josh Pastner was the coach.
“Once (Smith) got settled in, we went to lunch,” Rivers said. “That’s when he told me how he would utilize me. I liked what he said. So I stayed.”