Usually the Big Ten media day can be rather bland, but if you expected that out of Bo Ryan you don't know him very well. He made a huge announcement, but perhaps one most saw coming to start the season, naming Josh Gasser as his starting point guard out of the gate in 2012-13.
"Thank goodness for the new rule," Coach Ryan said. "We had a chance to see Josh Gasser this year following up on who is next. The two hours that we had a chance to work with him and then the couple of hours in the fall, I'm glad that we had that, because Josh will be the point guard."
What makes Bo confident in naming Gasser his starting point guard, though?
"I'm very pleased with what he's done and how the guys have rallied around him," said Ryan. "So I think we will be still in pretty good shape, maybe not the point guards that we have had with Hughes and Taylor that can beat you off the bounce, low to the ground, real thick shoulder type guys, but Josh is a different point guard, but just as effective so far, and hopefully that will happen in the games, too."
Part of what makes Gasser just as effective is the fact that he's a taller player than the likes of Hughes and Taylor. That could help him become a better defensive point guard overall.
"His handle he's going to be tough to take the ball away from," Ryan said of Gasser's abilities. "He can get it into position to start whatever we're doing. You might not see as many ball screens this year. It depends on how we keep evolving. Defensively, he is so much better at this point than a lot of the other guards that we've had at the point, because of his length."
Last season Gasser was 2nd on the team in assists with 67 for the year, averaging 1.8 assists a game from the 2 spot. Those numbers should easily jump with the ball in his hand and one thing that's been clear from Coach Bo Ryan is the Badgers offense may look a lot more like it's usual self this season with less emphasis on dribble drives and the things that Jordan Taylor excelled at. Looking for more ball movement and the more traditional swing offense should be what us fans should expect to see from Bucky in 2012-13.
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