Glover Redux

Why my obsession with Ques Glover, if you want to call it that? IMO, the kid was the most exciting guard that was signed by the Gators since Jason Williams and Teddy Dupay. He also is a terrific player. He is a great athlete. He can windmill dunk from a standing position, he is lightning quick, and he is physically strong. He also is a winner. I saw him play on TV twice in his senior year in high school. First, I saw his school, Bearden, play against Mountain Brook, which was one of the top 5 high school teams in the country. Mountain Brook was led by Trendon Watford who went to LSU, plays for the Portland Trailblazers and was just named MVP of the NBA Summer League championship game. Bearden lost in the last few seconds of the game, but Glover was the best player on the floor and scored 28 points. Then I saw Glover play in the Tennessee state championship game against Memphis East, which was led by James Wiseman, the #1 high school player in the country and now playing for Golden State. Once again, Glover was the best player on the floor, carrying Bearden to the state title and being named the MVP of the tournament. So, I was really excited about this kid becoming a Gator. I expected him to be the backup to Nembhard at the point and eventually becoming the Gators' starting point guard. It didn't happen. Even when Ques got into the game in his freshman year, it usually was not at the point. Rinse and repeat in year 2 but far worse. Ques rarely played at the point which was manned by Appleby and Mann who, IMO, were both 2-guards.

Glover then transferred to Samford to play for Bucky McMillan, the former Mountain Brook coach. After a slow start to Samford's season, Glover carried the team to, arguably, the best season in its history, and this was without any legitimate Power 6 level players on the team other than Glover. Ques was named 1st-team All-Southern Conference, and he had one of the best years of any point guard in the country. Many of you say that he's just a mid-major player, but he had his best games against the best teams on Samford's schedule, including against Ole Miss on the road, San Francisco, Chattanooga, Furman, Wofford, Belmont and Oregon State on the road. In doing so, he outplayed point guards such as Malachi Smith (the likely starting PG at Gonzaga next year), Jamaree Bouyea at San Francisco and Daeshun Ruffin at Ole Miss. Additionally, Glover was the model of consistency, scoring in double figures in every game and consistently taking over games at crunch time. On top of that, he was an outstanding leader on the floor and got everyone involved in the game.

So, how did he compare last season to our 2 new point guards?

On a per-40 minute basis: Glover averaged 24.7 ppg and 5.7 apg and shot 79% from the line, 47% from the field, 52% from 2 and 31% from 3; Bonham averaged 19.9 ppg and 5.8 apg and shot 83% from the line, 48% from the field, 54% from 2 and 35% from 3; and Lofton averaged 13.3 ppg and 6.1 apg and shot 82% from the line, 40% from the field, 45% from 2 and 28% from 3.

As to how their respective teams did, St. Bonaventure had the toughest schedule of the 3 teams followed by Samford and then VMI. The Bonnies went 23-10 and finished 4th in their conference. Lofton got to play with 4 other players who were Power-6 level players. Lofton made 3rd team all-league and 2 of his teammates made 1st and 2nd team respectively. VMI went 16-16 and finished 5th in the conference. Bonham made 3rd-team all league, his teammate, Jake Stephens, was 1st-team all league center, and another teammate made 2nd team all league. One other teammate made the all-freshman team. Samford went 21-11 and finished 3rd in the league. Glover made 1st-team all league, but no other players on his team received any all league honors. I expect both Lofton and Bonner to succeed at UF and am sure that Glover would have if he had been given the opportunity.

So, again, why my obsession; first, I am royally pissed off that we lost this kid right after losing Nembhard. What an enormous waste of talent. Second, so many of you, including many regarded as our best posters, constantly put this kid down, whether it was that he didn't get other Power-6 offers, his game would not transition to the Power-6 level, he was a walking turnover, he is now only succeeding because his team plays a weak schedule, etc. The truth is, IMO, that this kid is a winner. He can play for any college team, but he was played out of position at UF when he got to play and his confidence was destroyed by a coach who would yank him out of the game as soon as he made a mistake. Mistakes are teaching moments for young players. When you get trapped in the corner by a couple of bigger guys and turn the ball over, it's fine to pull the kid, let him know how not to get trapped in the corners, and then put him back into the game. That's coaching or, in the instant case, a lack thereof. Ques doesn't turn the ball over much anymore and the ball is in his hands a lot. He has a ton of confidence. He wants the ball in his hands at crunch time, and he usually delivers. The kid even declared for the NBA after this past season. That's confidence. I expect he and Sanford to do some big things this coming season.

I will not be replying to any comments. I will be back to report on Ques during the coming season. Thanks.