Tag: Johnny Davis

Film room: Here is how Wisconsin basketball dismantled Minnesota

The Badgers tore Minnesota up on Thursday

Wisconsin basketball needed a response after coming out flat in an upset loss to Maryland on Monday. They responded by being at their best on Thursday in an important, dominant 71-59 win over Minnesota.

To see such drastically different performances three days apart will be the norm in the 2020-2021 Big Ten conference. With a league this deep, one off night can rapidly turn into an upset loss or an embarrassing blowout. There were, however, many noticeable differences in the box score on Thursday that will dictate wins and losses for Wisconsin this year. Here is a look, both statistically and with film, at how the Badgers flipped the script on Thursday.

Everything for Greg Gard and company started on the interior. After losing the points in the paint battle 38-21 against Maryland on Monday, the Badgers outscored Minnesota 40-18 inside.

Their interior defense stepped up and forced the Gophers into just 5-15 shooting on layups at the rim. The Badgers also did a tremendous job keeping Minnesota off of the free throw line.

This play late in the first half sums that up perfectly. With dynamic Gopher guard Marcus Carr running full speed ahead at Badger big Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin’s all-time leader in blocked shots stays vertical to force a miss. Any attempt to go for the basketball probably results in a whistle here:

Wisconsin didn’t force things from three and finished 6-15 (40%) from beyond the arc against Minnesota. In particular, Aleem Ford showed the confidence and the stroke that he had late last season. The senior finished with a pair of made threes, and a variety of other buckets to give him 14 points:

This bucket late in the first half was particularly impressive. Ford attacks towards the corner so he can switch hands into a comfortable post look. Then, how about the touch on that fadeaway?

Wisconsin also got out and ran selectively, after finishing with zero fast break points against Maryland. It all started with perimeter defense that turned into layups:

 

One of the most significant differences on the offensive end was an emphasis on post touches early. Reuvers and Micah Potter were heavily featured in the offense early, and it opened up the everything for the Badgers on that end later. Potter had Wisconsin’s first five points thanks to the Badgers clearing out a side and letting him go to work.

Johnny Davis makes the entry here, and then clears out to let the big man eat. The spacing allows Potter to have a true one-on-one battle in the post:

Overall, Wisconsin found themselves on the interior and it allowed for a blowout win. If the Badgers play inside-out, selectively run, and knock down in rhythm threes, they will find themselves at the top of the Big Ten conference in a couple of months.

 

 

Freshman G Johnny Davis brings a rare combination of ‘energy’ and ability to Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a special freshman talent in Johnny Davis

In a college basketball game, you often see a player come off the bench and provide a spark of energy that flips the matchup on its head. That’s exactly what true freshman guard Johnny Davis did for Wisconsin tonight after they fell behind 7-0 early against Loyola-Chicago. It was his intention from before he even stepped on the floor.

“I try to provide energy off the bench,” said Davis after the game. “We started off a little bit slow today, and I just try to provide energy on both ends of the floor.”

It’s more than being an energy guy, however, that the La Crosse native provides for this Badger squad. Mixed in with the experience of five senior starters is Davis’ talent, and even a casual basketball fan can watch him for a few minutes and pick out that there is something different about the way he operates on the hardwood. Davis possesses the rare combination of all-out energy that is backed up with elite talent. Did I mention he is a true freshman?

The former La Crosse Central star dazzled with 12 points off the pine to go along with five rebounds. Oh, and about providing that energy on both ends? He finished as a team-high +27 in his 23 minutes on the evening.

It wasn’t the 12 points that stood out most, but instead how he scored them. Each bucket showed off a different facet of the combo guard’s game as he comfortably knocked down his only three-point attempt of the night, smoothly finished in transition, and posted up out of the swing offense.

The euro step in transition, a move that most college players don’t make look as easy as pregame layup lines, has quickly become a patented favorite for the freshman. With this clip, also note how difficult this finish is as he elects to use his inside hand:

As a rebounder, the class of 2020 signee attacks the glass with authority, especially on the offensive end. There were multiple times tonight where Davis made the Ramblers work for a defensive rebound, and even a moment early in the first half where he drew a loose ball foul going up for a rebound.

His movements look effortless at times, whether it be in transition, as a post scorer, or especially when flying in to crash the boards. Buying into the swing offense principles, Davis has been excellent at moving without the basketball specifically with a slice cut action that has resulted in a number of post touches and buckets.

While he hasn’t started a game yet this year, Davis has done something much more valuable: finished games. Tonight, and against Marquette, the true freshman finished out the contest on the floor for head coach Greg Gard, which is the ultimate sign of trust for a young player.

Coupled with a number of senior leaders, Wisconsin basketball has a true freshman that looks like he has every opportunity to be the next Badger star. With a rare combination of energy, athleticism, and skill, the La Crosse native is ready to make noise in the Big Ten this year and in years beyond.

Five takeaways from Wisconsin’s 74-64 opening win over Eastern Illinois

The Badgers open the season 1-0

The Badgers began the 2020-2021 campaign the same way they started last season: a win at home over Eastern Illinois. Both games were a tale of two halves, but the narrative was flipped.

Wednesday night was all Wisconsin through the first 20 minutes where the Badgers locked down defensively and built a 43-20 lead at the break. The Panthers stormed back with 47 second half points and ended up falling 77-67.

With freshman making their Wisconsin debuts, a Badger team that looked completely different from one half to the next, and ultimately a 1-0 start to the year, here are five takeaways from the opening win:

Johnny Davis, the former NBA guard who …

Johnny Davis, the former NBA guard who took over in February as the NBRPA chairman, broke down some of the statistics as they relate to their membership and COVID-19. “We have over 1,000 members, and the average age of our members is 55-plus,” Davis said. “Approximately 200 of those members are over the age of 70. And there’s a high percentage of African-Americans in that group, the demographic that has been identified as being most vulnerable. Sometimes that’s due to underlying conditions, sometimes to proximity to [exposure].”

Wisconsin basketball releases jersey numbers for the incoming freshman class

The Badger recruiting class of 2020 now has their numbers

[lawrence-newsletter]Yesterday, Wisconsin’s incoming recruiting class of 2020 announced which numbers they would be taking on in their freshman season. Each player posted their number on Twitter with a jersey edit.

Here is the full list of Wisconsin jersey numbers for the incoming freshman:

Jordan Davis: #1

Lorne Bowman: #10

Carter Gilmore: #14

Ben Carlson #20

Steven Crowl: #22

Johnny Davis: #24

A full breakdown of where Wisconsin basketball’s 2020 class stands in recruiting rankings

Taking a look at where the 2020 Badger basketball class is ranked both individually and collectively

[lawrence-newsletter]Wisconsin has a deep, talented basketball class coming into Madison this season. The six-person Badger class of 2020 is up there with the best recruiting classes in the country. Here is where they stand both individually and collectively in terms of recruiting rankings.

According to the new 247Sports rankings, the top player in the class is Ben Carlson, a versatile 6-foot-9 forward out of Saint Paul, Minn. (East Ridge). The four-star recruit is ranked as a top-five player in the state of Minnesota by 247Sports rankings and is listed as the No. 94 prospect in the country. Here are our BadgersWire notes on Carlson’s offensive game from our scouting report series.

“Carlson did some of his best work against his best competition. Against Cretin Derham Hall, a top-10 team in the state of Minnesota, the future Badger dropped 33 points. With his combination of height and athletic ability, the high school senior can fly to the rim or catch and finish lobs with ease. He can put the ball on the floor and finish with a hammer at the rim. As a jump shooter, the Minnesota native already has a sweet stroke that will translate to the next level. There is a lot that reminds you of Nate Reuvers when watching the four-star prospect on film. Like Reuvers, Carlson is a threat in the pick-and-pop game. He can also grab a rebound at the defensive end and go to coast to coast with the dribble.”

Here is a link to our full scouting report on Carlson: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-ben-carlson/

The next 2020 Badger signee in terms of overall rankings is Johnny Davis, a high-three star recruit from La Crosse, Wis. (Central). The in-state product is seen as the No. 142 player overall and as the second best player in the state of Wisconsin behind Duke commit Jalen Johnson. Davis has the ability to score at all three levels and has a wiry 6-foot-4 frame that will translate well at the next level. This past season, the La Crosse native averaged 27.2 points per game for Central.

Here is a link to our full scouting report on Johnny Davis: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/25/scouting-report-wisconsin-2020-signee-johnny-davis/

Davis’ brother Jordan is also a Wisconsin commit in the class of 2020. Jordan Davis comes in as the sixth-best prospect in the state according to 247sports, and is ranked as the No. 454 overall player in the country in the class of 2020.

Wisconsin basketball may have found their point guard of the future in Lorne Bowman. The West Bloomfield, Mich. (St. Mary’s) native is a high-three star recruit and the No. 4 player overall in the state of Michigan. As a ball-dominant guard, Bowman excels as a playmaker for both himself and others. Here is an offensive breakdown of the point guard from our BadgersWire scouting report series:

“Bowman relies on excellent footwork to get where he needs to go on the floor. He has the speed to beat his defender, and the point guard’s handle is tight. In film from this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, the Michigan product was under control when he got in the paint, and finished with solid floaters over shot blockers. His hesitation dribble is nasty, and was one of the main moves he used to create space. When given space, Bowman can certainly knock down open jumpers with relative consistency, but has room to improve. In nine games at the EYBL, the 6-2 guard shot 31% from three. With only 42 attempts from deep at the Nike EYBL, the sample size was small, but nonetheless Bowman has room to grow as a shooter.”

Here is a link to our full scouting report on Bowman: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-lorne-bowman/

Rounding out the scholarship signees is 6-foot-9 big man Steven Crowl. The Minnesota native had a fantastic career at Eastview Senior High School. Crowl is a high-three star recruit and the No. 7 player in the state of Minnesota according to 247Sports. Here is a piece of our BadgersWire scouting report on the future Badger:

“Crowl’s passing ability is what surprised me most on tape. At 6-9, 210 he not only made point-guard-like bounce passes in transition, but also had the basketball IQ to make quick interior passes for open layups. For a big man, he already has the ability to put the ball on the deck. He also has the range to step back and knock down long jumpers. There is not a ton of film of Crowl hitting jumpers off the dribble, although as an open, set shooter he can cash his checks.”

Here is a link to our full scouting report on Crowl: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/06/scouting-report-steven-crowl/

Wisconsin also added an in-state preferred walk-on to their 2020 group in Carter Gilmore. Gilmore, however,[lawrence-newsletter][lawrence-newsletter] is no ordinary walk-on. The 6-foot-7 in-state prospect had multiple division one offers from the likes of DePaul and Brown and turned them down even though UW could not offer him a scholarship for the 2020 season. The Hartland, Wisconsin native starred at Arrowhead High School where he ran what was essentially point-forward for his high school squad. Here is a piece on Gimore from our scouting report:

“Carter Gilmore in one word: “Positionless” — Sure, maybe this is just another way of saying versatile. On tape, the Hartland, WI native looks like he was playing point-center for his Arrowhead squad in high school. He was the anchor of the defense down low and came up with a series of highlight blocks. Gilmore also grabbed rebounds and brought the ball up himself. The best way to utilize Gilmore is an exciting mystery for Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard to solve.”

Overall, according to 247Sports, the class of 2020 is ranked as the fourth-best class in the Big Ten conference and as the No. 27 class in the country. Wisconsin fans should be excited about the depth that this group provides to Head Coach Greg Gard not only next season, but for a few years to come.

 

 

 

Three Badgers included in the final 247sports 2020 basketball rankings

Wisconsin basketball’s strong 2020 class gets more national recognition

[lawrence-newsletter]Wisconsin basketball’s promising six-person class of 2020 had three names included in the final 247sports ranking of the season.

The class was led by consensus four-star signee Ben Carlson, a versatile 6-foot-9 power forward from Saint Paul, Minn. (East Ridge). Our full BadgersWire breakdown of Carlson’s game can be found here: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/27/scouting-report-2020-badger-signee-ben-carlson/

One half of the Davis brother duo that will make its way to Madison next season was also included in the top-150. Johnny Davis, a player known for his silky smooth offensive game, came in at 147 overall. For more on the three-star recruit out of La Crosse, Wis. (Central) here is our BadgersWire scouting report: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/25/scouting-report-wisconsin-2020-signee-johnny-davis/

The third and final 2020 Badger signee included was Steven Crowl who came in at 121 overall. The three-star prospect out of St. Paul, Minn (Eastview) made a name for himself as one of the best big men in the midwest this past season. Here is our full BadgersWire breakdown of the intriguing future Badger: https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/06/scouting-report-steven-crowl/

Scouting Report: Wisconsin 2020 signee Johnny Davis

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report …

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report series, we are going to take a look at what each 2020 Badger signee will bring to Madison this fall and beyond.

Johnny Davis in one word: Johnny Davis is smooth. Silky smooth. There may not be a better way to describe the 6-4, 185 combo guard. Davis is a certified bucket-getter that can score at all three levels. His La Crosse Central squad finished the year 20-5, and ended on a win in the Wisconsin state tournament before the tourney was cut short due to coronavirus concerns.

Offense: The scoring guard finished the year averaging 27.2 points per contest, good for ninth best in the state of Wisconsin. It wasn’t so much the amount of scoring that impressed me most, but rather how he got his buckets. Whether it was a set three, off the dribble mid-range jumper, or his floater/layup package, Davis found a way to put the ball in the basket. On film, specifically in transition, the 2020 signees change of pace and direction caught defenders off-guard for easy layups. He is certainly comfortable in transition, but never seems to be in a hurry.

As a passer, Davis made multiple difficult touch passes and solid reads out of the high-pick-and roll to find rolling bigs at the rim. Also, do not give him a runway because he will make you pay at the rim.

Defense/Rebounding: While most packages of Davis do not focus on defensive highlights or on-ball defense, his physical makeup should give Badger fans the feeling that he has a chance to be a solid college defender. The La Crosse native’s length and athleticism certainly jump out when he plays against high-school competition, but those factors translate at the next level as well. The length and athleticism also made him a force on the boards in high school.

Overall: Davis is a player with an NBA future. His length and leaping ability creates problems for opponents at both ends of the floor. As a scorer, he has the unique ability to get buckets in a wide variety of ways whether it be from the perimeter or with his floater package at the rim. His improvement will come in the weight room and in the natural learning curve of adjusting to Wisconsin’s system. Nobody in the Wisconsin 2020 class has a higher ceiling than Johnny Davis.