Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin named SEC Player of the Week

[InstiGATOR1]

Here is an article:

http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/NEWS/tabid/473/Article/241126/sec-mens-basketball-players-of-the-week.aspx#

BTW, who had Wilbekin in the pool for first UF player this season to win this award?

[DrewLaing]

Good for him. Lights out defense will do that for you! He's made some huge strides this season

[MJGator8104]

Good for him. Lights out defense will do that for you! He's made some huge strides this season

Except his defense isn't even mentioned...

[g8rboy]

2 solid offensive games. and the suffocating gnat-like defense. he has to be annoying to play against.

[gatorbogey]

the "swamp gnat defense"
is that a worthy nickname? or "Swamp Skeeter D" ?
;)

[madgator]

the "swamp gnat defense"
is that a worthy nickname? or "Swamp Skeeter D" ?
;)



I like it


Swamp Gnat Defense!

[gogators73]

I hated losing Walker but never would have imagined what we would have gained with Wilbekin's defense.

[tupacbiff]

I hated losing Walker but never would have imagined what we would have gained with Wilbekin's defense.

Why? It was pretty obvious last yr what Scottie brought to the table defensively

[madgator]

I hated losing Walker but never would have imagined what we would have gained with Wilbekin's defense.

how about offensive discipline and cohesion?


having a real point guard makes a tremendous difference on so many levels. Especially when you have a guy who initiates so much of the team offense (particularly transition opportunities) through his defense.

[InstiGATOR1]

Good for him. Lights out defense will do that for you! He's made some huge strides this season

I am in the camp that Wilbekin has been shutting first team All SEC guys:

http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/NEWS/tabid/473/Article/222025/2011-sec-mens-hoops-awards-announced.aspx

since his Frosh year. He has shown the ability in flashes to score against big time competition since his frosh year:

http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=310720057

So it is not a huge surprise to me that he is a decent scoring, excellent defender, solid turnover to assits PG this year. He does still need to tighten up his ball security a bit.

[MJGator8104]

I like it


Swamp Gnat Defense!

Yeah and if you've ever been swarmed by gnats, you'd know how crazy they make you feel!

[Go2gtr]

Now teams are scheming on how to play our best defender.

[madgator]

Yeah and if you've ever been swarmed by gnats, you'd know how crazy they make you feel!

swirling at you, coming at you from all directions, non-stop, never backing off, knock some away and there are more right there waiting

perfect comparison!

[regurgigator]

I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Wilbekin start getting some national popular notoriety due to his defense and his look (the hair and kind of a unique angular(?) face).

The other Wil(l) should get some of that notoriety too (the hair styles would complement each other :happy:), but if it happens, it will probably be just Wilbekin.

[tim]

Swamp Skeeter FTW

[HALLGATOR]

the "swamp gnat defense"


That's a good one!

[xenythx]

Wilbekin needs more national respect for being one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the nation. All we hear about is how great Aaron Craft is when he's hacking the crap out of guys with the refs swallowing their whistles.

[rserina]

Just a deserving kid. As Insti said, he has been an outstanding defender on the ball since his freshman year. He has good size, athleticism, and strength and is coachable and smart, but above all is willing to compete.

What has changed in January is his aggressiveness and confidence on offense. Coming to campus, he was solid off the bounce and could score in the lane. Last year, he picked up his shot and got a better grasp of the offense at the one. But now things are slowing down for him in the half-court. He knows what we need and ordinarily seems to make the right play. He is running the pick and roll well, scoring in the paint, creating perimeter shots off his penetration, and hitting his catch and shoot threes. He will never be good shooting off the high ball screen and he has some issues getting trapped in the paint without anywhere to go (just like Walker did last year), but I can't think of a single player outside of Noah and Parsons who has exceeded my expectations as much as Wilbekin.

[InstiGATOR1]

I do agree that the game is slowing down for him as usually happens when players get experience.

[themistocles]

Why? It was pretty obvious last yr what Scottie brought to the table defensively



Right Tupac - actually, even as a really skinny 16-17 year old Frosh he brought way more to defense than one should ever expect.

It has absolutely astounded me the way people year after year have said: "Ohh now that Rosario and Beal are here, Wilbekin's minutes will drop off."

or

"Boynton will be at PG with Rosario at 2, and Ogbuze as the #2 PG, Wilbekin's minutes will drop off."


Some people simply do not understand what makes a team stronger, although fortunately Bill D usually does.

Actually, although I knew he was a shooter, recall Boynton's first comment - "That kid's a shooter." - I really didn't expect him to put up the sort of offensive games he has shown in the last two. Of course, I also figured that Ogbuze or Boynton would play the point some and he wouldn't have to average like 35 minutes per game.

[GatorPlanet]

Even as a freshman, he frustrated the heck out of one of UT's stars. Can't remember the guy's name, but he was lighting us up until BD sent Scottie into the game.

Well deserved award this week for young Mr. Wilbekin. I frankly don't see him losing the starting job to any freshman next season.

[InstiGATOR1]

Even as a freshman, he frustrated the heck out of one of UT's stars. Can't remember the guy's name, but he was lighting us up until BD sent Scottie into the game.

As I alluded too also, it was Scotty Hopson. He was on that All SEC team I linked in an earlier post.

[AlBGator1947]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21623587/scottie-wilbekins-defensive-presence-has-florida-poised-for-deeper-run

Excellent article from cbssports.com on Scottie.

[MJGator8104]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21623587/scottie-wilbekins-defensive-presence-has-florida-poised-for-deeper-run

Excellent article from cbssports.com on Scottie.

Great article, thanks for the link., AlB.

[InstiGATOR1]

Yes, that is a very well researched article. The only thing it is missing is that it is no surprise to UF fans who saw Wilbekin shut down Hopson of UTn as a true frosh.

[GatorPlanet]

Yes, that is a very well researched article. The only thing it is missing is that it is no surprise to UF fans who saw Wilbekin shut down Hopson of UTn as a true frosh.

Hopson! That's who it was! I've been trying to remember who SW shut down that night.