Freshman guards play big role in U's success

Jennifer Simonson, Star Tribune

Al Nolen has made a name for himself with his defense, here going down with Iowa’s Tony Freeman in pursuit of the ball Saturday.

The Gophers' Blake Hoffarber and Al Nolen have been major contributors in their first men's college basketball season.

By MYRON P. MEDCALF, Star Tribune

Last update: February 12, 2008 - 1:22 AM

At a coaches' clinic last fall, a Gophers men's basketball official vowed that the team's newest members -- freshmen Blake Hoffarber and Al Nolen -- would astonish many.

"Blake Hoffarber and Al Nolen might be two of the best players in the Big Ten," the insider said.

"Yeah, right," was the unspoken response of some nearby listeners.

At the time, Hoffarber was simply known as a 2005 ESPY Award winner from Hopkins who landed on the Gophers' radar when others weren't available. And Nolen was the surprise from Minneapolis Henry who wasn't expected to make the team because of grades and assumed lackluster talent.

But that official's words become more true every game. Saturday against Iowa, Nolen had a steal, seven points and an assist to Damian Johnson in the final 10 minutes, helping the Gophers take control of a tight game. A few minutes later, Hoffarber hit a three-pointer that gave them a 12-point lead.

Nolen and Hoffarber -- who lead the Big Ten in steals per game and three-point shooting, respectively -- have grown into dependable contributors and go-to players, after spending the early part of the season making the kind of mistakes that freshmen make.

Hoffarber's shooting touch and Nolen's defensive aptitude might prove critical again tonight, when the Gophers play host to Illinois. More important, their on-court success could also determine the team's postseason prospects.

Both players knew they could command heavy minutes, but they are still getting used to the prominence they have ascertained thus far.

"I really had no expectations, but the role we're playing, I think it's pretty big," said Nolen, who is averaging 21.2 minutes, 4.7 points, 3.6 assists (a team high) and 2.3 steals per game. "We're all just playing as a team. I'm surprised we're playing this big of a role."

But while the two played for the Minnesota Magic Elite AAU squad last summer, they figured that their work ethic would determine how much playing time they received under Tubby Smith, a coach who assigns minutes based on ability rather than experience.

"When we were playing AAU this summer, we were just working hard," said Hoffarber, who is shooting 47.2 percent from three-point range and averaging 9.2 points per game. "We knew if we kept working hard we could start playing Big Ten our first year. This year ... Al is doing great and I've been fitting in."

Smith said the maturation of the team's two youngest players is evident. Before the season began, Smith knew the two had enough talent to compete.

He quickly noticed Nolen's ability to anticipate opponents' passes. And Hoffarber's pure stroke was clearly the product of good coaching and discipline.

But they still had to prove that their raw talent would translate into games. They both showed the best of their abilities at Penn State on Jan. 12. With the Nittany Lions leading by 16 in the second half, Hoffarber got the Gophers back in it with four three-pointers, and then Nolen had a steal in the closing seconds of a tie game before making three free throws to wrap up a victory.

"Well, they're no longer freshmen," Smith said Monday. "This time of year, they've gone through the wars. We played them early in the season to give them that experience. Blake has made good decisions with the ball; he can shoot the ball. And Al, when you're leading this league in steals [per game], that's tremendous."

Now 22 games into the season, Hoffarber is a starter and Nolen appears to be the leading candidate to play the point guard spot full-time next season.

Gophers senior Lawrence McKenzie knows the challenges the two younger guards face. As a first-year player at Oklahoma in 2003-04, he averaged 8.2 points and started in 20 games for the Sooners.

At first, the two freshmen caught him off guard by the way they played. Now, however, they are so consistent, he expects a big game out of them every night.

"They don't play like freshmen at all," McKenzie said. "They're really poised out there on the court. And they play like veterans."

Recent Gophers stories

Gay has 102 yards, Tennessee Tech rolls up 288 yards rushing to beat Murray State 45-14 - February 12, 2008

Gay has 102 yards, Tennessee Tech rolls up 288 yards rushing to beat Murray State 45-14 - Lee Sweeney passed for two touchdowns and Cass Barnes ran for two scores as Tennessee Tech routed Murray State 45-14 on Saturday in the season finale for both teams. More