Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Player Profile: Niels Giffey


Looking Back: Niels Giffey had a tough time adjusting to his role on the team. He was reliable defensively but he couldn’t find his shot with his limited touches in games. Even with his uneven play, he provided a necessary depth to the wing position and showed glimpses of the talent that put a spotlight on him from overseas.

The Good: He is a tough nosed player and wasn’t upset at the minutes he was given. He has good lateral movement and for his lanky frame, he doesn’t get beat much. He has a nice shot, though the numbers didn’t say so. Calhoun felt comfortable with Giffey on defense and trusted him in big spots down the stretch.

The Bad: He has a hard time with the dribble drive, either taking it too far into the paint for a charge or dribbling into a tougher shot. He needs to work on his spot-up shooting and his mid-ranged game. He also needs to battle more on the boards and commit to getting those second chance points.

Looking Ahead: It is hard enough to be a freshman on a new campus and adjust to college basketball but to be from another culture is a whole different story. He should be much more comfortable with the campus, school, coaching staff, and competition. If he can limit his dribble drives, take the open shot when it is in the flow of the offense, and battle more on the boards then he should have a good season.

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