Greivis Vasquez's resurgence earned him ACC Player of the Week honors. Photo by Matthew Creger/The Diamondback
It sure seems that way. Maybe a little rest and the end of the fall semester was what he needed.
Monday, a day after recording 26 points and eight rebounds against Florida Atlantic, Vasquez was named ACC Player of the Week.
Against Winston-Salem State last week, Vasquez poured in 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including a 4-of-4 mark from deep. Before exams, in the Terps’ 83-72 victory against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 12, the senior from Venezuela paced the team with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
In the nine games prior, Vasquez shot just 32 percent from the floor and 28 percent from three-point range. In the last of those nine games, the Terps’ loss to then-No. 3 Villanova, the guard was a non-factor. The Terps finished the major nonconference segment of their schedule with a disappointing 5-3 record.
Then, there was a six-day break before the Eastern Kentucky game and things started to come back to Vasquez.
“He played all summer, went into the draft, did all that, played for his country,” coach Gary Williams said. “All of a sudden here’s college basketball season. There’s no break. Now, I think he’s had a chance to look and see where he can get better. I really just believe he’s slowed down a little bit – a couple things he’s trying to do – and when you do that, sometimes the court seems like it just opens up and gives you some more room to operate.”
“As I play, you don’t wanna put too much on your mind,” Vasquez said. “But I had too much man, I did have too much – NBA Draft, getting ready for the NBA Draft, then going back home, working out. It’s a lot going on for one guy. If I was American, I’d just stay over here with my family and get ready for the season. But you know, it’s a learning process, I’d take that anytime.
“I was busy, but I was playing basketball. I love basketball,” Vasquez continued. “But at some point, when you do too much it catches up to you and you have to get a little break. And the break was mental. … I was thinking too much in my mind. Physically, I was feeling pretty good. I just have to get that out of my mind and play ball.”
In the last three games, Vasquez is shooting 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from three-point range, which has moved his season averages in both categories right up around where they were last season.
Vasquez obviously won’t continue at that pace, but it validates Williams’ early-season belief that Vasquez was too good of a player not to rebound from such an underwhelming start to his senior campaign.
Facing bad teams no doubt helps the process. Against Florida Atlantic (5-7) on Sunday, Vasquez was efficient, but took advantage of fast break and turnover opportunities that likely won’t be there come ACC time.
Ten of Vasquez’s 12 made baskets came inside the paint, which in itself is a good sign. But seven of those baskets came on a fast break, off a steal or off an offensive rebound – situations he and the rest of the Terps won’t see as much playing teams similar in talent and size.
Five of Vasquez’s eight missed shots came in halfcourt situations, though he improved in the second half, hitting two three-pointers, both with the shot clock well under 20 seconds. Also, to be fair, his last missed three-point attempt came with under a minute remaining, the game firmly in hand and the shot clock winding down.
The Terps don’t just need Vasquez’s scoring – they need it efficiently. I’ll submit the Cincinnati and Villanova losses as evidence as that, though Vasquez was saddled with foul trouble against the Wildcats and played only 27 minutes. His season average is 31.5 minutes.
Still, if Vasquez can continue his stellar play, the Terps could reach a double-digit win total in the ACC for only the second time in six years, despite the team’s uninspiring nonconference run. And the signs are there.
Aaron Kraut is The Diamondback’s sports editor. He can be reached at akrautdbk@gmail.com.