|
Hello, and welcome to the first edition of the Tiger Basketball Insider. Below, you’ll find the latest news and analysis from the Daily Memphian’s college basketball reporters and columnists.
The Tigers offense has been anything but consistent so far, but one of the more pleasant surprises is reserve guard Jayden Hardaway, who over the last three games is averaging 16.3 minutes, 6.0 points, 0.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
Hardaway, the son of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway, seldom played more than 10 minutes in a game last season but now is emerging as a solid rotation piece.
On the heels of scoring a season-high eight points on 4-of-6 shooting in the Tigers’ win over Central Arkansas, in which he started the second half, Jayden Hardaway said the game is beginning to slow down for him in his redshirt sophomore season.
“I just tried to tell myself over quarantine, before our preseason started, that I just need to come to this year with a more aggressive mindset, really focus on my body and really hone in on sharpening my skills,” he said. “I talked to my dad about being great in my role, playing unselfish, making plays, being aggressive in situations like playing out of close outs or like just beating your man off the dribble if you have a mismatch. I’ve just noticed how to take advantage of those situations more this year.”
Hardaway is averaging 3.6 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game off the bench while shooting 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the field. His plus-minus rating (27) is fourth on the team behind D.J. Jeffries (55), Lester Quinones (42) and Damion Baugh (37), and as such, his playing time has increased from 7.7 minutes per game last season to 11.2 minutes per game.
Penny Hardaway said Jayden earned his minutes in the preseason by making strides both physically (he had one of the most pronounced offseason transformations of any player) and mentally.
 Before and after photos showing Jayden Hardaway in July 2019 (left) and July 2020 (right). (Courtesy of Chris Goodman)
“He’s gotten way stronger and way bigger, so now he can take the physicality of the game because last year he was a little frail and he couldn’t he couldn’t really do it,” Penny Hardaway said. “And then secondly, his confidence grew. You know, he came into the first practices and he started dominating from the first day to show the guys that he wasn’t just going to back down because he was a coach’s son.”
There may be another factor at play, too. Before the season Jayden Hardaway changed his jersey from No. 25 to No. 1, the number he wore for most of his life and that his father famously wore while playing for the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
Former guard Tyler Harris wore No. 1 at Memphis for the last two seasons, but after Harris transferred to Iowa State this spring, Jayden knew it was time to reclaim it for himself.
“I wore No. 1 all throughout high school and AAU until I went to Memphis East and I just kind of — I don’t know, it’s just like a certain level of confidence that just comes with me wearing my number again,” he said. “I kind of feel like myself again.”
More from your Insider:
It’s still a small sample size, but three players are commonalities in the lineups with a positive plus-minus.
Jeffries poured in 15 points in Memphis’ win over Central Arkansas, a long-awaited breakout performance in which the sophomore forward appeared to exorcise the demons that have terrorized him this season.
Landers Nolley II scored 23 points, his third game with 20-plus points.
Until the NCAA issues a final ruling, Williams can practice with the Tigers but remains sidelined during games.
Memphis native and Tigers guard Madison Griggs shattered records as a freshman last season.
..... |
