Illinois coach Lou Henson had hoped to spark better play in sophomore Jerry Hester, who was scoreless from the field against Michigan last week, by replacing him as a starter Saturday against Minnesota.
Henson’s plan didn’t work, and the small forward slot remains a big problem for Illinois. It also remains unclear who might fill that role on any sort of a consistent basis.
Freshman Bryant Notree started for Hester during Saturday’s 77-66 defeat, but he didn’t play particularly well. In fact, it was almost entirely downhill after Notree hit a banker 84 seconds into the game.
Over the next 2 minutes, Notree committed one foul and traveled twice.
Hester entered the game with just a little more than 3 minutes gone and played most of the way. He started the second half.
In 10 minutes, Notree was 1 of 3 from the field. He scored only those two points, committed three fouls and turned the ball over twice.
In 28 minutes, Hester was 1 of 7. He scored just two points, and his bucket, the Illini’s last, came during garbage time with with just 32 seconds remaining.
“We haven’t gotten much there all year,” Henson said of the position. “It’s not just scoring. We’re not getting some of the other things.”
Henson noted that redshirt freshman Brian Johnson actually filled the small forward slot most ably Saturday. In 10 minutes, Johnson scored two points and didn’t make any glaring mistakes.
Johnson did not play more, Henson said, only because he had “too much nervous energy.”
Interestingly, Minnesota coach Clem Haskins used the same sort of motivational strategy against Illinois-with much more success. Haskins benched his regular forwards-Chad Kolander and Jayson Walton-who combined for four points in a loss Jan. 14 at Wisconsin and nine points in a victory Wednesday over Ohio State.
Freshman Sam Jacobson and junior David Grim got the starting assignments Saturday, and combined for 13 points and eight rebounds in 42 minutes.
Apparently sparked, Kolander came off the bench for the first time this season and scored 14 points in 22 minutes.
