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Strange: Chism is inside story for Vols
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We expect Bruce Pearl to come up with good lines. So Thursday night we chuckled appropriately when he delivered what sounded like a wisecrack.
"I think Wayne Chism had more rebounds tonight than he did in December," Pearl said in perfect deadpan at his post-game press conference.
Maybe Pearl was trying to get a laugh but, surprising as it sounds, he was just about on the money.
Chism came up big in Tennessee's 80-60 demolition of Vanderbilt at Thompson-Boling Arena with a career-high 18 rebounds.
Then I totaled up his rebounds for five games in December and it came to?
Well, 18.
Another piece of the puzzle is falling into place for the Vols.
"He's gonna get'em if he wants 'em," said Tyler Smith, meaning rebounds.
"When he does that, it takes a lot of pressure off the other guys."
Chism wasn't a one-trick pony Thursday. He also scored 18 points. Had he not come up empty on his four free throws in the final minutes, he would have eclipsed his career scoring high as well.
Four blocked shots, that was another career best.
But as welcome as his points were to a crowd of 20,799, those 18 rebounds and four blocked shots were his most appreciated contributions.
No one in a Tennessee uniform had collected 18 rebounds in a game since Damon Johnson did way back in 1996 against College of Charleston.
Way back in December, Tennessee was outrebounded in all five games. The SEC opener against Ole Miss made it six in a row.
When the network talking heads size up UT as a national contender, it goes like this: a stream of compliments, inevitably followed by a disclaimer that the lack of an inside presence will be Tennessee's Achilles' heel.
Indeed, at tipoff Thursday night, the most-discussed inside presence was Vanderbilt's A.J. Ogilvy.
The big freshman from Australia has been the revelation of the SEC. Just this week Pearl called him the best at his position in the league.
This was a challenge for Chism, who has a tendency to lurk on the perimeter when his team needs him in the paint banging. Exhibit A? Those 18 rebounds in December.
This night, Chism was the revelation, not Ogilvy.
Chism blocked two of Ogilvy's early shots and never let the 6-foot-10 freshman get in a comfort zone. Ogilvy finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four turnovers.
The personal duel was Chism's by unanimous decision. He said Ogilvy's reputation and favorable press clippings were not a source of motivation.
"I didn't hear it or read it," said Chism. "He kept me motivated. He's a big man who can move."
So is Chism. Mobility is one of the skills that give him a shot of playing at the next level.
Another is his 3-point touch. He's shooting a modest 29.3 percent beyond the arc this season, but even that's enough to stretch the defense.
He burned Vandy twice from long range during a 23-6 first-half spurt that blew the game open.
"I know," said Pearl, "when he squares up, the whole crowd goes, 'No-o-o-o …. Yes!'
"It just changes the way our opponent has to guard us when he steps up and makes that shot."
And when Chism decides to bang in the paint, it changes the way everybody has to handicap Tennessee as a factor in March and even into April.
December is over. In three SEC games in January, Chism is averaging 11.3 rebounds.
That's a good sign for the Vols. It's an ominous sign for everybody else.
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by Kwitcherbellyachin on January 18, 2008 at 12:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We're going to need Chism down the stretch. We don't even have to get a lot of points from Chism, as long as he averages double figures in rebounds and blocks a few shots. It's nice to see him awaken from his slumber.
Posted by volmattna on January 18, 2008 at 12:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wow what a game wayne keep it up if we keep clicking we are gona be somthing special we will win the sec and if we beat memphis we will be a #1 seed...but we just need to take it one game at a time...go vols!! bruce almighty you are the greatest coach in the world!!
Posted by TurboFan on January 18, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Must have been Wayne's turn in the barrel. Who'll be the hero on Saturday?
Posted by bigbluevol on January 18, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wayne is a good player who is much maligned because people don't want to see him shooting 3's. As Pearl said, it really forces the opponent to guard the whole floor. The only problem is when he gets too enamored with the shot. His play on Ogilvy last night was outstanding. He owned that guy and was clearly in his head. I'm glad he's on our team and I'm looking forward to continued success from him as the season and the next two years go on. Keep it up Wayne!
Posted by Ironcity on January 18, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wayne plays good Dee. I still don't like those contested bombs early in the shot clock.
Posted by King53 on January 18, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Keep it up Wayne...you have another big test on Sat. when Ohio State rolls into town. Don't they have a good freshman big man? Time to go to school!
Posted by rbhobbs73 on January 18, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I also loved seeing Wayne score 12 points in the Paint!!!!
I don't mind his 3's when he is open (particularly on the secondary break) but when he jacks them contested or semi-contested....that is what I don't like.
I thought Chris came back to life last night. Once his 3 from the corner went down, he looked confident on his drive to the paint and then the last 3 was vintage CL...jab step, defender on his heels, step back...BURIED IN HIS EYE.
If you listen to Chris, he has said that he is not used to being this open. I think he is correct. Sometimes when a shooter is too open, he thinks about it too much.
In Pearl We Trust!
Posted by johnlg00 on January 18, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, Chism certainly showed me something last night! Ironically, what he showed me was what he should have been showing all season. I heard him interviewed on the post-game show--just about the first time I have heard him speak--and he seems to be a...different kind of cat. I don't mean that negatively. He just seems very self-assured and inner-directed. To me, it seems that he will play how and when HE chooses to and is not much swayed by outside influences. CBP is smart enough to know that pushing him too much is likely to be counter-productive. Both of them probably know that his play is the key to our future success. I just hope he brings that kind of effort every night out. He seems to get up for an individual challenge--he played Oden very well last year. Koufos will be a similar challenge on Saturday. If he brings it on Saturday like he did Thursday, I will feel a LOT better about our chances to go far in the NCAAs this year.
Posted by dogboy on January 18, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to hustle Wayne, I really enjoy watching you, because it looks like you are really having fun out there. I have seats in the top tier and I can always see you smiling. Keep it up.
GO BIG ORANGE!!!
Posted by murrayvol on January 18, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not too much Chism bashing going around today. 18 points, 18 boards, 4 blocks and a great postgame interview. You could bitch about 0-4 on free throws but the rest of his line is Player of the Week worthy.
The bottom line is, if BP really wanted him to stop taking 3's, he would. He doesn't need to shoot 40% behind the arc to affect opposing defenses. So you go Wayne...just not too often or too early. Koufos awaits.
Posted by jdcvols on January 18, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, murrayvol, bashing him last week may have motivated Chism to play ball, it seemed to have worked with ol CPF?
Posted by cmoore7 on January 18, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If "Insane" Wayne handles Kristos Koufus on Saturday like he handled Ogilvy last night he might have the early criteria for a 1st team All-SEC pick and a 2nd or 3rd team All-American pick.Hansbrough and Greg Hibbert probably have the 1st team post spots locked up. Wasn't it fun to watch him dominate and cut up with his teammates?
Posted by bigbluevol on January 18, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The other thing about Chism that was really impressive last night was the way he handled getting jobbed on those 3 fouls in a row. In the past, as Jimmy Dykes said, he wouldn't have known how to handle that. Last night he never picked up another foul and he still limited Ogilvy. His postgame interview was hilarious.
Posted by Colliervol on January 18, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great game by Chism. If he can show that kind of effort on the boards every night, the Vols will be even harder to beat than they are now. I wouldn't exactly say folks were "bashing" Wayne. That's the first time all year that I've seen him consistently battle on the boards and that's just a fact.
I actually don't mind him taking a 3 every now and then. If he can hit one or two, it at least makes the opposing center come out and play him out there. And against a team like Memphis (who plays man to man), that means pulling Joey Dorsey away from the basket and opening things up for our other folks. Now I'm not talking about a steady diet of them but every now and then doesn't hurt (especially if he hits one every now and then).
Posted by jawbreaker on January 18, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Does anybody know the real story on Duke Crews? Were the announcers anywhere near correct last night in saying that his return could be as little as days away?
Posted by Colliervol on January 18, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jawbreaker, I heard Pearl on an interview earlier this week in Memphis and he said they are running one more "test" on him. Said he had made progress on the last "test" and, if he made similar progress, they would talk to Duke and his parents and then make a decision. Not sure what these tests entail but I have to assume it's some sort of treadmill test.
BP did say they have consulted with folks from the NBA and NFL who have dealt with heart issues of large African-American athletes. Corey Stringer, Reggie Lewis, and Flo Hyman are a few that they talked about in the interview.)
Posted by phyllisgarcia on January 18, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey Chism you were great last night keep up the good work i look forward to seeing more nights like last night
Posted by phyllisgarcia on January 18, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey Chism you were great last night keep up the good work i look forward to seeing more nights like last night
Posted by phyllisgarcia on January 18, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey Chism you were great last night keep up the good work i look forward to seeing more nights like last night
Posted by phyllisgarcia on January 18, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey Chism you were great last night keep up the good work i look forward to seeing more nights like last night
Posted by Ironcity on January 18, 2008 at 4:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How does Chism keep that head band from popping off his head?
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