Xavier needs to do something to save the season, why not give the keys to the offense to a crazy person?
Coaches do not teach basketball the way Dante Maddox plays it.
Go down to your local high school or intermediate and watch what the coaches are teaching. Most likely, it isn’t step back, fadeaway, nothing square three pointers or drives into three guys on a fastbreak. Dante Maddox does those things, and they usually work. Coaches do teach relentless effort, in your face defense, and constant motion. Dante Maddox also does those things.
Xavier right now is clinging to the precipice. They cannot afford another regular season loss unless they want to have a Kola well sized hole to climb out of at the Big East Tournament. Over the last two games the starting backcourt has scored a combined 25 points. Dante has scored 30.
The Musketeers need something to get them going. Specifically, they need some guard production. As mentioned in the article linked above, Dayvion McKnight has been downright bad in conference play. Ryan Conwell has been better, but has been incredibly streaky and has not shot the ball well at all. McKnight is playing 33 minutes per game, Conwell is playing 32.6.
Dante Maddox is playing 18 minutes per game. His offensive efficiency in conference play is 119.5, best on the team and 11th best in the conference. His effective field goal percentage in conference play is 61%, again a team leading number and something usually seen by someone who spends more time close to the basket. He’s 21 of his last 46 from deep and up to 39.5% for the year and fourth best in the conference with a 45.7% mark in Big East play.
So why doesn’t Dante play more? It’s not his turnover rate, his is lower than McKnight’s or Swain’s and is under 15% in conference play. It’s not his defense, he’s fourth on the team in both steal and block rate and is something of a menace, if prone to the occasional space out. It’s not that he is ball dominant, his usage rate is tied with McKnight for fifth on the team, his shots rate is fourth on the team.
There is something, though, vaguely disturbing about watching Maddox play. He creates discomfort at all times. Except at the line, where he is serenely excellent, he is a constant spasm of fast twitch muscle and decisions that seem to make sense only in the unique narrative he creates. It’s not hard to look at him and think “this guy? We’re turning the keys over to this guy?”
Sam Greene
But yes, that’s exactly what I’m advocating. Dante has never been a pure point guard, but for all his idiosyncrasies, he makes good decisions. His turnover rate has never been terribly high. Last season he averaged 30+ minutes per game and posted a 126.3 offensive rating in conference play. The more he plays, the better he gets. Even in doing that, his usage rate was only 21%. Dante Maddox is almost the opposite of how he looks. Every number tells you that he makes good decisions and is intelligent with the ball. You just watch and think… this guy? This guy is more safe with the ball than Dee Davis ever was?
Dante Maddox doesn’t appear to be the safe choice, but he is. Ryan Conwell is slumping, Dayvion McKnight appears to be utterly exhausted. It’s time to start Dante, give him 30 minutes, and see what happens. One thing is certain: it won’t be boring.