Melo Trimble is spending his offseason training just like the rest of the Maryland basketball team.
The only issue is that he is training for the NBA Draft while the Terrapins are preparing for another NCAA Tournament run.
Trimble made the tough decision to declare for the NBA Draft after leading the Terps to a 24-9 (12-6 Big Ten) record during his junior season. Trimble’s exit leaves the Terps without not only their leading scorer, but also their team leader in the locker room and on the court.
It has been a while since Maryland has been without a leader on this team. Trimble has been the guy for the last three years. Whenever there was a need for a big shot or the team was struggling, Trimble was that guy.
Before the emergence of Trimble, there was Dez Wells.
Wells was the savvy veteran that kept the Terps in so many games with both his attitude and his play on the court. His leadership was something that Maryland was desperate for when he transferred from Xavier. He came in, took over the team, and helped in turning the program around.
This takes us to the upcoming 2017-2018 season where Maryland will be without their stellar guard in Trimble. The Terps have an incredibly young team with a lot of talented players, but it is hard to pick one player that stands out as ‘the guy’.
Everyone is going to have to step up their play and some will even have to step into new roles to help the team. Although if the team wants to succeed and get back to the NCAA Tournament, they are going to need someone to stand above the rest and take over as a leader on and off the court.
Several guys have the potential to fill this void. The first guys that come to mind are the freshman trio from last season, who are coming back to play together for their sophomore year.
Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter, and Justin Jackson all have the skills to carry this team. Each one of them had several moments last season where they caught fire and took over a game. There were games where the ball was in their hands during crunch time instead of Trimble’s even.
But are they leaders? Are they guys that the rest of the team can turn to when facing an eight-point deficit with three minutes left and morale is low? Maybe. Maybe not.
There are others that have the experience to show the young guys how to handle close games and tough situations. Guys like Michal Cekovsky and Jared Nickens immediately come to mind.
They are both seniors this season and have been there for the buzzer beater wins as well as the heartbreaking losses.
Cekovsky and Nickens may have the experience to be the calming presence that this team needs. The scary part is that there are few and far between that want to see the ball in Nickens’ or Cekovsky’s hands in crunch time.
This team is ripe with talent and any of the guys can be the one to step forward this season. There won’t be a standout guy to start the season, but there doesn’t have to be.
This is going to be a season that players will grow and separate themselves as a leader as the season progresses.
There is a lot to be excited about when watching a young team. It will be even more exciting watching one or more of the players looking to stand out and be a leader.
Every team needs a player that not only has the talent to be taking the last shot, but the confidence to be taking the last shot. Trimble wanted the ball in his hands when it mattered most.
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That confidence and desire to be in the tough situations is what separates the good from the great. Hopefully Maryland has a player that is capable of being great.