Frazier and Jordan halt nation’s second-leading scorer

 

 

By Jeff LaBelle

Illinois guards Chester Frazier and Jeff Jordan both had a hand in slowing down the nation’s second-highest scorer, 5-foot-8 guard David Holston, in Wednesday’s 89-50 win against Chicago State.

Head coach Bruce Weber made it a point of emphasis beforehand that neither guard, on his own, would be able to contain the speedy “little guy,” as Weber called him. However, their efforts helped slow Holston, who averaged 28 points per game before the matchup.

“We told our guys, Chester can’t guard him (alone),” Weber said. “(Holston’s) so quick and has such great balance, knows how to use angles, we have to have other people help him. Especially when they ball screen.”

Holston finished with a team-high 17 points, but on only 6-of-19 shooting. Holston’s stats are usually a commodity for the high-scoring, yet still-struggling Division-I team.

“(Holston’s) just gifted,” Chicago State coach Benjy Taylor said. “He can just make a lot of shots. Six-for-19, that’s pretty bad for him, but (Frazier and Jordan) did a good job defensively on him. I’ll tell you one thing about him, he’ll get in the gym and he’ll figure it out. He’s a tough kid.”

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Holston described Frazier as a tough defender, and credited the team’s overall defensive effort with slowing him down. Holston trails only Davidson guard Stephen Curry as the nation’s top scorer – Curry drops 30.8 points per contest while Holston’s average dipped after the Illinois game to 26.9 points per game.

For a coach who has been looking for a second lockdown defender, Holston’s remarks may encourage Weber. When comparing Jordan with Frazier, who is widely regarded as the team’s best defender, Holston found similarities.

“(Jordan’s) almost the same (as Frazier),” Holston said. “They’re both big, strong guys.”

Weber said Jordan’s play has been back-and-forth lately, but knows what he wants from the guard every time he takes the floor – pressure on defense and pushing the ball on offense.

Jordan finished with two points and six assists in 17 minutes. Frazier had seven points and six assists in 27 minutes.

“I’ve been kind of waiting for (Jordan),” Weber said. “He’s been playing well in practice, making progress.

“Against Hawaii he did the things we’ve been asking, pressure the ball, push the ball.”

Jordan only took one shot in Wednesday’s contest – a sign in Weber’s mind that the guard knows how to play to his strengths.

“Somebody teased him, ”You’re shooting too much’ after the game,'” Weber said. “(Jordan) just looked at him. Coach McClain, I think, said it to him, ‘Jeff, quit shooting too much.’ Again, he’s accepted he can help us if he does the things he’s good at. And he did that tonight.”