Will Power

by zagpundit on Feb 4, 2010 5:27 PM PST Comment 9 comments

Nice article in SR today by Jim Meehan chronicling Will Foster's career as an underappreciated reserve. Will has seen the court a total of 102 minutes this year. Considering Will has actually checked into only 17 of 21 games, that's an average of half-a-dozen minutes each time he works his way off the bench. So much for nurturing confidence. Still, he's tied for second on the team in blocks and leads GU in field goal percentage at 73%. Foster had a chance to be a solid, if unspectacular, post player if given the opportunity to develop in the system. Sadly, the coaching staff has never provided him the minutes to reach the next level. I'm not sure Will has seen more than four or five minutes at a time this year before he's pulled out. Sometimes, it's for a reason but often he is actually contributing as a defensive presence or with the occasional putback and still he gets a call to the bench. This is a player who could have flourished with a program like Portland or LMU where he may have been given room to grow. I understand it's not easy to adjust a rotation, especially when you have big men like Kelly, Rob and Elias who require quality time. I just find it unfortunate that Will has not really been given that window to integrate into the program. It's another example of the Zags bringing in so much ability that sometimes players get lost in the mix. Some, like Larry Gurganious end up leaving for another school. Let's hope that G.J., Bol and others don't have the same regrets that Will has by their senior year.

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GJ is the only one that I could see transfering. Bol and Manny are both going to get seriously elevated playing time next year.

by Ekrub on Feb 5, 2010 10:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Before this year

Will did nothing to earn extended minutes. He got screwed over early on because he was forced into action when Josh Heytvelt got hurt. If he had the chance to redshirt, things may have been a lot different. I know Will is a fan favorite, but before this season I grimaced when he entered the game. He’s obviously made some tremendous strides and finally seems to have some control over that 7’5’’ frame.

As for transfers, if we don’t bring anyone in as a part of the 2010 class, I could see no transfers happening. Manny or Bol will be starting next year I think. Grant will also make a push for that spot but I still like his style off the bench more as long as Steven is here. Then you have Rob, Elias, Kelly, and Sam in the post. If Sam shows that he can really contribute down low, I’d love to see Kelly on the wing a bit more but we shall see.

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by Zach Bell on Feb 5, 2010 10:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

If Elias comes back next year? OMG, I can almost see the final 4 banner now, hanging in the MAC!

Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~

by gaz-tastic on Feb 5, 2010 11:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

can't say I agree about Foster,

My opinion is he has played very well this year in the time he has earned. I’m not sure I can agree that he should have been given more PT, as I think Few gives the players PT that earn it. Watching Will in person his first few years at GU was equal parts shock and awe.

I do agree with another poster that wishes he had been redshirted as I do believe he could have a huge impact on the team next year.

Hopefully Will knows that the Zag fans that have been around a while appreciate his desire to stick with it, improve and earn playing time. I certainly do appreciate that. The easy road for him would have been to transfer to a lesser quality program for PT. I think his experience at GU can lead to a professional career (overseas), should he decide that is what he wants.

by GU.AmericasTeam on Feb 5, 2010 11:02 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Its a combination of things

If Sacre was playing like Batista used to, I don’t think Will would get on the floor.

Fact is, the way Sacre has played at times, — other than foot speed — you don’t lose much if anything with Foster.

mjc

by quidveritas on Feb 5, 2010 11:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

in defense of Foster

My primary point in bringing up Will’s lack of PT had to do with the challenges of finding minutes on a roster as skilled as GU’s. While I can understand a tall, skinny kid from Bonney Lake would be enthused about joining a program with national prominence, it seems, in retrospect, that he would have had more chance to develop at a school where he wasn’t sitting behind talented post players like Heytvelt, Daye and Sacre. It’s one of those tough dilemmas for a recruit who does not quite fit the blue-chip category — do you go to a lesser school where you can play consistently or sign on with a high-profile program and risk languishing on th bench?

by zagpundit on Feb 5, 2010 11:27 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Will

Is a good man. Does his job to the best of his abilities. A very special moment in his GU hoop career occured last night and not many have said a word so I will.

His reaction when he made the free throw was priceles and I would bet more gratifying than any other plays in his GU career. GJ, will transfer, just no time for him to get ala Andy Poling, Larry G. and PMAC.

by mikesequim on Feb 5, 2010 1:22 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Next year

It would be nice since we arent going to fill his scholarship this year if he could apply for another year of elegability. Im sure he played little enough minutes one of the past four years to be elegable.

ONE MORE YEAR, ONE MORE YEAR!!

by bryanablair on Feb 5, 2010 10:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Good post.

I am sad that we haven’t seen more of Foster. He is a unique set of skills that are difficult to piece together into a system. After the Memphis game today we might be seeing him more.

Jim R Harris MA

by zagallum on Feb 6, 2010 3:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs