by Ryan Rogers
LSUsports.net
Heading into the 1999-2000 season, LSU head coach John Brady stressed two major changes if his Tigers were to improve upon last year’s 12-win total: It needed to get stronger and they needed to improve its ball-handling and decision making. It appears they have done both so far in the early season, with freshman point guard Torris Bright helping the latter need.
The Slidell native has stepped in and performed beyond his experience to date and was instrumental in the Tigers’ three-game sweep to win the title at the Hawaii Thanksgiving Classic. Bright stepped up and here a pair of crucial three-pointers and a series of free throws to seal the Tigers’ championship game victory over Fresno State.
“He’s young, but he plays the game with a big-time mentality”, said Brady.
Bright had a very tough task ahead of him coming into this season. After he signed with LSU he was given the responsibility of orchestrating the Tigers offense as a true freshmen. The Tigers desperately needed some consistency at the position in order to reduce turnovers and help make the overall offense flow better.
Bright answered Brady’s call and picked up his system very quickly. “It’s starting to come to me,” said Bright. “In the preseason I concentrated on my defensive skills. I knew that would help me contribute while I was waiting for my offensive play to pick up.”
Bright started scoring in the Hawaii tournament with 17 points against Oakland and finished with 21 against Fresno State. More importantly he started to hit the open shots that defenders were giving him in the Tigers’ two exhibition games and two games prior to their trip to Hawaii. If Bright can knock down the open jumper when it is given to him the rest of the Tigers’ offense will open up.
Another intangible that Bright brings to LSU is that he is used to winning after playing at perennial Louisiana power Slidell High School prior to LSU. His team was the state runner-up in 1998 and winning is something he is simply accustomed to. “I came from a winning program and brought that winning mentality with me,” says Bright. “I knew that even if I couldn’t avoid making mistakes due to inexperience, I just needed to do what was necessary to win”, said Bright.
Bright has done that for the Tigers. Although he may get confused at times, he doesn’t make foolish mistakes that so many young players do. These mistakes often contribute to losses. The Tigers are off to a quick 5-0 start for a number of reasons, but a major one has been the maturity displayed by this savvy freshman.
The Hawaii trip was very instrumental in Bright’s development as a point guard. His assist to turnover ratio was excellent and he helped his team win the tournament.
“The Hawaii tournament did a lot for my confidence,” said Bright. “Playing three games in a row like that helped the team find out where we are from a fatigue standpoint. It’s a major factor and I think we need to get in better shape for the long run of SEC play”, said Bright.
Bright has the potential to become a top-flight point guard in the SEC. He may be the best looking young point guard in the conference right now. His continued progress will be essential as the Tigers look to reestablish themselves with the SEC elite.
People are finally starting to take notice of LSU and justifiably so. In a year in which many other SEC teams are already being accused of underachieving, LSU is opening eyes. And so is Torris Bright. And the better he continues to get, the better the Tigers will get as the SEC season approaches.