Xavier’s unfairly maligned sophomore exploded in the second half of a must win game for Xavier.
Desmond Claude is a polarizing player. To the unwashed Twitter masses he’s an unrepentant gunner who shoots too much and is a disappointing player in his freshman year. To the people who know the game he’s a guy flashing major upside and hampered only by a jumper that he deploys only to keep defenses honest. To Coach Miller he’s the player he frequently chooses to have the ball with the game on the line.
Xavier still has a tiny chance for an at large bid. Even life support is probably a generous way of stating it, but it’s there. Losing to Georgetown would, obviously, erase that. Georgetown sucks at basketball. They spent $6 million on Ed Cooley and improved not one bit. The only reason they aren’t winless in the Big East is because DePaul exists. (Seriously, drop DePaul.) And yet, that miserable mass of basketballing worse than mediocrity led Xavier by as many as 15 in the first half. How and why remains something of a mystery. The Lord works in mysterious ways and sometimes Xavier’s defense doesn’t work at all.
X entered the second half down 12, but Des Claude quickly made it 10. For the next 12 minutes, Xavier accomplished essentially nothing. With eight to play the Musketeers had made a couple runs but were still down 10. It was Gytis Nemeiksa who started to bring them back. Assisted by Des Claude, he made it eight. He then converted two from the line to make it six. Then it was Claude and then Olivari’s turn from the line, Des from the line, Des from the floor. In just three minutes, Georgetown had blown a ten point lead and Claude had scored six.
Des was hardly done. He eventually scored ten straight points as Xavier roared back into the game. Those ten were the last of his 26 in the second half and 36 on the game. Georgetown found what so many teams have this season: when Des is determined to get downhill to the rim, there is precious little anyone can do about it. Last night, he stayed determined to do that. When Georgetown finally realized what was going on (and it took 26 points and 15 game minutes for Cooley to do that), Des found Dayvion McKnight for a three and Kachi Nzeh for a dunk. With Xavier desperately needing a win, Claude stepped up and was absolutely peerless. He’s probably the most improved player in the Big East this season. Only his own fan base doubts that.
Xavier may have found something in Nzeh
Kachi Nzeh couldn’t catch the ball against DePaul and struggled to finish. He came into this game determined to set that right. Kachi played 28 minutes, put up a line of 13/8/0 and only turned the ball over once. He’s a relentless ball of energy who seems to have found his niche.
Nemo has regained his verve
It wasn’t hard to figure out who Coach Miller meant when he questioned work ethic and then said some people didn’t deserve to play. It wasn’t hard because he followed that up by benching Nemeiksa for an entire half. Once Nemo was in the game against DePaul, and then again in this game against Georgetown, he flew after rebound and hunted the ball everywhere. His 11/4/0 augurs well for further consideration.
It’s not over yet
If Xavier wins the next two, and that’s a huge if, they have a 5.5% chance of making the NCAAs on an at large bid. That’s minuscule. What that does do is keep Xavier on their tenuous track toward making at least the Big East final. Hold fast hope.