The biggest question going into this year’s Badger basketball season was who would fill the absence of the big man following the departure of Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil. At 6’ 10” and 6’ 8” respectively, those are some big shoes to fill. Although, the Badgers are only four games into the season, they seem to have found their man to fill the void in the paint and at the arc, Jared Berggren.
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| Berggren has done a great job of stepping up as the big man for this year's Badger BBall team. |
The 6’ 10” junior has been the biggest surprise to Badger fans this season averaging 13.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season. To some fans, this is somewhat of a shock while others will boast he has had the capability all along and just needed his chance. Well, he most certainly has it now averaging 23.5 minutes a game.
Although Leuer and Nankivil were two of the biggest guys on the court they had one talent that is not a typical characteristic of men of their size, three point shooting. Last season, Nankivil shot 45.7% beyond the arc and Leuer did even better with a 46.2%. Apparently Berggren knows he has to fill that void as well as he has shot a 41.2% from down town including a 4 – 4 performance in last night’s game.
Hopefully a feature Berggren will add to the team this year is a bigger presence in the paint. Currently he is averaging 1.5 blocks a game where Leuer and Nankivil combined for 1.3 blocks a game last season.
But Badger fans; let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It is very impressive how Berggren has started and how the team as a whole has started, yet we have played cupcakes. This is a great sign but let’s see how Berggren progresses throughout the season as he faces tougher opponents. Say next week when the Badgers travel to Chapel Hill to take on the number one team in the land.
BEAT UNC!
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