I know that I'm not alone in becoming slightly agitated when Gonzaga fans claim that Josh Heytvelt "owned" Big John head-to-head, and therefore
should be the WCC POY. Let's take a look at the facts... (and I apologize for originally posting this on the Dons board)
FIRST MEETING (SCU@GU, 1/15/09, GU 95 SCU 53):
-Heytvelt: 25 min, 4-9 fg, 0-1 3fg, 3-4 ft, 11 pts, 6 reb (1 off)
-Bryant: 27 min, 5-12 fg, 2-3 ft, 12 pts, 11 reb (4 off)
CONCLUSION GAME 1:
-I would say that the first match-up was basically a wash, with possibly a slight edge going to Big John. Neither were in foul trouble, yet Bryant had absolutely no help on offense. Only other person in double figures was Rahon with 14. Four other Zags had double figures with Daye leading the way with 20. Dowdell and Traz simply could not guard the kid.
SECOND MEETING (GU@SCU, 2/26/09, GU 81 SCU 73):
-Heytvelt: 35 min, 12-17 fg, 2-2 3fg, 3-5 ft, 29 pts, 9 reb (3 off), 2 blocks
-Bryant: 25 min, 7-9 fg, 2-2 ft, 16 pts, 11 reb (3 off), 2 blocks
CONCLUSIONS GAME 2:
-If you simply look at the stats for the game, Heytvelt outplayed Bryant with 29 pts to 16 pts. However, Heytvelt played 10 more minutes than Bryant did due to early foul trouble, which leads me to...
-Let's take a look at what Heytvelt did while Big John was on the bench with fouls. Bryant picks up foul #1 with 7:01 left in the 1st half. Not a big deal. However, with 6:29 left, Bryant picks up foul #2. In comes Dowdell, out goes Big John. For the rest of the half, Heytvelt goes for 6 pts, 1 reb, 2 stls.
-Big John starts the 2nd half with 2 fouls and picks up foul #3 with 15:46 left. In comes Dowdell, out goes Bryant till the 11:58 mark. During this time, Heytvelt goes for 1 pt, 2 reb, 1 block.
-Bryant doesn't pick up foul #4 for the rest of the game. So, during Bryant's time on the bench with fouls, Heytvelt went for 7 pts, 3 reb, 2 stls, 1 block. Not bad.
-Now let's look at how Heytvelt did for the entire game while Bryant was on the bench for any reason. Heytvelt went for 10 pts, 6 reb, 2 stls, 1 block. Take out these numbers, Heytvelt's line drops to 19 pts and 3 reb. I'd hardly call that "being owned."
-I'd also like to submit that Heytvelt is a F, while Bryant is a C. Six of Heytvelt's points came from 3 pointers, which are probably not Big John's fault.
FINAL CONCLUSION:
-The two games head-to-head between the two big men were a virtual wash. Who did better against the rest of the competition? My guess is Bryant did (but at this point, I'm tired of looking at stat pages), thus POY award. Besides, you can't tell me that Heytvelt's "history" didn't play a part. And the fact that Bouldin might have taken a vote or two from him.
Average Stats, WCC games only:
Scoring
2. Bryant 18.0 ppg
4. Heytvelt 16.0 ppg
Rebounding
1. Bryant 15.1 rpg
8. Heytvelt 6.8 rpg
Offensive Rebounds
1. Bryant 4.29 rpg
10. Heytvelt 2.14 rpg
Defensive Rebounds
1. Bryant 10.86 rpg
7. Heytvelt 4.64 rpg
Field Goal %
1. Bryant .621
2. Heytvelt .566
Free Throw %
6. Bryant .747
8. Heytvelt .743
Blocked Shots
1. Bryant 2.43 bpg
10. Heytvelt 0.93 bpg
Double-Doubles
1. Bryant 13 (14 games total)
t-7. Heytvelt 2
BIG JOHN BRYANT LEADS JOSH HEYTVELT IN ALL CATEGORIES, PLACING FIRST IN THE WCC IN 6 OF THE 8 LISTED
FIRST MEETING (SCU@GU, 1/15/09, GU 95 SCU 53):
-Heytvelt: 25 min, 4-9 fg, 0-1 3fg, 3-4 ft, 11 pts, 6 reb (1 off)
-Bryant: 27 min, 5-12 fg, 2-3 ft, 12 pts, 11 reb (4 off)
CONCLUSION GAME 1:
-I would say that the first match-up was basically a wash, with possibly a slight edge going to Big John. Neither were in foul trouble, yet Bryant had absolutely no help on offense. Only other person in double figures was Rahon with 14. Four other Zags had double figures with Daye leading the way with 20. Dowdell and Traz simply could not guard the kid.
SECOND MEETING (GU@SCU, 2/26/09, GU 81 SCU 73):
-Heytvelt: 35 min, 12-17 fg, 2-2 3fg, 3-5 ft, 29 pts, 9 reb (3 off), 2 blocks
-Bryant: 25 min, 7-9 fg, 2-2 ft, 16 pts, 11 reb (3 off), 2 blocks
CONCLUSIONS GAME 2:
-If you simply look at the stats for the game, Heytvelt outplayed Bryant with 29 pts to 16 pts. However, Heytvelt played 10 more minutes than Bryant did due to early foul trouble, which leads me to...
-Let's take a look at what Heytvelt did while Big John was on the bench with fouls. Bryant picks up foul #1 with 7:01 left in the 1st half. Not a big deal. However, with 6:29 left, Bryant picks up foul #2. In comes Dowdell, out goes Big John. For the rest of the half, Heytvelt goes for 6 pts, 1 reb, 2 stls.
-Big John starts the 2nd half with 2 fouls and picks up foul #3 with 15:46 left. In comes Dowdell, out goes Bryant till the 11:58 mark. During this time, Heytvelt goes for 1 pt, 2 reb, 1 block.
-Bryant doesn't pick up foul #4 for the rest of the game. So, during Bryant's time on the bench with fouls, Heytvelt went for 7 pts, 3 reb, 2 stls, 1 block. Not bad.
-Now let's look at how Heytvelt did for the entire game while Bryant was on the bench for any reason. Heytvelt went for 10 pts, 6 reb, 2 stls, 1 block. Take out these numbers, Heytvelt's line drops to 19 pts and 3 reb. I'd hardly call that "being owned."
-I'd also like to submit that Heytvelt is a F, while Bryant is a C. Six of Heytvelt's points came from 3 pointers, which are probably not Big John's fault.
FINAL CONCLUSION:
-The two games head-to-head between the two big men were a virtual wash. Who did better against the rest of the competition? My guess is Bryant did (but at this point, I'm tired of looking at stat pages), thus POY award. Besides, you can't tell me that Heytvelt's "history" didn't play a part. And the fact that Bouldin might have taken a vote or two from him.
Average Stats, WCC games only:
Scoring
2. Bryant 18.0 ppg
4. Heytvelt 16.0 ppg
Rebounding
1. Bryant 15.1 rpg
8. Heytvelt 6.8 rpg
Offensive Rebounds
1. Bryant 4.29 rpg
10. Heytvelt 2.14 rpg
Defensive Rebounds
1. Bryant 10.86 rpg
7. Heytvelt 4.64 rpg
Field Goal %
1. Bryant .621
2. Heytvelt .566
Free Throw %
6. Bryant .747
8. Heytvelt .743
Blocked Shots
1. Bryant 2.43 bpg
10. Heytvelt 0.93 bpg
Double-Doubles
1. Bryant 13 (14 games total)
t-7. Heytvelt 2
BIG JOHN BRYANT LEADS JOSH HEYTVELT IN ALL CATEGORIES, PLACING FIRST IN THE WCC IN 6 OF THE 8 LISTED
